Colorado Rockies: Mock Draft Monday, Version 1

Here’s how we believe the first 41 picks will fall. We’ll discuss the Rockies selections on the following pages…

1. Philadelphia Phillies – A.J. Puk, LHP, University of Florida
2. Cincinnati Reds – Kyle Lewis, OF, Mercer University
3. Atlanta Braves – Jason Groome, LHP, New Jersey HS
4. Colorado Rockies – Mickey Moniak, OF, California HS
5. Milwaukee Brewers – Corey Ray, OF, University of Louisville
6. Oakland Athletics – Delvin Perez, SS, Puerto Rico
7. Florida Marlins – Nick Senzel, IF, University of Tennessee
8. San Diego Padres – Riley Pint, RHP, Kansas HS
9. Detroit Tigers – Dakota Hudson, RHP, Mississippi State University
10. Chicago White Sox – Blake Rutherford, OF, California HS

11. Seattle Mariners – Matt Manning, RHP, California HS
12. Boston Red Sox – Josh Lowe, 3B, Georgia HS
13. Tampa Bay Rays – Zack Collins, C, University of Miami
14. Cleveland Indians – Jordan Sheffield, RHP, Vanderbilt University
15. Minnesota Twins – Taylor Trammell, OF, Georgia HS
16. Los Angeles Angels – Braxton Garrett, LHP, Alabama HS
17. Houston Astros – Ian Anderson, RHP, New York HS
18. New York Yankees – Joey Wentz, LHP, Kansas HS
19. New York Mets – Alex Kirilloff, OF, Pennsylvania HS
20. Los Angeles Dodgers – Forrest Whitley, RHP, Texas HS
21. Toronto Blue Jays – Robert Tyler, RHP, University of Georgia
22. Pittsburgh Pirates – T.J. Zeuch, RHP, University of Pittsburgh
23. St. Louis Cardinals – Will Craig, IF, Wake Forest University
24. San Diego Padres – Zack Burdi, RHP, University of Louisville
25. San Diego Padres – Will Benson, OF, Georgia HS
26. Chicago White Sox – Eric Lauer, LHP, Kent State University
27. Baltimore Orioles – Buddy Reed, OF, University of Florida
28. Washington Nationals – Matt Thaiss, C, Virginia Univeristy
29. Washington Nationals – Drew Mendoza, IF, Florida HS
30. Texas Rangers – Jared Horn, RHP, California HS
31. New York Mets – Justin Dunn, RHP, Boston College
32. Los Angeles Dodgers – Cal Quantrill, RHP, Stanford University
33. St. Louis Cardinals – Connor Jones, RHP, University of Virginia
34. St. Louis Cardinals – Nolan Jones, IF, Pennsylvania HS
35. Cincinnati Reds – Bryan Reynolds, OF, Vanderbilt University
36. Los Angeles Dodgers – Kyle Muller, LHP, Texas HS
37. Oakland Athletics – Alex Speas, RHP, Georgia HS
38. Colorado Rockies – Logan Shore, RHP, University of Florida
39. Arizona Diamondbacks – Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Florida HS
40. Atlanta Braves – Heath Quinn, OF, Samford University
41. Pittsburgh Pirates – Carter Kieboom, IF, Georgia HS

Next: Discussing Colorado's Choice at #4

Mickey Moniak

Is there such a thing as having too much pitching? Absolutely not. Every team needs pitching, including the Rockies, who have used three of their last five first-round picks on arms. Those picks include Jon Gray with the third overall pick in 2013.

While the Rockies are always looking for pitching, two teams ahead of them, the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves, will take two pitchers in A.J. Puk and Jason Groome, both left-handers who are near the top of every mock draft out there.

That leaves the Rockies to do one of two things: Take a pitcher earlier than everyone is projecting him to go or go with the best available player. We think that player will be Mickey Moniak, a high school outfielder from Carlsbad, Calif., who has been described as “one of the better high school bats in the nation who makes consistent, hard contact at the plate, according to MLB.com. You can check out video of him and a scouting report from MLB.com by clicking here.

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Moniak has also been described as an outfielder who has a lot of speed to cover the outfield, perfect for roaming Coors Field in the future.

Baseball America says that two Southern California scouts say his bat ranks a 70 on a scale of 20-80. They say if there’s one high school prospect in the draft who will mash in the Majors, they’re putting their money on Moniak.

What’s the biggest knock on him? Moniak has yet to develop a lot of power. However, the Rockies should be willing to take him based on hitting for average with the bet that the power will develop down the line.

Next: Discussing Colorado's Choice at #38

Logan Shore

The Rockies may not have selected a pitcher with the fourth overall pick, but it would be a shocker for Colorado to not use either of their first 38 selections on an arm that can help the Rockies rotation down the road. Logan Shore fits that mold just fine.

Shore was already drafted out of high school by the Minnesota Twins but the right-hander had made it well known that he was going to attend the University of Florida, dropping his stock all the way to a 29th-round selection. Shore passed on the Twins … and for good reason.

Will the Twins take him with the 15th overall pick? Most think that would be too high for Shore to go but Minnesota may be looking to ensure it gets Shore, one year or the other.

If he drops to the 39th pick (and, let’s be honest, that is a big if), the Colorado Rockies will get a pitcher who was 8-0 in his first 10 starts this season for the Gators with a 2.14 ERA in 63 innings. Also, Shore struck out 63 in those 10 starts while walking just nine.

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Shore is a pitcher that, thanks to his time at Florida, will be much like Jon Gray in that he may not need a number of years in the minor leagues to be ready for his MLB debut. Some scouts are projecting him more as a third or fourth starter on a MLB team but the Rockies would be quite happy with a solid young arm at the back end of the rotation.