DENVER – After drafting Stillwater (Okla.) infielder Ethan Holliday third overall, the Rockies went the collegiate route for the next three picks during Sunday's first day of the 2025 MLB Draft.
Vice president and assistant general manager of scouting Danny Montgomery and senior director of scouting operations Marc Gustafson discussed the three picks after Holliday.
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Day 2 (Rounds 4-20): Round-by-round analysis
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More on the top picks:
1. WSH: Willits | 2. LAA: Bremner | 3. SEA: Anderson | 4. TEX: Holliday | 5. STL: Doyle
6. PIT: Hernandez | 7. MIA: Arquette | 8. TOR: Parker | 9. CIN: Hall | 10. CWS: Carlson
JB Middleton, RHP (2nd round, 45th overall)
School: University of Southern Mississippi
Calling Card: This is a story of a player who developed rapidly in college. Middleton, smaller than ideal (6 foot) but with good enough stuff, began his career as a reliever but took off as a starter – second in NCAA Division 1 in WHIP at 0.85 – as he rose to the 41st position among MLB Pipeline Draft prospects. He has a mid-90s fastball, an effective slider and a changeup.
Montgomery: “He puts you in the mind of [former Athletics star pitcher] Tim Hudson. He's got that three-pitch mix and the slider is a wipeout. He's a guy that knows how to pinpoint the ball to the catchers and knows how to place his fastball.”
Gustafson: “He's not a one-pitch guy. The metrics are elite. The competitiveness is elite. The repertoire with the athleticism and his durability – this is a guy who pitched a lot of innings, went deep into games and helped his team to postseason play.”
Max Belyeu (Competitive Balance Round B, 74th overall)
Bats/throws: R/L
School: University of Texas
Calling Card: Belyeu underwent left thumb surgery this year and came back quickly, which affected his stats. Nonetheless, he was MLB Pipeline’s No. 34 Draft prospect. When healthy, there is a power-average combo, and he has a strong arm in right field. He joins the Rockies a year after a Longhorns teammate – outfielder Jared Thomas, a second-round pick who is at Double-A Hartford.
Montgomery: “When he was at Team USA, we really narrowed in on him during that year, when he was not hurt during the summer – you're talking about some serious juice. This guy's got power.”
Gustafson: “Jared Thomas, we did a lot of background work with him, and he absolutely signed off on this one. I also like to go to ‘Tulo’ [former star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki], who's on the staff there. We know what this player is all about. He's built right.”
Ethan Hedges, University of Southern California (3rd round, 77th overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: University of Southern California
Calling Card: Played at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. – the same school that produced current Rox third baseman Ryan McMahon. He has played first base and pitched in college, but his movement defensively and ability to hit to all fields have the Rockies looking at him as a third baseman.
Montgomery: “We don't feel like he's tapped into everything yet. The power has got a chance to be big. He's still got some room to grow in that type of body, but he moves around really well at third, as well as his arm strength is very good.”
Gustafson: “He's a contact bat that's going to grow into power. He's got more growth to come. And the track record speaks for itself.”