If you’re a fan of the Colorado Rockies, you’re probably looking at the 2026 MLB Draft with more anticipation than usual.
After all, this is a rebuilding franchise, and the decisions of Paul DePodesta, Josh Byrnes, and Tommy Tanous will provide a sense of the front office’s plans going forward.
When DePodesta spoke to media on Sunday, he was asked about the Rockies progress on that front. Here’s what he said:
We’ve been heavily focused on the draft. The amateur season started back in mid-February, so our
guys have been out there grinding on that. Josh has gone out and seen a lot of players. I’ve gone out and seen players already. I don’t think Chad McDonald‘s been home since Opening Day — he’s out seeing guys. Tommy [Tanous] is on the road every day seeing guys. So I think that’s that’s certainly a real focus, and it’s something we talk about probably every day, and not just ‘We’re picking 10,’ — not just the 10, but even picks later on in the draft and guys that we might be targeting. So it’s a real area of focus.
One of the best ways to get a sense of where things stand is to look at mock drafts, so let’s start there. Be advised that these are early mocks, so expect to see changes as we get closer to the draft, but this is a great place to start.
Draft details
The 2026 MLB Draft will take place on July 11-12, 2026, as part of the All-Star Game festivities in Philadelphia.
The Rockies have a bonus pool of $15,557,600 and draft in the following draft order:
- First Round: 10 ($6,393,100)
- Competitive Balance Round A: 37 ($$2,696,700)
- Second Round: 38 ($2,633,100)
- Third Round: 76 ($1,103,500)
- Fourth Round: 104 ($755,300)
- Fifth Round: 136 ($553,100)
The Rockies will draft first in the remaining rounds.
Mock drafts
Here are some of the early names linked to the Rockies.
Drew Burress, CF, Georgia Tech (ESPN, Perfect Game)
Age at Draft: 21 | Height: 5’9” | Weight: 175 lbs | B-T: R-R
The native of Houston County, Georgia, has had an outstanding career at Georgia Tech. Currently with the Yellow Jackets, he’s slashing .360/.478/.618 with a 1.096 OPS. (He has never had an OPS below 1.000 in his college career.)
He has a career 53 home runs with nine coming this season. (His high was 25 as a freshman.) Also worth noting: He has more walks (146) than strikeouts (112). Defensively, he’s played center though he has the arm to move to a corner.
Baseball America has described Burress as “[o]ne of the most productive hitters in college baseball since his 2024 freshman season.”
Last week, Burress was also named the ACC’s Player of the Week, the third time he has received this award.
Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech (Bleacher Report)
Age at Draft: 21 | Height: 6’2” | Weight: 200 lbs | B-T: R-R
This catcher from Suwanee, Georgia, has emerged as an all-around athlete, and some evaluators are confident he could handle moving to third or a corner outfield spot. His calling card is making consistent hard contact, which has emerged in 2026. Currently, he’s slashing .361/.486/.675 with a 1.160 OPS. He’s also hit 12 home runs, already doubling his 2025 total.
On the defensive side, he has continued to improve throughout his college career and currently has a 0.993 FLD%.
According to Baseball America, “He shines defensively, where he has excellent athleticism and the tools to become a plus catcher.”
See for yourself:
AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia (Baseball America)
Age at Draft: 21 | Height: 6’3” | Weight: 195 lbs | B-T: L-L
A native of Monroe, New Jersey, Gracia has defined his time at UVA by being patient at the plate and limiting strikeouts with a career OBP of .449. Yes, he currently has more walks (35) than Ks (27). Gracia has also hit 12 home runs. (Last year, he had 15). Currently, he’s slashing .316/.463/.600 with an OPS of 1.063.
As Baseball America observes, Gracia has “pro power that allows him to hit the ball out of the park from foul pole to foul pole” and “great bat speed and leverage that leads to jaw-dropping displays of power at his best.” He will probably play an outfield corner.
Take a look:
Chris Hacopian, INF, Texas A&M (USA Today)
Age at Draft: 21 | Height: 6’1” | Weight: 200 lbs | B-T: R-R
Originally from Potomac, Maryland — and a Terrapin at the University of Maryland for two seasons — Hacopian transferred to Texas A&M for his junior year. He is also known as a hitter and currently has a slashline of .291/.397/.479 including five home runs. In terms of his defense, Hacopian has a .990 FLD%. (There are questions as to where he’ll fit defensively though probably shortstop or third base.)
According to Baseball America, Hacopian is one of the best hitters in this class, add that he “makes a ton of contact—he almost never misses a fastball—and yanks plenty of balls over the fence to his pull side. He knows the zone, minimizes his strikeouts and has consistently walked more often than he’s whiffed.”
Roll tape:
Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida (Pitcher List)
Age at Draft: 21 | Height: 6’5” | Weight: 200 lbs | B-T: R-R
The only pitcher linked to the Rockies in the early mock drafts is Liam Peterson from Palm Harbor, Florida. Currently, he has a 3.93 ERA in 55.0 IP. He’s struck out 76 and walked 28 while allowing five home runs. He’s one of the best pitchers in this draft class and has a three-pitch mix: fastball (95-99 mph, a slider (mid-to-upper 80s), and a changeup (mid-80s) — and there’s a rare curveball.
As Baseball America puts it, “Peterson has a prototypical big league starter build and a loud three-pitch mix.”
Here you go:
Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State (Bleacher Nation)
Age at Draft: 21 | Height: 6’3” | Weight: 180 lbs | B-T: L-R
This native of Canton, Texas, started at the University of Houston but transferred to Mississippi State for the 2025 season. In addition to changing schools, he moved from left field for the Cougars to third base for the Bulldogs. Currently, he’s slashing .313/.417/.670 with 15 home runs. (He hit 21 in 2025.) Defensively, he has a .933 FLD% with six errors this season.
For Baseball America, Reese “showed an impressive power and contact combination with Mississippi State, though he can get a bit aggressive in his swing decisions at times.
Take a look:
And that’s it for the early draft projections. What kind of player do you think the Rockies will value? What will be available to them at the tenth slot? Do you project one of these players or someone else? Let us know in the comments.
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