2005 MLB Draft: Colorado Rockies

Total Picks: 52 (College: 26, High School: 17, Juco: 9, Other: 0)
Position Players: 25  Pitchers: 27

Players signed indicated in Bold

Round Overall Player Position School State Bonus
1 7 Troy Tulowitzki ss Long Beach State U. CA
Tulowitzki compares favorably to Bobby Crosby, his predecessor as shortstop at Long Beach State who was a first-round pick in 2001 and the 2004 American League rookie of the year. They're about the same size and have similar speed and bat speed at the same stage, but scouts say Tulowitzki is a better athlete and should be a better player. He has more arm strength and range, and more power to all parts of the park, while Crosby was more automatic on routine plays and had more pull power. Crosby helped Tulowitzki by showing scouts that players built like Crosby and the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Tulowitzki can be effective everyday shortstops. Tulowitzki has also won over scouts with his approach to the game. He plays with exceptional intensity and an unrivaled passion for the game. He broke the hamate bone in his hand and missed 20 games early this spring, and the 49ers slumped in his absence. He has no holes in his game and all his tools are close to big league-ready. He is a top defender who has adjusted well to the speed of the game. He has an above-average arm and good footwork, unlike as a freshman when he relied on his raw arm strength. He has added 35-40 pounds since enrolling at Long Beach, giving him a stronger body and the chance to be an offensive shortstop. He now projects to hit 25-30 homers a year in the big leagues. He has just 19 in three years at Long Beach State but plays his home games at Blair Field, one of the best pitcher's parks in college baseball. He hit four with a wood bat last summer for Team USA, tied for the team lead. Tulowitzki is regarded by most teams as a safe pick who almost certainly will return the investment a team makes in him.
1S 32 Chaz Roe rhp Lafayette HS, Lexington, Ky. KY
A shortstop in high school as well as a pitcher, Roe has two-way potential in college and would be a difference-maker for second-year coach John Cohen’s rebuilding efforts at Kentucky. He also has strong ties to the school, where his father played football. But as the season progressed, few scouts expected him to make it to college. Roe, long and projectable, was throwing as well as any prep pitcher in the country and gaining momentum toward the first 50 picks. He has plenty of arm strength, having reached 95 mph at times and throwing consistently in the low 90s. He’s athletic (he was a promising football player as a freshman and sophomore before a pair of concussions convinced him that baseball was the way to go), and repeats his delivery. His loose, quick arm generally works well. His detractors say Roe’s slurvy, upper-70s breaking ball is too inconsistent (though at times it’s a plus pitch) and his body too frail for pro ball at this time, and even supporters say Roe has a head jerk in his delivery, which tends to lead to control problems and could be tough to correct.
2 52 Daniel Carte of Winthrop U. SC
Carte, who led Hurricane High to its first West Virginia state title in any sport in 2002, emerged as one of the safer college picks in the draft after his dominating performance in the Cape Cod League last summer. Showing tools that are at least average across the board, Carte was BA’s Summer College Player of the Year after hitting .301-11-38 and becoming just the sixth player in Cape history to reach double figures in homers and stolen bases in the same summer. His strong hands and forearms generate excellent bat speed, giving him power to all fields. Carte battled a strained oblique muscle in his torso this spring that affected his plate coverage, causing him to swing and miss more than usual. As he got healthier toward the end of the season, he showed more of his Cape form and was expected to go in the second round. He runs well enough (4.2 seconds to first) that scouts think he could play center field, and he has enough power to play a corner if he can’t. He has flashed a plus arm at times as well.
2 55 Zach Simons rhp Everett (Wash.) CC WA
A 38th-round pick from an obscure Idaho high school in 2003, Simons went unnoticed as a freshman at Everett Community College in 2004. Not only did Oakland make little attempt to sign him, but no other club saw fit to draft a player with a high-80s fastball. Simons was a different player this year. With an additional 20 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame, he began pumping low- to mid-90s fastballs, an increase of 4-5 mph, and holding his velocity deep into games. He became the marquee talent in what may be the best crop of players ever to come out of the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges. Simons has a quick arm and generates electric stuff with a loose, easy delivery. In addition to his fastball, he flashes a slider with bite and depth, though the pitch is inconsistent. He has little feel for a changeup. Simons and J.T. Zink, a former San Diego State righthander, formed a dynamic 1-2 pitching punch this spring at Everett, but were forced to work deep into games on a regular basis because of a thin bullpen. Somewhat raw, Simons is still more of a thrower than pitcher. All his flaws are correctable, scouts say.
3 87 Kyle Hancock RHP Rowlett (Texas) HS TX
Hancock's story is similar to Josh Wilson's. Hancock made an even bigger impression than Wilson at the Area Code Games and had a better chance of going in the first or supplemental first round. Texas high schools always are loaded with promising arms, but few in this year's crop are as polished as Hancock's. That remains the case, though his stuff is down slightly from a year ago. He showed an 88-93 mph fastball and a hammer curveball in 2004, but has lost velocity on his heater and sharpness on his curve this spring. Scouts expected more out of him, and wonder if he'll give up a substantial scholarship from Arkansas to sign if he drops to the third or fourth round.
4 117 Brandon Durden lhp Georgia College GA
Teams that use college stats as a guide in the draft won’t be interested in Durden, who went 3-5, 4.60 this spring with 72 strikeouts and 104 hits allowed in 88 innings. He was benefiting from the interest teams showed in teammate Matt Goyen (9-1, 1.99), who emerged as a prospect in the Cape Cod League last summer. Durden has much more stuff than Goyen, and a lefthander with a fastball that sits in the 88-92 mph range and touches 94 will get drafted well. Durden’s velocity increased from the fall, as he continued to get stronger and was able to maintain his mechanics better this spring. Durden’s slider also has velocity, sitting between 80-83 mph. Durden has little of the polish Goyen offers, and his breaking ball remains inconsistent. Even in Division II, hitters who got ahead in the count could wait on his fastball and punish it. Durden’s changeup has a ways to go, but his velocity made him the exception this spring in Georgia, and scouts flocked to see him.
5 147 Josh Sullivan rhp Auburn U. AL
The offensive backfield of Auburn’s football team produced three first-round picks in the NFL draft in April, and could produce a premium pick in baseball’s draft. Sullivan followed in Blue Jays farmhand Gabe Gross’ footsteps, starting off at Auburn as a two-way player and earning playing time at quarterback in 2003 as a redshirt freshman before playing baseball full-time. He then made another transformation, from catcher/third baseman to pitcher, starting last summer in the Coastal Plain League. He quickly became Auburn’s No. 2 starter. Sullivan’s fresh arm, clean delivery, athleticism and live body make him one of the more intriguing college pitchers on the board. His fastball sits in the 88-91 mph range and touches 92 with good sink. At times, Sullivan flashes a power curveball and less often a solid changeup, but he’s still inexperienced on the mound and lacks confidence in his secondary stuff. One scout said if Sullivan brings it all together, he could be a No. 3 big league starter, a significant ceiling for a pitcher who could last until the third round.
6 177 Corey Wimberly 2b Alcorn State U. MS
Alcorn State 2B Corey Wimberly is a slight, speedy player who led Division I in batting. His size keeps him out of the top of the draft, but Wimberly should go on the draft's first day.
7 207 Geoff Strickland SS Florida Southern U. FL
Undersized 3B Geoff Strickland is a versatile gamer with a solid line-drive bat.
8 237 James Burok RHP Old Dominion U. VA
James Burok will prove an interesting senior sign for a club looking to save money in the first 10 rounds. He's cut from a similar mold as ODU's Donnie Smith, a Cardinals fourth-round pick in 2004, but doesn’t possess the same arm strength. Burok showed plus stuff once he moved to a closer's role, reaching 90-93 mph with his fastball and showing a cutter at 84-85 that's a major league pitch. His curveball isn’t a true 12-to-6 offering, but he might not use it much if he remains in the bullpen.
9 267 Andrew Johnston rhp U. of Missouri MO
Johnston is mainly a one-pitch guy, but that one pitch is a nasty sinker that has been clocked as high as 94 mph. He's a 6-foot-5, 215-pounder who's tough to pick up from his low three-quarters arm slot.
10 297 Garner Wetzel SS Millsaps (Miss.) College MS
At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Wetzel will move either to third base or elsewhere as a pro, and his competition made him difficult to scout. He has shown raw power in his swing, which can get long and sweepy. He's strong and has athletic ability, and his good makeup means he'll at least be an organizational player. Some teams like him better than that, and Wetzel--who attracted little attention in his prep career in Biloxi--could be picked in the first 10 rounds.
11 327 Chris Frey of U. of Arizona AZ
12 357 Dominick Foster rhp Fresno (Calif.) CC CA
13 387 Mike Paulk of Cal State Northridge CA
Cal State Northridge’s best draft pick should be lefthanded-hitting OF Mike Paulk, who led his team with 12 homers and 42 RBIs. He has impressive bat speed but doesn’t have a great feel for the game.
14 417 Kyle Blumenthal C Cal Poly U. CA
15 447 Travis Becktel OF San Jose State U. CA
Fourth-year junior OF Travis Becktel is San Jose State’s best draft pick. He has solid tools and a style of play reminiscent of Athletics outfielder Eric Byrnes.
16 477 Bret Berglund of Cal Poly U. CA
17 507 Jimmy Freeman LHP Washington State U. WA
LHP Jimmy Freeman , a fifth-year senior who pitched well early, has a lively fastball that touched 90. A poor arm action led to command issues later on, and he wasn’t nearly as effective over the second half of the season.
18 537 Brett Strickland rhp Georgia State U. GA
19 567 Byron Binda rhp Coastal Carolina U. NC
20 597 Andrew Kreidermacher rhp Minnesota State U.-Mankato MN
21 627 Chris Martin RHP McLennan (Texas) CC TX
22 657 Radames Nazario ss Pimentel HS, Naguabo, P.R. PR
23 687 Phil Cuadrado 3b Cumberland (Tenn.) U. TN
24 717 Sean Toler RHP Parkway South HS, Manchester, Mo. MO
25 747 Steven Hirschfeld rhp CC of Southern Nevada NV
26 777 Ethan Katz RHP Cal. State Sacramento CA
27 807 Sean Ruthven rhp U. of Georgia GA
Senior RHP Sean Ruthven, son of ex-big leaguer Dick Ruthven, also could be a budget senior sign on the draft’s first day if teams are satisfied with his recovery from 2003 labrum problems. His velocity tops out in the upper 80s, with a solid-average curveball being his best pitch.
28 837 David Bechtold lhp Liberty U. VA
29 867 Reese Havens SS Bishop England HS, Charleston, S.C. SC
Scouts and college recruiters can’t seem to agree about Havens, who figures to be one of the tougher signs in the draft and could go in the first two or three rounds or not be selected at all. He had a decorated career at Bishop England, helping the Bishops win two state championships in the last three years. Because Rangers farmhand Drew Meyer went to Bishop England, comparisons between the two are natural, but they’re different players. Havens’ swing is much more polished and advanced than Meyer's in 1999, when the Dodgers picked him in the second round out of high school. Havens wasn’t showing present power, but he uses the whole field and has even earned comparisons to the likes of Eric Chavez and Hank Blalock. He’s a below-average runner who won’t have a shot to play shortstop in pro ball, but he has good hands and plenty of arm. Havens is a baseball rat who loves the game and spends much of his free time in the batting cage. Havens is committed to South Carolina, and it’s thought to be a strong commitment that might require a seven-figure bonus to trump. For some scouts, Havens doesn’t show enough present power to merit such a bonus.
30 897 Michael Milliron ss Penn State U. PA
31 927 Sean Halton 1b Fresno (Calif.) HS CA
32 957 Jarrad Page OF UCLA CA
Jarrad Page was an unsigned fifth-round pick out of high school. Almost all of his success since has come on the football field, where he was an all-conference defensive back last fall. He didn’t play baseball at all as a freshman and has played sparingly since, with fewer than 200 at-bats in three years. He struggled at the plate this season, hitting just .149-1-9, striking out at a high rate and showing little aptitude to hit a breaking ball. Still, scouts say he could go anytime after the third round strictly on his tools. He’s an outstanding center fielder, with excellent range and an above-average arm. He has the kind of live, athletic frame that suggests he'll hit, but he would need four or five full seasons in the minors to tap into that potential. He has indicated a willingness to give up football to give professional baseball a try.
33 987 Jordan Jarvis rhp Arcadia HS, Phoenix AZ
34 1017 Kyle Beitey LHP Lower Columbia (Wash.) JC WA
35 1047 Tim Brewer rhp Ivanna Eudora Kean HS, St. Thomas, V.I. VI
36 1077 Chris Cook 1b Grand Canyon U. AZ
37 1107 C.J. Belanger OF Cypress HS, Stanton, Calif. CA
38 1137 Barret Browning lhp Florida State U. FL
39 1167 Rod Scurry rhp Sierra (Calif.) JC CA
40 1196 Joseph Servais C Garden City (Kan.) CC KS
41 1225 Jeremy Farrell 3b St. Ignatius HS, Cleveland OH
The son of ex-big leaguer and current Indians farm director John Farrell, 3B/RHP Jeremy Farrell also is considered a near-impossible sign and is ticketed for an Atlantic Coast Conference school (Virginia). Most clubs prefer Farrell as an everyday player, noting his strong build (6-foot-3, 205 pounds), sound stroke, strength and arm. But he also has potential on the mound, showing good life on an 88-90 mph. If he does go to college, he'll be the Cavaliers' replacement for projected top-five pick Ryan Zimmerman.
42 1254 Maikol Gonzales SS Louisburg (N.C.) JC NC
43 1283 Jordan Rogers rhp Dayton (Texas) HS TX
44 1312 Philip Myers lhp Ballard HS, Louisville KY
45 1341 Chris Bell OF Johnson HS, Gainesville, Ga. GA
46 1370 Garrett Vaughan C Sibley (La.) HS LA
47 1399 Brent Weiss 2b St. Joseph Regional HS, Suffern, N.Y. NY
48 1427 Spencer Schuh rhp Harrison (Ark.) HS AR
49 1454 Jordan Moore lhp Spokane Falls (Wash.) CC WA
50 1481 James Pollack C North Broward Prep, Parkland, Fla. FL

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