Rockies Select RHP Alex Balog with 70th Overall Selection in the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft
DENVER - With the 70th overall selection (Competitive Balance Round B) in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft tonight, the Colorado Rockies selected right-handed pitcher Alex Balog from the University of San Francisco. Balog was rated the 32nd overall player in the draft by Baseball America and the 44th overall player in the draft by MLB.com
Balog, 20, went 3-4 with a 3.63 ERA (91.2 ip, 37 er), 33 walks and 67 strikeouts in 14 starts for the Dons as a junior in 2013. He led the University of San Francisco in innings pitched and strikeouts and held opponents to a .274 average against. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound right-hander was named to the 2011 West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team in his first season at USF. He was rated the 9th overall player in the draft from the state of California, and the 9th overall right-handed pitcher available in the draft by Baseball America.
Earlier tonight with the 3rd overall selection in the draft, the Rockies selected right-handed pitcher Jonathan Gray from the University of Oklahoma. Gray was rated the 1st overall player in the draft by Baseball America and the 2nd overall player in the draft by MLB.com.
Gray, 21, was a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 First-team in 2013. He was also a Second-Team member of the Louisville Slugger All-America team. In 16 starts for the Sooners thus far in 2013, Gray has gone 10-2 with a 1.59 ERA (119.0 ip, 21 er), 22 walks, 138 strikeouts and a .188 opponent's batting average. He has four complete games, two of which are complete game shutouts. Gray's Sooners were the 2013 Big 12 Tournament Champions and are playing Louisiana State in a Super Regional beginning tomorrow for a chance to go to the 2013 College World Series.
Gray (6-foot-4, 239 pounds) was rated as having the best fastball in the draft by Baseball America. Gray's 138 strikeouts are the 2nd-most NCAA Division I, while his 0.84 WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) was the 4th-lowest mark in the nation.
With the club's 2nd round selection (42nd overall) in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft tonight, the Colorado Rockies selected third baseman Ryan McMahon from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA. McMahon was rated the 78th overall player in the draft by MLB.com and the 82nd overall player in the draft by Baseball America.
McMahon, 18, hit .353 (36-for-102) with 11 doubles, 4 home runs, 23 RBI and 16 runs in 30 games played as a senior at Mater Dei High School in 2013. McMahon (6-foot-3, 190-pounds) was rated the 20th best prospect in the draft from the state of California by Baseball America. McMahon was the Trinity League Most Valuable Player as a senior in 2013 for Mater Dei HS.
The draft continues tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. MDT tomorrow with rounds 3-10.