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Colorado Rockies: A look back on Dan O’Dowd’s 1st round draft picks

By Noah Yingling

DENVER, CO - APRIL 13: (L-R) Dick Monfort, Owner/Chairman and CEO of the Colorado Rockies and Dan O'Dowd, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Colorado Rockies watch pregame festivities as the Rockies host the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on April 13, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 13: (L-R) Dick Monfort, Owner/Chairman and CEO of the Colorado Rockies and Dan O'Dowd, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Colorado Rockies watch pregame festivities as the Rockies host the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on April 13, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA – MAY 18: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies pithces against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the first inning at AT&T Park on May 18, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – MAY 18: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies pithces against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the first inning at AT&T Park on May 18, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

The 2014 draft was the final draft for Dan O’Dowd as general manager of the Rockies and, like most of the first round picks thus far, it was a mixed bag.

They had two picks in the first round, the 8th overall pick and the 35th overall pick. For the 8th overall pick, they decided to go with a local kid by the name of Kyle Freeland.

Freeland is only in his second season at the major league level so it remains to be seen on whether or not he will pan out but so far, he has done well and he has been a key cog in the Rockies starting rotation in both 2017 and 2018.

The other pick was a second baseman by the name of Forrest Wall. Wall is still in the Rockies organization as he is playing at Advanced-A Lancaster and playing well. He is only 22 years old so he still has plenty of time to develop. Also, he was injured for most of last season as he only played in 22 games before being out for the rest of the season. He is hitting .315/.397/.473 in Lancaster in 2018 so far so he could prove that he is ready for Double-A Hartford.

Some of the other notable players after Freeland in draft include:

Michael Conforto: 10th overall pick, 2017 All Star

Trea Turner: 13th overall pick, came 2nd in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2016

Brandon Finnegan: 17th overall pick, best known for having the rare accomplishment of pitching in the College World Series and in the World Series in the same year (2014).

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