With the lowest first draft selection in franchise history (Pick 48, Round 2), the Colorado Rockies went the route of prep infielder, selecting Ryan Vilade out of Stillwater (Okla.) High School.
Vilade, who is the first prep position player drafted out of Oklahoma since Pete Kozma in 2007, is known for his power hitting, according to MLB.com’s draft profile.
Along with showing off his pop by winning the Under Armour All-American Game home run derby in August, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder earned the honor of Gatorade Player of the Year in Oklahoma and was named a Rawlings-Perfect Game 1st Team All-American this past season.
A shortstop in high school, Vilade will likely play third base in the Rockies organization, making him the first player at the position since Ian Stewart in 2003 in which Colorado selected with its first-overall pick.
At 48th-overall, Vilade is also the Rockies lowest first-overall pick in franchise history. Colorado did not have a first round pick in 2017, forfeiting the No. 11 pick after signing Ian Desmond, who turned down a qualifying offer from the Texas Rangers, in December.
Later in Round 2, Colorado selected 6-6, 235-pounder Tommy Doyle, a right-handed pitcher out of the University of Virginia.
Doyle, 21, was the Cavaliers’ closer in 2017, going 3-1 with 14 saves and a 1.87 ERA in 33 1/3 innings.
Selected to the third-team All-ACC squad, Doyle’s 14 saves tied for second in the conference in 2017 and were the fifth-most in school history.
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.
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