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

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 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.