Colorado Rockies 2008 Draft: The drafting of Charlie Blackmon

The Colorado Rockies drafted outfielder Charlie Blackmon in the second round of the 2008 MLB Draft

Here are some of the players drafted after Christian Friedrich in the first round and before the Colorado Rockies second round pick:

• 28th overall pick RHP Gerrit Cole, Yankees (four-time All-Star, finished in the top five of Cy Young voting five times, 31.7 rWAR) *Did not sign*
• 32nd overall pick RHP Jake Odorizzi, Brewers (one-time All-Star, 12.9 rWAR)
• 39th overall pick RHP Lance Lynn, Cardinals (two-time All-Star, three top six finishes in Cy Young voting, 29.4 rWAR)
• 43rd overall pick LHP Wade Miley, D-Backs (one-time All-Star, 16.6 rWAR)
• 2nd round pick (52nd overall) LHP Brad Hand, Marlins (three-time All-Star, 6.7 rWAR)
• 58th overall pick RHP Tyson Ross, A’s (one-time All-Star, 7.5 rWAR)

However, the Colorado Rockies made the best pick of anyone in the second round. They drafted outfielder Charlie Blackmon out of the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Blackmon has been with the Rockies ever since. He has spent parts of 11 seasons in the majors with the Rockies with four All-Star game selections, two Silver Slugger Awards, a batting title, and a 5th place finish in NL MVP voting in 2017. He has a career 19.5 rWAR.

Coincidentally, there was one other second round draft pick in the 2008 Draft who had an rWAR above 10.0 … and he was a teammate of Blackmon. Tyler Chatwood was drafted by the Angels with the pick after the Rockies and he later spent parts of five seasons pitching for the Rockies.

Drafted with the next pick after Chatwood was future Rockies reliever Bryan Shaw. He has been good in the majors but, as Rockies fans know, he did not pitch well for the Rockies.