Colorado Rockies 2011 MLB Draft: The drafting of Trevor Story

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 01: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies warms up in the dugout during the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 01, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Rockies defeated the Diamondbacks 14-6. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 01: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies warms up in the dugout during the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 01, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Rockies defeated the Diamondbacks 14-6. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
1 of 3
Next
DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 22: Starting pitcher Tyler Anderson #44 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field on April 22, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 22: Starting pitcher Tyler Anderson #44 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field on April 22, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

We continue our draft series by looking back at the Colorado Rockies draft picks from the 2011 MLB Draft. The Rockies were coming off of what ended up being a so-so draft class that got to that level due to their lower draft picks (second round and later).

It ended up being that way for a few drafts as the Rockies didn’t have a good first round draft pick since 2005, with Troy Tulowitzki. They drafted future franchise stars or future MLB pieces in Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, and Chad Bettis in the last three drafts but in the second round.

However, at least with this draft, the Colorado Rockies were successful in the first round with both of their picks.

The Colorado Rockies drafted Tyler Anderson in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft

In the 2011 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies had the 20th overall pick of the draft. Drafted above their pick included some very good future MLB players including Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer, Anthony Rendon, Francisco Lindor, Javier Baez, George Springer, Brandon Nimmo, the late José Fernández, C.J. Cron, and Sonny Gray.

With their first pick in the draft, the Rockies drafted left-handed pitcher Tyler Anderson.

Anderson has spent six seasons in the majors through 2021 and he pitched for the Rockies in parts of four of them. He had a 4.69 ERA (104 ERA+) in 73 games (71 starts). He pitched well for the Rockies in his last full season with the team in 2018 (2.8 rWAR) but in 2019, he struggled with a knee injury all season and after that, the Rockies let him go via waivers.

Sep 15, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story (27) looks on in the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 15, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story (27) looks on in the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

The Colorado Rockies also drafted Trevor Story in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft

The Colorado Rockies also had a comp pick in the draft for losing reliever Octavio Dotel to free agency, despite Dotel only playing with the Rockies for the final two weeks of the 2010 season.

That pick? A shortstop by the name of Trevor Story.

Through 2021, he played six seasons in the majors (all with the Rockies) and he has been an All-Star twice and he won two Silver Slugger Award. He also received MVP votes in three seasons and was fourth in the 2016 NL Rookie of the Year voting. Had he not been injured for the final two months of the season, he may have even won it.

So they acquired Octavio Dotel for two weeks to get a comp pick and that pick ends up being Trevor Story. Talk about a good pick.

The problem for the Rockies in this draft was that their later picks fell flat.

In the second round, they drafted an outfielder by the name of Carl Thomore. He never got above Rookie-ball with the Rockies as he never hit above .208. He never played above Single-A at all and was out of affiliated ball by 2014. Not a good pick at all.

Seven picks later, the Braves drafted a shortstop by the name of Nick Ahmed. Ahmed was later traded to the D-Backs and he’s won two Gold Gloves in the majors. He’s not Trevor Story but he’s a heck of a lot better than Carl Thomore.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers waits in right field during the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on April 13, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers waits in right field during the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on April 13, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

The Colorado Rockies struck out in the rest of the 2011 MLB Draft.

From the third round and after in the 2011 MLB Draft for the Colorado Rockies, the Rockies made a lot of bad picks and their good picks didn’t sign.

In fact, after Story in the first round, none of their 49 remaining picks made it to the majors with the Rockies.

The best draft pick the Rockies made was in the ninth round when they drafted a pitcher by the name of Ross Stripling. Stripling didn’t sign, however. He was drafted by the Dodgers in the fifth round in 2012 and he later became an All-Star for them in 2018.

Some of the best players to sign in the third round of the draft or later include:

  • SS Mookie Betts, 5th round, Red Sox (moved to the outfield, 5x All-Star, 5x Gold Glove winner, 4x Silver Slugger winner, 2018 AL batting title, 2018 AL MVP, five more top 8 MVP finishes, 50.0 rWAR)
  • SS Marcus Semien, 6th round, White Sox (1x All-Star, 1x Gold Glove winner, 1x Silver Slugger winner, two top 3 AL MVP finishes, 28.7 rWAR)

Future Rockeis pitchers Jon Gray and Kyle Freeland were also drafted in this draft by the Yankees and Phillies but neither signed.

dark. Next. Todd Helton was robbed of the 2000 NL MVP

Next up in our draft series is the 2012 MLB Draft, when the Rockies drafted a couple of players that were keys to their playoff run later in the decade.

Next