Tracking the Rockies’ picks on Day 2 of the MLB Draft in Rounds 3 through 10, when the club continued to make pitching a priority.
Round 3, No. 77 — RHP Jack Mahoney, South Carolina
Mahoney burst onto the college scene for the Gamecocks in 2021 with a 1.62 ERA in 14 games (five starts) as a freshman, but blew out his elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery. He didn’t pitch in 2022, then returned to the mound this spring and was 7-4 with a 4.16 ERA in 17 games; his fastball velocity returned and he features a strong three-pitch mix of fastball, slider, changeup.
Round 4, No. 109 — LHP Isaiah Coupet, Ohio State
The Rockies’ stockpiling of arms continued with the selection of Coupet; Colorado took four college pitchers within its first five picks. Coupet saw action in the bullpen and rotation with the Buckeyes, but he most likely profiles as a major-league reliever with plus spin: he can generate over 3,000 rpm on both his slider and curveball. His fastball runs in the low-90s and requires location.
Round 5, No. 145 — 3B Kyle Karros, UCLA
The son of longtime Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros, Kyle has a high-contact approach in the box and posted a strong junior season despite being hobbled by an ankle injury. Over 142 career games as a three-year starter for the Bruins, Karros slashed .276/.342/.407 with 14 homers and 101 RBIs. He has a plus arm at the hot corner and the athleticism to forecast at that position in the majors.
Round 6, No. 172 — RHP Cade Denton, Oral Roberts
Denton was unhittable in 24 relief appearances as a sophomore, recording a 0.41 ERA and 0.78 WHIP. He followed that with an All-American performance, earning Summit League pitcher of the year honors and tying for the Division I lead with an ORU-record 15 saves. He’s mostly fastball/slider; the Rockies are likely hoping to see him hold down the back end of the bullpen at Coors Field in a few years.
Round 7, No. 202 — RHP Seth Halvorsen, Tennessee
Halvorsen’s been drafted twice before and has experience as a starter and reliever. He pitched his first three seasons at Missouri, coming back from Tommy John surgery as a freshman and also overcoming another elbow injury (broken olecranon bone) that cost him all of 2022. There’s significant injury history, but also a lot of upside after a strong 2023 in which he posted a 3.81 ERA in 25 games.
Round 8, No. 232 — SS Braylen Wimmer, South Carolina
Wimmer started 56 games for the Gamecocks in 2023, hitting .304 with 11 doubles, 14 homers and 43 RBIs. He also started every game for South Carolina as a junior, after which he was drafted by the Phillies in the 18th round. Moderate power offensively and athletic defensively, he has smooth hands and a strong arm; another viable shortstop prospect to stock the system with.
Round 9, No. 262 — C Ben McCabe, Central Florida
McCabe returned from Tommy John surgery to become UCF’s all-time leader in career homers with 49, so there’s plenty of pure power in his right-handed swing. He’s the second catcher the Rockies selected in this draft (also: San Diego State’s Cole Carrigg at No. 65 overall) as they continue to add to their depth at a position where prospects outside of Drew Romo are sparse.
Round 10, No. 292 — RHP Jace Kaminska, Nebraska
Colorado’s pitching-focused draft continued to play out with the selection of Kaminska, who turned in two standout seasons at Wichita State before transferring to Nebraska. He profiles as a starter, having made 22 starts for the Shockers and then 14 this year for the Huskers, over which he went 7-3 with a 4.13 ERA. There’s strikeouts in there, and command, too, with 57 Ks to 15 walks this year.
Local players selected
A look at the trio of locals were picked on Day 2 after Eaton shortstop Walker Martin was the only Colorado player selected on Day 1 (52nd overall by the Giants).
Rock Canyon SS Chase Jaworsky — Astros, Round 5, No. 164
The All-Colorado shortstop was the heart and soul of the Jaguars team that advanced to the Class 5A Final Four this year. A strong defender with a plus arm, Jaworsky can hit for average (.444) and power (12 homers), and also has speed (13 steals).
Oral Roberts OF Jonah Cox (Flatirons Academy) — Athletics, Round 6, No. 166
Cox bootstrapped his way from Class 1A, to two JuCo stops, and finally to Division I ORU, where he emerged as a star amid a 47-game hit streak. A former shortstop who just started playing center, he has room to grow with already built-in speed and bat-to-ball skills.
Virginia OF Ethan O’Donnell (Regis Jesuit) — Reds, Round 6, No. 168
The winner of a Rawlings Division I Gold Glove award this year, O’Donnell has plus speed and range in center. He spent his first two seasons at Northwestern before solidifying his status as a consistent hitter this spring, when he slashed .354/.448/.587 with 13 homers.
Oregon OF Colby Shade (Fort Collins) — Marlins, Round 9, No. 263
Shade bounced back from offseason shoulder surgery, making 55 starts in center field for the Ducks. He hit .336 with six homers and 31 RBIs, and his elite play in the outfield earned him a spot on the Pac-12 all-defensive team; tallied 40 career multi-hit games at Oregon.
Long Beach State LHP Graham Osman (Colorado Academy) — Reds, Round 10, No. 288
In 15 starts this year, Osman went 6-2 with a 4.60 ERA, with six quality starts. He struck out 89 to just 33 walks. He started his college career at Arizona State, where made the team as a walk-on; breakout came in the California Collegiate League when he had a 0.29 ERA.
