Luke Wortman | @Luke_W31 | February 16th
College baseball is back, starting up this weekend. While I would recommend watching it because college baseball is great, this year it is especially important because the Rockies own the third overall pick in the draft. While still early, it is likely that the Rockies will pick a college guy because the top of the college class is much stronger than the high school side.
In this article you will find the five prospects that I believe have the highest chance of being taken by the Rockies. Attached with each player is a detailed writeup as well as their stats from last season. It’s important to note that this list is not ordered and that it will change over the next few months leading up to the draft.
Chase Burns – RHP – Wake Forest
4.25 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 72.0 IP, 1.14 WHIP, 14.3 K/9, 2.8 BB/9
Pitching prospects can be very risky, but Burns’ potential is as high as the elevation at Coors. Burns’ fastball tops out at 102 mph, and he has been able to consistently hit triple digits in scrimmages this spring as evidenced by this tweet:
His fastball isn’t the only trick in his sleeve either as he had an incredible slider and a plus changeup. Burns’ strike throwing ability is solid, but his overall command does need to improve. Pitching prospects are inherently risky, but if Chase Burns can stay healthy; then he’s got as good of a chance as any pitcher to go in the top 3.
Travis Bazzana – 2B – Oregon State
.374 AVG, 11 HR, 36 SB, .500 OBP, .622 SLG, 15.4 K% 19.3 BB%
Arguably the best player in this draft class, Bazzana has legitimate 5-tool potential. Rarely do hitting prospects have a max exit velocity of 110 mph to go along with some of the best contact, chase and barrel rates in the class. The biggest knock on Bazzana is that he will most likely be a second baseman at the next level, a position that isn’t super valuable. Regardless, he’s a solid defender there and can play shortstop in a pinch. The Australian can impact the game in so many different ways and the Rockies would be very fortunate to draft him.
Vance Honeycutt – OF – North Carolina
.257 AVG, 12 HR, 19 SB, .418 OBP, .492 SLG, 20.4 K%, 19.6 BB%
Over the past few drafts the Rockies have targeted toolsy, athletic outfielders with tons of pop (Zac Veen, Benny Montgomery). If they want to continue that trend, then North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt fits that description. Honeycutt has arguably, the highest ceiling in this class. He’s a legitimate 70-grade centerfielder with plus-plus speed and arm. His raw power is off the charts, and he already has 37 home runs after just two seasons at Chapel Hill. There is some hit tool risk here, given that he has never hit above .300 in his two seasons and has had relatively high K%. On the bright side he made a lot of improvements in that field over last season, and I would expect that he continues to do so.
JJ Wetherholt – 2B – West Virginia University
.449 AVG, 16 HR, 35 SB, .517 OBP, .782 SLG, 8.2 K% 9.7 BB%
Hitting a baseball is very difficult, so anytime someone hits .449 with 16 home runs you take note. Wetherholt does a bit of everything well. He legitimately has a 70-grade hit tool and his power is plus as well. He also stole 35 bases last year which just adds on to his value. Defensively, he can play all around the infield, but he will most likely end up at second base. He can get a tad bit aggressive in his at-bats which is something that needs to improve. Wetherholt has a super high ceiling and could get to the majors very quickly.
Nick Kurtz – 1B – Wake Forest
.353 AVG, 24 HR, 5 SB, .527 OBP, .784 SLG, 18.9 K%, 23.8 BB%
The second prospect from Wake Forest on this list, Kurtz is the best overall hitter in this draft. We’re talking about not only the best power hitter in this draft, but arguably the best contact hitter as well. The reason why Kurtz may be available to the Rockies at 3rd overall is because he is a first baseman. The recent track record of taking college first baseman high in the draft (i.e. Spencer Torkelson, Andrew Vaughn), has not been great. Given his athleticism there’s a chance Kurtz could play in the outfield, but that is not a given. Regardless, Kurtz has a super high ceiling and could be of great help to the Rox.
Other Prospects to Keep an Eye On:
Mike Sirota – OF – Northeastern
Charlie Condon – OF – Georgia
Jac Caglianone – TWP – Florida
Brody Brecht – RHP – Iowa
Hagen Smith – LHP – Arkansas
Tyson Neighbors – RHP – Kansas State
ICYMI
One response to “Prospective Draft Prospects”
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[…] As a draft nerd, this class is one for the ages. There is a huge talent group near the top that could conceivably be considered in the top 5. Of course, once the amateur season begins, more certainty will set in, but for now, it’s a frenzy trying to sort through the top 15-20 players. Our newest writer and draft guru, Luke, outlined some of the top options last week. […]
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