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Colorado Rockies 2003 Draft: Trading their 1st round pick a few years later pays off

ByNoah Yingling|
DENVER, CO - APRIL 17: Ian Stewart #9 of the Colorado Rockies looks on from the dugout prior to facing the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field on April 17, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 17: Ian Stewart #9 of the Colorado Rockies looks on from the dugout prior to facing the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field on April 17, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
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Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, 2003 Draft
BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 16: Jonathan Papelbon #58 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after striking out Evan Longoria #3 of the Tampa Bay Rays in the ninth inning to earn a 4-3 win at Fenway Park September 16, 2011 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

In the 2003 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies passed up on these players:

  • Shortstop Aaron Hill, 1st round, 13th pick, Toronto (future All-Star second baseman)
  • Shortstop/pitcher Adam Jones, 1st round, 37th pick, Seattle (future five-time All-Star outfielder)
  • Outfielder Andre Ethier, 2nd round, 62nd pick, Oakland (two-time All-Star)
  • Pitcher Jonathan Papelbon, 4th round, 114th pick, Boston (five-time All-Star)
  • Outfielder Michael Bourn, 4th round, 115th pick, Philadelphia (two-time All-Star)
  • Outfielder Matt Kemp, 6th round, 181st overall, Dodgers (three-time All-Star and future Rockie)
  • Second baseman Ian Kinsler, 17th round, 496th overall, Texas (four-time All-Star)
  • Max Scherzer, 43rd round, 1291st overall, St. Louis (did not sign) (eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner)

Also, future Colorado Rockies players Kyle Kendrick, Mike Dunn, Jason Motte, and Daniel Bard but only Kendrick (Phillies) and Motte (Cardinals) signed.

Overall, it was not a great draft for the Rockies at all. With (at the time) 50 rounds in the draft, nobody is going to hit a homer on all 50 players. In fact, if any team hits a homer with two players, it was a good draft. However, if not for the DJ LeMahieu trade, this would be in competition with a draft coming up here soon (you know which draft it is, Rockies fans).

Poor drafting is part of the reason why the Rockies went more than a decade without even sniffing the playoffs and this was right in the middle of that period. But this draft and the others are a big part of why the Rockies were not as successful as they should have been in the late 2000s and early 2010s as well.

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