Colorado Rockies 2010 Draft: A bad draft early gets better later

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PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 30: Kyle Parker #16 of the Colorado Rockies in action during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on August 30, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

In the 2010 MLB Draft, it was a draft that was very top-heavy in talent. Unfortunately for the Colorado Rockies, they didn’t get to draft any player until the 26th pick of the draft since the Rockies were a good team in 2009.

They made it to the playoffs for only the third time in franchise history, as they went 92-70 and clinched a playoff berth via the NL Wild Card.

There were some very good picks before the Colorado Rockies drafted in the 2010 Draft

Drafted before the Colorado Rockies selected in the 2010 Draft were:

OF Bryce Harper, 1st overall pick, Nationals (6x All-Star, 2012 NL Rookie of the Year, 2x Silver Slugger, 2x NL MVP, 40.1 rWAR)
SS Manny Machado, 3rd overall, Orioles (5x All-Star, 2x Gold Glove Award winner, 1x Platinum Glove Award winner, 1x Silver Slugger Award winner, four top 10 MVP finishes)
C Yasmani Grandal, 12th overall, Reds (2x All-Star, MVP votes in two seasons, 21.7 rWAR)
LHP Chris Sale, 13th overall, White Sox (7x All-Star, seven top 6 Cy Young Award finishes, former Colorado Rockies draft pick in 2007, 46.5 rWAR)
1B Christian Yelich, 23rd overall, Marlins (moved to the outfield, 2x All-Star, 3x Silver Slugger Award winner, 2014 NL Gold Glove winner, 2018-2019 NL batting champ, 2018 NL MVP, second in 2019 NL MVP voting)

The Colorado Rockies were less successful with their first round pick as they drafted first baseman/outfielder Kyle Parker. Parker appeared in parts of two seasons in the majors (both with the Rockies). He played in 64 games and he had a career -1.4 rWAR. Not the best draft pick in franchise history, by any means.

DENVER, COLORADO – JULY 03: Pitcher Chad Bettis #35 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Coors Field on July 03, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

The Colorado Rockies drafted Chad Bettis in the 2010 MLB Draft

The Colorado Rockies also had a supplemental draft pick in first round of the 2010 Draft since they lost starting pitcher Jason Marquis to free agency.

The Rockies selected right-handed pitcher Pete Tago with the 47th overall pick. Tago, 29, last played for the Rockies in the minors in 2014, getting up to Advanced-A ball. He is still playing in the minor leagues for the Chicago White Sox and he just got to Triple-A for the first time in 2021. Nonetheless, it was another draft pick that didn’t go well for the Rockies.

Here are a few players that the Rockies could have drafted instead:

RHP Aaron Sanchez, 34th overall pick, Blue Jays (1x All-Star, 2016 AL ERA Title, one top ten Cy Young Award finish, 9.5 rWAR)
RHP Noah Syndergaard, 38th overall pick, Mets (1x All-Star, one top 10 Cy Young Award finish, 15.9 rWAR)
RHP Taijuan Walker, 43rd overall pick, Mariners (1x All-Star, 7.5 rWAR)
3B Nick Castellanos, 44th overall pick, Tigers (1x All-Star, 1x Silver Slugger Award winner, 12.3 rWAR)
SS Andrelton Simmons, 2nd round (70th overall pick), Braves (4x Gold Glove winner, Platinum Glove winner, 37.3 rWAR)

With their second round draft pick, the Colorado Rockies drafted right-handed pitcher Chad Bettis.

Bettis spent parts of seven seasons in the majors (all with the Rockies). He had a career 5.12 ERA (93 ERA+) in 164 games (92 starts). He had a career 2.9 rWAR before calling it a career in 2020. He is best known for his battle with testicular cancer in 2017 and how he was able to still pitch in the season, despite being diagnosed earlier in the year.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 06: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks and NFC throws against the AFC in the fourth quarter of the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on February 06, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

The Colorado Rockies drafted future NFL QB Russell Wilson in the 2010 MLB Draft

After the 2nd round of the 2010 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies still drafted and signed a few players that later became MLB players for them.

The three best MLB players that were drafted and signed by the Rockies were:

INF Josh Rutledge, 3rd round, six MLB seasons, three seasons with the Rockies, -0.9 career rWAR
OF Corey Dickerson, 8th round, nine MLB seasons (and still in the majors), three seasons with the Rockies, 1x All-Star, Gold Glove winner, 13.7 rWAR (best known for being traded to Tampa Bay for pitcher Germán Márquez)
RHP Christian Bergman, 24th round, five MLB seasons, three seasons with the Rockies, -0.1 rWAR

They also drafted LHP Marco Gonzales but he did not sign. Gonzales has since been a starter for the Seattle Mariners and his father, Frank, is now the Rockies Triple-A pitching coach. The Gonzales family is from Fort Collins, Colorado.

Perhaps the most notable name drafted by the Rockies, though, was of an outfielder in the fourth round by the name of Russell Wilson. Wilson signed with the Rockies and they moved him to second base and he played 93 games in the minors with the team.

Then, he decided to play football full-time and he became the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. Less than four years after the Rockies drafted him and less than three years after he played for the Rockies, Wilson won Super Bowl XLVIII. The team he defeated? The Denver Broncos.

Wilson is a nine-time Pro Bowler so it’s safe to say that he made a good decision for his career.

Some other notable picks that signed in the draft that the Colorado Rockies could have had include:

SS JT Realmuto, 3rd round, Marlins (switched to catcher, 3x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger Award winner, Gold Glove winner, 23.3 rWAR)
SS Whit Merrifield, 9th round, Royals (2x All-Star, 17.1 rWAR)
RHP Jacob deGrom, 9th round, Mets (4x All-Star, 2014 NL Rookie of the Year, 2018-19 NL Cy Young Award winner, four more top 10 NL Cy Young Award finishes, 43.4 rWAR)
2B Adam Duvall, 11th round, Giants (later became an outfielder, 1x All-Star, Gold Glove winner, 10.5 rWAR)
OF Joc Pederson, 11th round, Dodgers (1x All-Star, 10.2 rWAR)
OF Kevin Kiermaier, 31st round, Rays (3x Gold Glove winner, Platinum Glove winner, 30.7 rWAR)

Next. Former Rox pitcher Christian Bergman on Coors, more. dark

Next up in our draft series is the 2011 MLB Draft, when the Colorado Rockies were a bit more successful, as they drafted a future All-Star.

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