RSS‘Dream come true’
Mesa's Popick selected by Rockies in MLB draft
Colorado Mesa’s Jeff Popick connects on a single during a game at Canyon View Park earlier this season. Popick’s next game will be as a Colorado Rockies minor leaguer. Popick, a Denver native, was selected Wednesday by the Rockies in the 16th round. Popick may start his career as a Grand Junction Rockie.
QUICKREAD
Rockies Draft Picks
Wednesday’s Selections
Round 16: Jeff Popick, OF, Colorado Mesa University
Round 17: Jason Stolz, SS, Clemson University
Round 18: Aaron Jones, C, University of Oregon
Round 19: Kyle Newton, 3B, Florida Atlantic
Round 20: Anthony Seise, LHP, West Orange HS, Calif.
Round 21: Rayan Gonzalez, RHP, Bethune-Cookman College, Fla.
Round 22: Jordan Mejia, RHP, Riverside CC, Calif.
Round 23: Andrew Brown, RHP, University of Akron, Ohio
Round 24: Michael Mason, LHP, Marshall University, W.Va.
Round 25: Alec Mehrten, SS, Fresno Pacific University, Calif.
Round 26: Adam Paulencu, RHP, Embry-Riddle University, Fla.
Round 27: Matthew Flemer, RHP, University of California
Round 28: Justin Arrowood, RHP, Appalachian State, N.C.
Round 29: Patrick Hutcheson, 2B, Fresno State University
Round 30: Trent Blank, RHP, Baylor University
Round 31: Shawn Stuart, RHP, Cal State-Long Beach
Round 32: Austin Simcox, SS, Farragut HS, Tenn.
Round 33: Ryan Garvey, RF, Riverside CC, Calif.
Round 34: Chris Cowell, C, University of Richmond, Va.
Round 35: Justin Solomon, 2B, Piedra Vista HS, N.M.
Round 36: Kevin Bradley, SS, Hopewell Valley Central HS, N.J.
Round 37: Casey Burns, 3B, Grand Junction HS
Round 38: Dansby Swanson, SS, Marietta HS, Ga.
Round 39: Justin Dillon, RHP, El Dorado HS, Calif.
Round 40: Brandon Montalvo, C, Langham Creek HS, Texas
JUCO Draft Picks
Wednesday’s Selections
Adam Giacalone, 1B, Neosho County, R16, Milwaukee Brewers
David Bote, SS, Neosho County, R18, Chicago Cubs
Damek Tomscha, 3B, Iowa Western, R19, Chicago Cubs
Jorge Flores, SS, Central Arizona (2011), R19, Toronto Blue Jays
Iseha Conklin, SS/OF, Iowa Western, R19, Boston Red Sox
Matt Strahm, LHP, Neosho County, R21, Kansas City Royals
Anthony Bemboom, C, Creighton University (Iowa Western, 2010), R22, Los Angeles Angels
Keaton Steele, RHP, Iowa Western, R29, Tampa Bay Rays
Michael Salter, RHP, Cisco College, R31, Cincinnati Reds
Max Rossiter, C, Arizona State (Central Arizona, 2010), R32, Pittsburgh Pirates
Jonathan Pulley, RHP, Spartanburg Methodist, R33, Arizona Diamondbacks
Jeff Popick knew it was a realistic possibility, but it still was surreal.
The Colorado Mesa University outfielder and Denver-area native was drafted Wednesday by the Colorado Rockies in the 16th round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft.
“It’s a dream come true,” Popick said. “I think I just stopped shaking (several hours later).”
Popick is the first Mesa player selected in the draft since All-American Sean VanElderen was taken in the 27th round in 2006 by the San Francisco Giants. VanElderen played two years, one in Rookie ball and one in Class A.
Former Mesa All-American pitcher Sergio Romo was selected by the Giants in the 28th round of the 2005 draft and is the Giants’ setup man out of the bullpen.
“It was always a dream to play pro baseball, but it wasn’t the deciding factor when I chose to go to Mesa,” Popick said. “Over time, when I played summer ball and was traveling, I got a couple phone calls and started thinking it could possibly happen.”
The phone calls from professional scouts came after his sophomore year of college when he played in an Alaska summer collegiate league.
“There were three or four clubs interested, and that drove his stock up,” Mesa coach Chris Hanks said. “(Rockies scout) Marc Gustafson told me a few weeks ago they might have to go about the 15th round to make sure they got him. That was nice (to hear).
“We had him for four years, and we got to see Jeff grow up in a lot of ways, athletically, mentally, emotionally, scholastically. He matured in a lot of different areas, and we saw that over four years. He figured out how to work and get himself a little better.”
Popick will sign, but he won’t know where he’ll start his professional career until later this week. It is possible he could start with the Grand Junction Rockies.
“I’d love to start back in Junction,” Popick said. “It’s not for me to decide, but I’d be comfortable with the city and the field. We’ll wait and see what happens.”
He has a lease on a house in Grand Junction through the end of July.
“I’d be really surprised if they don’t send him to Grand Junction,” Hanks said. “I believe that’s their plan, but we’ll see.”
Popick made three NCAA Division II All-America teams this spring and was a semifinalist for the Tino Martinez Award given to the Division II national player of the year. The Mesa outfielder hit .424 with 17 doubles, three triples and seven home runs. He led the Mavericks with 65 RBI and 31 walks.
Popick’s teammate and roommate, Kris Carlson, was taken in the 35th round by the Tampa Bay Rays.
“It’s surreal at this point,” Carlson said. “It’s surprising to me. Hopefully I can represent the college well.”
He said he received some interest from the Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay.
“I didn’t hear anything the last couple days,” Carlson said. “Tampa called (Wednesday) morning and said we’re getting to the college seniors, so be ready.
“After that I was thinking this could actually happen. It could become a reality.”
The right-hander pitched in relief for the Mavericks this season, allowing 16 earned runs in 15 innings. He had 12 strikeouts.
“The thing about Kris, we pitched him twice in Denver, an inning apiece, and the scouts were there,” Hanks said. “He sat 93, 94 on his fastball that one inning and threw strikes. The times they see that (velocity), that’s a tool. The big thing with Kris is he needed to throw a few more strikes to pitch for us more. It was a command issue.
“They’re banking on (his velocity). He’s going to have to develop consistent command, and if he does, he has a chance to do something.”
Carlson was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 35th round in 2010 out of junior college.
“When you’re playing baseball in Little League, all you think about is playing pro baseball on TV someday,” he said. “This isn’t that, but it’s on that path.”
Several players from this year’s Alpine Bank Junior College World Series were drafted on the final day, including three from national champion Iowa Western Community College.
The Reivers’ third baseman, Damek Tomscha, was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 19th round and could end up being a teammate with Neosho County (Kan.) Community College’s David Bote, who was taken in the 18th round by the Cubs. Boston drafted Iowa Western freshman Iseha Conklin in the 19th round, and Keaton Steele, who received the Preston Walker Most Valuable Player award, was picked up by Tampa Bay in the 29th round.
Steele played first base and was the Reivers’ closer; he was drafted as a pitcher by the Rays. Wednesday, Steele committed to the University of Missouri, according to the St. Joseph (Mo.) News-Press. Steele has not decided if he will sign with the Rays or play for the Tigers.
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