Colorado Rockies 2025 MLB Draft Report Card

Best Pure Hitter: SS Ethan Holliday (1) has the bat speed, tools and approach to be the best hitter in this class, but he needs a lot more polish and contact ability to get there. Both OF Cameron Nelson (5) and C Matt Klein (6) stand out for their present hand-eye coordination and bat-to-ball skills.

Best Power Hitter: Holliday (1) has monstrous power upside and shows plus raw power now as a teenager. He’s got a physical 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame to go with lots of strength and bat speed, as well as a swing that’s designed to impact the ball in the air with authority. He has a chance to become a 30-plus home run hitter. 

Fastest Runner: Nelson (5) is a plus athlete who runs well, though it has not yet shown up in his stolen base numbers. While he covers plenty of range in the outfield, he never stole more than four bases in a single season with Wake Forest.

Best Defensive Player: The Rockies’ class of hitters is mostly made up of corner players or players who are risks to move to a corner in the future. Holliday (1) could easily wind up being a very good defensive third baseman if he moves off shortstop, and both OF Max Belyeu (2S) and 3B Ethan Hedges (3) are corner types who might not win Gold Gloves but do have impressive, plus throwing arms. As a sound defensive center fielder who looks like he can stick there, Nelson (5) might be the most straightforward pick for this category.

Best Fastball: UC Irvine RHP Riley Kelly (4) does a nice job attacking the top of the zone with a riding fastball that sits in the 91-93 mph range and touches 96. It’s a plus pitch that pairs nicely with his downer breaking ball. Southern Mississippi RHP JB Middleton (2) can also blow hitters up with his 93-95 mph fastball that gets up to 97 with great running life from a below-average release height. 

Best Secondary Pitch: Kelly’s (4) high-70s hammer curve was viewed as one of the better breaking balls in the college class. It’s a downer breaking ball with spin rates that are regularly in excess of 3,000 rpm and has plus potential. Middleton (2) has above-average potential with his hard slider, and RHP Austin Newton (10) could also have an above-average breaking ball.

Best Pro Debut: Minnesota RHP Seth Clausen (16) had better results in his brief pro debut with Low-A Fresno than he ever had in any season in college. While it was just seven innings, he didn’t allow a run and struck out 11 batters while walking just two and throwing his fastball in the 94-95 mph range. 

Best Athlete: It’s hard to not take Holliday (1) for this category. He comes from a noted baseball family and has a unique blend of physicality and power for a player of his age. While he’s not the quickest player in the field, his defensive progress this spring as a shortstop speaks to his actions and body control. 

Most Intriguing Background: Zach Rogacki (9) played two seasons with Division III Alvernia (Pa.) before transferring to Binghamton, where he hit over .300 in back-to-back seasons and led the conference with 17 doubles and 11 sacrifice bunts. He became the highest-drafted Binghamton hitter in 35 years when he was taken with the 257th pick. 

Closest To The Majors: Both Belyeu (2S) and Hedges (3) could be quick-moving college hitters, but Houston LHP Antoine Jean (7) is also a sneaky pick here as one of the oldest players in the class who could move quickly in a multi-inning reliever role.

Best 11+ Round Pick (Or UDFA): The Rockies loaded up on college pitchers after the 10th round. RHP Zach Harris (11) signed for $200,000 and has a heavy, sinking fastball that’s been up to 98 mph. RHP Derrick Smith (17) is another arm who has a big fastball and has been up to 97 with the makings of a plus slider, but strike-throwing could hold him to a bullpen role.