Rockies Use First-Round Pick to Select OF Kyle Parker

The Major League draft is a big deal for the Colorado Rockies. On Monday, with the 26th overall pick, the Rockies selected Kyle Parker, an outfielder from Clemson University.

Parker was a multi-sport athlete at Clemson, where he was the football team's starting quarterback.

The 6'1" 210 lbs right hander is originally from Jacksonville, Fla.

Ever since the failed free agent signings of Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle, the club has decided that they simply do not have the financial ability to compete with the large market clubs when it comes to free agents.

What that means is that the Rockies rely heavily on their scouting department. In addition to stressing their operations in Latin America, the club's long-term success depends greatly on their selections in the firstyear player draft.

The Rockies also have made a habit of not drafting based upon need, they draft based on the best available talent in the draft.

Here is who the Rockies have drafted with the first round pick in recent years.

2003: Ian Stewart- La Quinta High School, CA

2004: Chris Nelson- Redan High School, GA

2005: Troy Tulowitzki- Long Beach State, CA

2006: Greg Reynolds- Stanford, CA

2007: Casey Weathers - Tennessee University

2008: Christian Freidrich- Western Kentucky University

2009: Tyler Matzek- Capistrano Valley High School - CA

Without a doubt, the most famous Rockies first round pick came in 1995 when the team selected a certain first baseman from the University of Tennessee named Todd Helton. That picked has paid huge dividends for the organization.

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