In his MLB Insider, Denver Gazette beat writer Luke Zahlmann takes you around the Rockies and MLB:

Charlie Condon and the Cincinnati Reds made the decision easy for Bill Schmidt and his staff.

The Colorado Rockies general manager and his scouting group put together a list of five players they felt comfortable with at No. 3 — no matter what, the numbers would work out with them getting one of them. They never thought Condon would fall to third, as he was a near-unanimous top-two player in the 2024 MLB draft and a lock atop most draft boards.

Travis Bazzana went first to Cleveland, top-flight starter Chase Burns went to the Reds and Condon made the decision easy.

“We coveted this guy (last year), had some guys (see) him prior to his junior year,” Rockies assistant general manager of scouting Danny Montgomery said. “We kept monitoring him, and next thing you know, he becomes that guy. Outside of his talent, once we got to know him, he’s (as good of a) person as a ballplayer and that means a lot to us.”

Condon’s billboard power makes his face that of a future star.

He set the BBCOR-Era record with 37 home runs last year at Georgia and became the third player in NCAA history to lead in average (.433) and long balls. It helped him fill a trophy case with the Golden Spikes Award for the nation’s best player and multiple pieces of hardware outside it.

The 6-foot-6, work-around-the-diamond slugger was once forgotten altogether though.

He went through the recruiting process without offers or interest from top schools. Condon followed his Atlanta-bred roots and walked on for the Bulldogs without promises or a preferred walk-on tag. The Rockies saw him as worthy of being their third-ever position player taken out of college with a top-10 pick — the other two were Todd Helton and Troy Tulowitzki.

“We see him as a face of the franchise-type player,” Rockies senior director of scouting operations Marc Gustafson said. “He’s got the skill set, but he’s got the mindset and work ethic. He’s just a really solid player on and off the field. The hit and power combination is hard to come by, it was a no-brainer when he became available at our pick.”

Burns and Arkansas’ Hagen Smith represented alternate routes for Colorado’s draft coming in.

Either would’ve been their third consecutive pitcher taken in atop the first round. It’s a franchise that struggles to find consistency on the mound and took Gabriel Hughes (2022) and Chase Dollander (2023) to help shore up the issue. Ryan Rolison (2018), Riley Pint (2016), Kyle Freeland (2014) and Jon Gray (2013) are proof of how many resources the Rockies have used to fix the problem.

Burns brings a fire that Colorado has found in several of its major leaguers. Cal Quantrill, Austin Gomber, and Freeland have shown an infectious flare and energy on the mound. No college pitcher may embody that more than the Wake Forest hurler who was picked before the franchise had a chance.

Even Jac Caglianone, a renowned two-way player from Florida was in the five-player mix that Colorado felt comfortable with. His upper-90s fastball on the mound plays seamlessly with his 68 home runs across his last two years at Florida. Pitching may be out of the picture in the majors, but he offered the possibility of trying both.

Condon’s power-contact combination was too much for the Rockies to pass on. He’ll work around the diamond in the minor leagues to find a spot but brings athleticism to play in the outfield or all over the infield.

The decision was already made once he fell to them with the third pick.

“We’re jumping for joy,” Montgomery told media after the first-round pick. “That’s the kind of guy who has a chance to change the face of an organization. It was a no-brainer, we were all extremely happy.”

What I’m hearing

— Jared Thomas is a player Colorado hopes is just getting started.

The second-round pick showed potential as a Florida Gator splitting his time between the outfield and first base — the latter is a spot the franchise feels he was miscast at. Thomas hit .349 and showed the skills needed to man the outfield. He also showed traits that Charlie Blackmon, a now-14-year veteran, displayed early in his Rockies’ career.

“Jared Thomas (is a) kid who reminded me a lot of (Blackmon) when we took him out of Georgia Tech,” Montgomery said. “His body is still not finished growing. He has a chance to show some serious pop as well as some versatility.”

Growth is what propelled Blackmon into a franchise icon. He didn’t have regular playing time until 2014 when he was named an All-Star at 27. He played in 151 games across three seasons before the increase.

Thomas is an outfielder they want to fill a similar mold. The franchise will get a longer look if the 21-year-old Gator can make it to the majors quickly.

What I’m seeing

— Colorado’s high school and collegiate baseball scene may not have the same firepower as California or Texas. However, it still put multiple names on major league teams’ draft boards over the three-day selection spree.

Right-handed pitcher Grant Shepardson led the way when he was picked 155th overall in the fifth round by the Miami Marlins. The Mountain Vista High School standout also had a pledge to San Francisco if he chose to go to college instead. Regis University lefty Ethan Sloan was taken in the eighth round by Detroit before former Golden High School slugger Ben McLaughlin went in the ninth round to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The state’s highest–ranked high school prospect and Gatorade Player of the Year Trey Gregory-Alford went in the 11th round to the Los Angeles Angels — he fell in the draft with the expectation that the raw fireballer would hone his 100-plus fastball collegiately at Virginia.

Air Force infielder Sam Kulasingam joined the fray and saw his bet pay off. Toronto took him in the 17th round last year, and he returned to the Falcons hoping for a conference title and higher selection.

He accomplished both after Air Force took home its first Mountain West regular-season title and earned Kulasingam a bump to the 13th round. Kansas City took him on Tuesday with its 377th overall pick. His infield mate Jay Thomason was taken 518th by Minnesota. 

Minor League Minute

— Chase Dollander started the MLB Futures Game for the National League and will change jerseys once again after the All-Star break.

He is heading to Double-A Hartford for the season’s second half after cruising through High-A Spokane’s competition. The right-handed starter carried a 2.83 earned run average across 14 starts and struck out a Northwest League-high 111 hitters in 70 innings.

Dollander has also moved into the franchise’s top prospect ranking and will join fellow top-30 members like Carson Palmquist (No. 14), Mason Albright (No. 21), and Connor Vana Scoyoc (No. 28) with the Yard Goats.

It figures to be the last minor-league step for Dollander before an eventual major-league debut. Colorado has played his development slowly, but will likely get all the information it needs from Double-A where teams often stock rosters with their top hitting and pitching prospects.

The List

2024 MLB Draft Top-10 picks

1. Cleveland Guardians – 2B Travis Bazzana (Oregon State)

2. Cincinnati Reds – RHP Chase Burns (Wake Forest)

3. Colorado Rockies – IF/OF Charlie Condon (Georgia)

4. Oakland Athletics – 1B Nick Kurtz (Wake Forest)

5. Chicago White Sox – LHP Hagen Smith (Arkansas)

6. Kansas City Royals – 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone (Florida)

7. St. Louis Cardinals – SS JJ Wetherholt (West Virginia)

8. Los Angeles Angels – 2B Christian Moore (Tennessee)

9. Pittsburgh Pirates – SS Konnor Griffin (Jackson Prep School, Miss.)

10. Washington Nationals – SS Seaver King (Wake Forest)