With the second day of the MLB Draft in the books, the Rockies continue to go college-heavy.

After Colorado selected Georgia slugger Charlie Condon with the No. 3 overall pick plus two other college players on Day 1, the Rockies took eight more on Day 2, including five pitchers.

The highlight of Day 2 was drafting South Carolina catcher Cole Messina, who was regarded as one of the top catchers in college baseball this year. Ranked as MLB.com’s No. 100 overall prospect, Messina has a high on-base approach and raw strength. He has the potential to hit upwards of 20 homers a year in the majors if he continues to develop.

“We were looking for a catcher who wasn’t just an offensive guy with no defense, or a defensive guy with no offense. We felt like he was a perfect fit,” Rockies assistant GM of scouting Danny Montgomery said. “The biggest thing is we’ve watched this guy’s leadership when it came to handling the pitching staff and being invested in the pitchers. He just carries himself with a veteran-type leadership as a college guy that would translate very well into our system.”

As Colorado keeps stockpiling pitching prospects in an effort to shore up the dearth of quality arms in their system, they drafted a few who could profile as starters, plus a couple of others who might come out of the Coors Field bullpen at some point.

Here’s a look at who the Rockies picked on Day 2 in Rounds 3 through 10. The draft concludes Tuesday with Rounds 11 through 20.

Round 3, No. 77 — C Cole Messina, South Carolina

As a junior for the Gamecocks this year, Messina won the Johnny Bench Award that’s presented annually to the top catcher in Division I. He was named to numerous All-American teams while leading South Carolina with a .326 average plus 21 homers and 71 RBIs. As those stats indicate, he can hit for average and power. While prospect Drew Romo (currently in Triple-A) is in line to be the next franchise catcher, the selection of Messina gives Colorado another starting candidate at a critical position.

Round 4, No. 106 — 3B Blake Wright, Clemson

A two-time team captain and two-time All-ACC selection for the Tigers, Wright was a .303 career hitter with a .536 slugging and .360 on-base percentage in 176 games over four years. He’s above grade with the glove with just 18 errors in 481 chances (.963 fielding percentage) at Clemson. The offensive growth from his junior to senior seasons was enormous, as he hit .340 with 22 homers this year as opposed to .250 with eight homers in ’23. That could indicate he’s starting to tap into his potential, and he gives Colorado another option at a position where the club is somewhat thin with their top prospects.

Round 5, No. 139 — RHP Lebarron Johnson Jr., Texas

The 6-foot-4 righty had a strong redshirt sophomore campaign in ’23, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors with a 2.91 ERA in 20 games (13 starts) for the Longhorns. He regressed this season, with a 5.60 ERA in 17 games (15 starts). He was a late bloomer at Texas, where he didn’t pitch as a freshman and then had a 3.18 ERA in 18 relief appearances the next season. By taking him in the fifth round, the Rockies see the potential for Johnson (who they heavily scouted last year) to get back to the form that made him effective in 2023. Johnson that has a plus fastball that runs up to 97 as well as a slider, curveball, cutter and changeup. That arsenal could be condensed in the minors.

Round 6, No. 168 — LHP Konner Eaton, George Mason

The 6-foot-3 southpaw made 14 starts each of the last two years for the Patriots, with a 6.38 ERA in 2023 and a 5.66 ERA in ’24. There are plenty of strikeouts in his pitching, with an 11.9 K-rate per nine this season, a variable that can often enhance a pitcher’s projectability. He’s also been erratic, plunking 14 batters and walking 34 more in ’24. Considering the Rockies have made it a point to stock up on arms, adding another college arm to the mix makes sense, especially a left-hander.

Round 7, No. 198 — RHP Fidel Ulloa, LSU

The 6-foot-2 Ulloa spent two seasons at San Joaquin Delta College in California before transferring to LSU. This year, he made 19 relief appearances for the Tigers, with a 4.63 ERA in 23 1/3 innings with 26 strikeouts. At San Joaquin Delta College, he saw action as both a starter and reliever, with a 4.37 ERA across two seasons. He likely profiles as a bullpen arm in pro ball, but Colorado may try him as a starter, and his selection continues Colorado’s overall trend of favoring college arms over high school ones in recent drafts.

Round 8, No. 228 — RHP Luke Jewett, UCLA

The 6-foot-4 righty was a three-year letterwinner for the Bruins. As a freshman and sophomore, he was a key part of the bullpen before assuming the role of the team’s No. 1 starter this year. He had a 4.35 ERA in 14 starts in ’24, with 72 Ks to 34 walks in 82 2/3 innings. He was the Bruins’ best pitcher, and brought consistency, as he allowed two earned runs or fewer in eight of his starts. Whether the Rockies develop him as a starter or reliever is to be seen, but Jewett has the physical makeup to move up in the organization.

Round 9, No. 258 — 1B Tommy Hopfe, Fresno State

The switch-hitting Hopfe finished his Bulldogs career with two strong offensive seasons. He batted .321 with 13 homers as a junior, then .360 with seven homers this year en route to consecutive first-team All-Mountain West honors. He was also a relief pitcher for the Bulldogs, though the Rockies won’t pursue a two-way development with him. His defensive versatility is a plus for an organization that likes to mold prospects to multiple positions. In addition to first base, Hopfe also played outfield, seeing 10 games in left this year. Colorado seems him as a utilityman, giving Hopfe more upside to rise through the minors.

Round 10, No. 288 — RHP Fisher Jameson, Florida

Colorado concluded Day 2 of the draft by continuing to favor college players. The Rockies have yet to take a high schooler — pitcher or position player — through two days of this year’s draft. In Jameson, the 6-foot-5 righty is coming off a breakout season in the Gators’ bullpen. In 34 games (one start), he had a 3.99 ERA with a 10.5 K rate per nine. He also doesn’t walk many guys (18 free passes in 67 2/3 innings) and pitched well in the Cape Cod League last summer (3.12 ERA in 17 1/3 innings). He could be a back-end leverage arm in the minors, or a long arm, but Colorado is also open to trying him as a starter.

Originally Published: July 15, 2024 at 12:18 p.m.