Rockies 2012 Draft Retrospective: Going Dahl in

As the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft draws ever closer, BSN Denver continues our retrospective series on the annual event and how the franchise has done with their selections.

Today, we look at the 2012 edition, in which the Colorado Rockies held the 10th overall pick after their contention window officially closed in the previous season. After previously holding a pick in the latter-third pick in three of the last four drafts, the Rockies finished 73-89 in 2011.

First Round

The Rockies had their second consecutive two-pick first round in 2012, getting compensation after second baseman Mark Ellis signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In a class littered with talent, the Rockies took five-tool high school star David Dahl and one of the most exciting pitching prospects in team history in Eddie Butler.

Dahl, after a minor league career riddled with injuries—including infamously losing his spleen after a collision while at Double-A New Hampshire in 2015—broke through in 2016 and instantly made an impact. He recorded hits in his first 17 MLB games, breaking a record for a hit streak to begin a career that had previously stood since 1941. He collected 1.1 bWAR in 63 games, slashing .315/.359/.500 to cement himself as an outfielder of the future for Colorado.

But, more injuries plagued him the following season, preventing him from getting an MLB at-bat in the entirety of 2017. After getting some reps at Triple-A, he’s reclaimed his spot on the 25-man roster in 2018 and is slowly regaining his swing that turned heads in his rookie campaign.

Butler, inversely, flew through the system and would find himself in the purple pinstripes in 2014. Then-general manager Dan O’Dowd liked what he saw from the red-haired right-hander and had him in Double-A in 2013. He climbed up top prospect charts, reaching No. 15 overall on Fangraphs, No. 17 on ESPN before his 2014 debut.

He really found national popularity after the 2013 Futures Game, in which he pitched a scoreless inning, striking out future superstar Xander Bogaerts in emphatic fashion. Unfortunately for Butler and the Rockies, that rushed development seemed to impact his ability to perform in MLB, as he would put up -2.1 bWAR in his Colorado career before being dealt to the Chicago Cubs for minor league arm James Farris.

Top 10 Selections

A youthful 17-years-old at the time of the draft, Carlos Correa was a pre-adult phenomenon on Bryce Harper level and has not disappointed at the big-league level.

The top 10 picks produced eight MLB players, the two exceptions being Kyle Zimmer (who was on the Royals’ 40-man roster in 2017) and Mark Appel, as we’ll discuss more in the 2013 edition of this series, was hindered by injuries and forced to step away from baseball in February. Kevin Gausman, thus far the third most successful pitcher in the draft behind Alex Wood and Marcus Stroman, is a Denver native and graduate of Grandview High School.

22nd Pick

When the Rockies make their 1st round selection, 21 of the best players will have already been taken off the board. However, lots of top talent will remain. Though slightly arbitrary, let’s look at who was taken at this spot in 2011.

The Rockies would be thrilled to land a Stroman type with their first pick in the 2018 draft. He’s just shy of 10 bWAR thus far in his career despite early struggles in 2018 and is the focal point of both the Blue Jays’ rotation and clubhouse. At only 5-foot-8, his “Height Doesn’t Measure Heart” campaign is emblematic of his character. He also found his way into the news by returning to Duke to complete his degree after Tommy John surgery ended his 2015 season.

Notable players who taken after 22nd pick: # 32 Jose Berrios (MIN), #35 Kevin Plawecki (NYM), #36 Stephen Piscotty (STL), #38 Mitch Haniger (MIL), #39 Joey Gallo (TEX), #41 Lance McCullers, Jr. (HOU), #49 Jesse Winker (CIN)

The Rest of the Rockies Picks

Tom Murphy (Third round, No. 105): The slugging catcher earned the starting job for the Rockies in 2016 out of spring training after seeing restricted time in The Show in the previous season. In his first two stints, he produced eight home runs in 32 games, OPS’ing 120 and 144. He was poised to cement himself in the starter role in 2017, but a fractured forearm in training camp derailed his entire season. He’s now crushing the ball at Triple-A, slugging .664 with 12 home runs as he tries to force his way back onto the big-league roster.

Matt Carasiti (Sixth round, No. 198): The Rockies initially tested Carasiti as a starter, but he would never begin a game above A-ball. His development was slow until 2016, where he debuted at Double-A and worked his way to the next level.

After posting a sub-2.00 ERA at both levels, the right-hander got the call and threw 15.2 innings for the Rockies that season. He struggled to a 9.19 ERA and found himself back in Triple-A in 2017 until he was dealt to the Chicago Cubs for LOOGY Zac Rosscup in June.

Scott Oberg (15th round, No. 468): The 6-foot-2 right-hander was not particularly high on anybody’s list when he was selected by the Rockies, but he would not stop dealing in the minors. He posted a 2.33 ERA in rookie ball in 2012, a 1.86 at A+ in 2013, a 2.63 at Double-A in 2014 and a 1.12 at Triple-A in 2015 until he was called up that season.

Since then, he’s found Quadruple-A success: he’s pitched well in the minors but struggled for the Rockies, posting only one full season ERA under 5.00 — a 4.94 in 2017. With the veteran-laden bullpen the team is sporting in 2018, Oberg is on the outside looking in, but started hitting triple digits with his fastball last season and is giving the team very strong depth and value for a late draft pick.

Other players selected in the 2012 draft are still in the Rockies system and hoping to work their way to Colorado. Pitcher Rayan Gonzalez (21st round) was on the 40-man roster until he was transferred to the 60-day DL, as was fellow hurler Zach Jemiola (ninth round) before he was designated for assignment on April 24.

He re-signed with the team to a minor league deal. At Triple-A, Shane Broyles (14th round) is working out of the bullpen while Matt Flemer (27th round) is in the rotation.

What could have been?

Oftentimes, players are selected by teams in the late rounds of the MLB draft only to reject a signing offer in lieu of honing their skills at the college level before re-entering the draft to earn a larger signing bonus down the road.

While not signing as a high school player is very common, it is interesting to think about what could have been.

In the 38th round, the Rockies drafted a shortstop out of Marietta High School in Georgia. That shortstop would not sign, instead electing to go to Vanderbilt University, where he led the Commodores to a College World Series Title in 2014.

That shortstop was Dansby Swanson, who would go No. 1 overall in the 2015 draft to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who would eventually trade him to the Atlanta Braves, where he is now half of the middle infield dynamic duo with Ozzie Albies.

The Rest of the 2011 MLB Draft

Notable players taken in 2nd round:  #82 Paco Rodriguez (LAD), #85 Alex Wood (ATL), #86 Carson Kelly (STL)

Notable players taken in the 3rd round or later: #98 Edwin Diaz (SEA), #176 Ross Stripling (LAD), #213 Jake Lamb (ARI), #481 Carson Fulmer (BOS), #901 Alex Bregman (BOS – Did Not Sign), #979 Ryan Dull (OAK)