Colorado Rockies Conclude 2024 First-year Player Draft With 10 Selections On Day Three

SCOTTSDALE – On the third and final day of Major League Baseball’s 2024 First-Year Player Draft, the Colorado Rockies selected 10 total players, seven pitchers and three position players including one catcher. Overall, the Rockies selected 21 players in this year’s draft, including 13 pitchers and eight position players, all coming from the collegiate ranks.

Below is a pick-by-pick breakdown of the Rockies’ Tuesday selections:

C Alan Espinal - Round 11 (#318)

Espinal, 22, was named to the Southeast All-Region Second Team by both ACBA and Rawlings after slashing .289/.398/.545 (61-for-211) with 15 doubles, 13 home runs and 49 RBI for Vanderbilt … led the team in slugging and home runs, tied for first in total bases (115), was second in runs (48) and RBI, and third in hits … in four seasons for the Commodores, slashed .279/.377/.518 (91-for-326) … two-time all-conference honoree at Viera High School (Fla.), batting .360 his senior season … born in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

LHP Everett Catlett - Round 12 (#348)

Catlett, 21, went 6-1 with a 3.36 ERA (77.2 IP, 29 ER) and 84 strikeouts through 16 games (13 starts) this season for Georgetown … the 6-7 lefty ranked third in the Big East in ERA, tied for third in wins and finished fifth in strikeouts … led the Hoyas in starts, innings pitched and strikeouts … earned First-Team All-Big East Conference honors … through three collegiate seasons (2021-24), went 7-8 with a 4.65 ERA (122.0 IP, 63 ER) … missed the 2022 season with shoulder tendinitis … four-year starter and two-time captain at Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School (Va.)

LHP Justin Loer - Round 13 (#378)

Loer, 21, appeared in a team-high 26 games for Louisiana State University this season, pitching to a 2-0 record with one save, a 5.92 ERA (24.2 IP, 16 ER) and 30 strikeouts … transferred to LSU after two seasons at Xavier University (2022-23) … in 2023 with the Musketeers, was 6-3 with a 1.89 ERA (57.0 IP, 12 ER), 36 hits allowed and 63 strikeouts over 29 appearances (one start) … earned 2023 Second-Team All-Big East honors and helped Xavier to the Big East Conference Tournament … was a First-Team All-State and a First-Team All-Conference selection his senior season at Lakeville South High School (Minn.) after posting a 1.63 ERA over six starts.

RHP Sam Gerth - Round 14 (#408)

Gert,19, pitched for Navarro Junior College in Corsicana, Texas, tabulating a 4-4 record with 68 strikeouts through 13 games (five starts) … highest draft pick out of Navarro since Chris Davis was taken in the fifth round in 2006 … rated by Prep Baseball JUCO as the No. 8 draft-eligible player coming out of Junior College.

RHP Luke Thelen - Round 15 (#438)

Thelen, 21, went 1-2 with two saves and a 3.53 ERA (43.1 IP, 17 ER) with 58 strikeouts in 25 games (three starts) for the Western Michigan Broncos in 2024 … tied for the team lead in appearances and was third in strikeouts … totaled 50 appearances (13 starts) for the Broncos across three seasons, 2022-24 … earned Academic All-MAC in 2022 … graduated with a degree in accountancy in December, 2023 … in 2021, pitched for the Muskegon Clippers in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, striking out 22 over 12.0 innings (16.5 SO/9) … two-time All-Conference selection (2018 & 2019) at Caledonia High School (Mich.) … went 6-1 with a 1.25 ERA, striking out 64 through 44.0 innings his senior season.

OF Kevin Fitzer - Round 16 (#468)

Fitzer, 22, slashed .321/.429/.631 with 11 home runs, 42 RBI and 11 stolen bases during the 2024 season with Cal State Northridge … over his four seasons with the Matadors, hit .328 (78-387) with 19 home run, 102 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 116 games … in 2023, played collegiate summer ball for the Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League, slashing .332/.438/.609 … earned All-Big West Second Team honors and Big West All-Academic Team honors during his sophomore season at Cal State … in 2023, tied for fourth in the Big West in RBI while he ranked sixth in triples (3) and seventh in batting average (.339, 60-for-177) … earned two gold gloves in his prep career at Aliso Niguel High School (Calif.)

INF Nolan Clifford - Round 17 (#498)

Clifford, 22, slashed .348/.469/.497 (54-for-155) in his senior season with Creighton, drawing 28 walks while fanning just 33 times … finished second among Bluejays in batting, second in slugging and stolen bases (13), and third in total bases (77) and hits … named to the All-Big East second team … was a two-way player in 2021, appearing in three games on the hill and fanning six through 3.1 scoreless innings … was also a two-way player at Neuqua Valley High School (Ill.), earning All-Tournament Team honors from Perfect Game all four seasons (2016-20).

RHP Tyler Hampu - Round 18 (#528)

Hampu, 22, played two seasons at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., appearing in 37 games for the Governors and striking out 75 through 56.0 innings … helped the team to an Atlantic Sun Conference title in 2024 … pitched for Sylvan Lake in the Western Canadian League in 2022 … also played for Princeton in the Appalachian League in 2023 … prepped at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio.

RHP Nathan Blasick - Round 19 (#558)

Blasick, 23, appeared in 24 games for the University of New Orleans, going 2-2 with a 3.93 ERA (34.1 IP, 15 ER) and 40 strikeouts … led the team in ERA and appearances … allowed just one home run through 34.1 innings over two seasons with the Privateers … spent his first two collegiate seasons at West Virgina, playing primarily first base and outfield … lettered in both baseball and basketball at Halifax High School (Pa.).

RHP Hunter Omlid - Round 20 (#588)

Omlid, 24, appeared in 20 games (three starts) in his one season for the Arizona State Sun Devils … tied for third in strikeouts (54) on the team … before transferring to ASU, played two seasons with Grand Canyon University, where he posted a 4.19 ERA (38.2 IP, 18 ER) in his 19 appearances for them … spent his 2021 season with Central Arizona Community College, earning All-American honors as an honorable mention as he went 13-1 with a 3.31 ERA (89.2 IP, 33 ER) with 97 strikeouts in his 16 appearances (15 starts) … started his collegiate career at Boise State, making four appearances with a 2.77 ERA (13.0 IP, 4 ER) in 2020 … played basketball for Hamilton High School (Mont.) as they did not sponsor baseball … played local legion baseball.