Rockies show they value versatility on Day 1 of Draft

The Rockies went for proven collegiate power on Sunday by using the third overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft to select Georgia corner bat Charlie Condon, who led all NCAA powers in home runs this season.

Condon is listed as a third baseman and outfielder. He became the fourth player since 2017 who plays either position or both to be selected with Colorado’s top pick. Besides power and athletic ability -- two of the key traits the Rockies are seeking in position players, not only at the top but throughout this Draft -- Condon’s story shows an upward trajectory based on how he has developed during his career with the Bulldogs.

• From biggest whiff to can't miss: How Condon became a No. 3 pick

With the 38th pick in Competitive Balance Round A, the Rockies nabbed a fresh arm in University of Iowa right-hander Brody Brecht, the No. 21 Draft prospect. Brecht took off as a pitching prospect after leaving behind a football career as a wide receiver for the Hawkeyes.

In the second round, 42nd overall, Colorado took University of Texas first baseman-outfielder Jared Thomas, the No. 60 prospect. Thomas shows the versatility the Rockies are valuing, with a consistent bat, strong glove at first base and good enough movement to play center field.

For Condon, it has been a journey -- from walk-on status to the highest Draft pick in Bulldogs’ history. Georgia's previous highest pick was Jeff Pyburn, who went fifth overall to the Padres in 1980.

“It's been crazy, and I’m thankful for that,” Condon said during his MLB Network interview. “It’s been a lot of work for myself, and also a lot of hard work and the people that I've been surrounded with. That's a thing I've learned along the way. One, being able to trust in your own process and be comfortable in your own skin; two, is the importance of finding good people and finding your people to surround yourself with.”

Once considered undersized and underdeveloped, Condon has definitively shed those labels and become one of college baseball's top bats.

MLB.com's No. 2 Draft prospect, who began his college career as a preferred walk-on at Georgia, led all players this season in average (.433), home runs (37), OPS (1.565) and total bases (233). Those 37 home runs were the most by a D1 player since 2011. At one point this season, Condon homered in eight straight games, one shy of tying the NCAA record.

The sophomore’s stellar 2024 campaign earned him the 2024 Dick Howser Trophy, given to college baseball’s top player, as well as SEC Player of the Year honors. It also made him an easy choice to be recognized as a consensus All-American as well as the Golden Spikes Award winner.

This followed a freshman season in which Condon set a Southeastern Conference freshman record with 25 home runs, leading to consensus National Freshman of the Year honors. In his two seasons at Georgia, the righty has hit .410 with 62 homers and a 1.433 OPS in 116 games.

Along with power to all fields with his bat, the 6-foot-6 Condon, who primarily plays third base and the outfield, boasts a strong throwing arm and has shown enough athleticism to be an effective defender in multiple spots. Observers believe he most likely profiles as a corner outfielder.

"I've told everybody and told you guys a lot that it's underrated how good of an athlete he is," UGA coach Wes Johnson said, according to UGASports.com. "You look at it now, he's played first, he's played third, he's played all three outfield spots now at a high level."

The Rockies prioritized the ability to move around the diamond, which made Condon among a group of position players that assistant general manager of scouting Marc Gustafson said the team was studying.

As evidence of his athleticism, Condon was a four-year letterman in both baseball and football in high school, and he was the starting quarterback during his last three prep seasons. He also found success in the classroom and was a member of the National Honor Society and the National Spanish Honor Society.

Before accepting Georgia’s offer to walk on, Condon had plans to play quarterback at Division III Sewanee (Tenn.), also known as the University of the South. To go from that to third overall in the MLB Draft took much development, and Condon is not going to stop finding ways to improve.

“Just continue to develop as a hitter, and continue to develop my defensive versatility,” he said. “I was willing to ease into different positions this year and [be] a moveable piece throughout lineups.”