The 2025 Colorado Rockies draft class is in the books! Leading the class is shortstop/third baseman Ethan Holliday. The son of Rockies legend Matt Holliday. Matt starred as an outfielder for the club from 2004 to 2007 and again played for Colorado in 2018. Joining Holliday at the top of the draft class are Right-handed pitcher JB Middleton (round 2, pick 45) from the University of Southern Mississippi, and Outfielder Max Belyeu (round CB-B, pick 74) from the University of Texas. Below will be an analysis of each of the Rockies’ top three draft picks.
It’s The Holliday Season Again in Colorado
Holliday will be no stranger to Coors Field when he makes his MLB debut. A Rockies post shortly after the selection showed a baby Ethan donning Rockies gear in his dad’s arms when Matt was playing for the Rockies in the 2007 season, during the Rockies’ incredible run to the World Series.
It’s a special moment for the Holliday family, as Ethan joins his brother Jackson Holliday in the major leagues, who was drafted first overall by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2022 MLB Draft. Both of the Holliday brothers were drafted out of Stillwater High School in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The 6’4″, 210 lb shortstop, Ethan, had a stellar senior season with Stillwater High, earning the 2024-25 Gatorade player of the year award in the state of Oklahoma. Per the press release, Holliday recorded an absurd .611 batting average, 64 RBI, 19 home runs, and a 2.038 OPS during the 2025 season.
The Rockies got great value with Holliday at the fourth overall pick. MLB Pipeline and Baseball America considered Holliday the top overall draft prospect. MLB Pipeline ranked 17-year-old shortstop Eli Willits out of Fort Cobb-Broxton High School in Oklahoma as the fifth overall prospect and second-ranked position player. Willits went first overall by the Washington Nationals, opening the gate for Holliday to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Reppin’ the purple since ’07 pic.twitter.com/KT93t2fekd
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 13, 2025
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Holliday’s Potential Is Sky High
In MLB Pipeline’s scouting report, they described Ethan as a player who more closely resembles Matt than Jackson. Ethan is physically strong, and scouts describe him as having an easy left-handed swing, with plenty of bat speed and leverage. MLB Pipeline also projects Ethan as a player who could develop into at least an average hitter with 30+ home runs and plenty of walks. That’s the type of hitter who fits right in at Coors Field. It will be very exciting to monitor Ethan’s offensive development as he progresses through the Rockies’ system.
In an interview with Thomas Harding of MLB.com, Rockies senior director of scouting operations Marc Gustafson spoke very highly of the power potential that Ethan possesses.
“The raw power is stupid.” “I’ve not scouted a high schooler that’s ever displayed that type of power to all fields, with his body at 6-foot-4 and the muscles that are about to come.”
Defensively, Ethan primarily played at shortstop in high school. But he projects as a better fit at the hot corner due to his size, speed, and solid throwing arm. However, Rockies’ general manager of scouting, Danny Montgomery, said they will move Holliday off of shortstop if the time comes. Still, they want to see what they have with him at the position. It will be an interesting positional situation to watch, since star shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is under contract with the Rockies through 2030 with a club option for 2031.
It has been a rough season for Rockies fans. Ethan falling to Colorado in the draft, sparking memories of the club’s glory days in 2007, was a nice reprieve. But while the nostalgic moment was nice, it’s the future potential of Ethan that is really exciting. The Rockies couldn’t afford to miss on the draft this season. Due to anti-tanking rules in the collective bargaining agreement, a team is ineligible to receive a top-six draft pick in three consecutive years.
The Rockies have drafted in the top six in two straight seasons, drafting outfielder Charlie Condon third overall out of the University of Georgia in 2024 and Ethan this season. So, despite the Rockies potentially finishing with the worst record of all time this season, they will be ineligible for a pick higher than 10th in the 2026 MLB draft. The Rockies made sure they didn’t waste their top-five opportunity this season.
Meant to be
pic.twitter.com/Ua1T5h3xT6
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 13, 2025
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JB Middleton, RD 2, 45th Overall
The Rockies will never attract the top pitching free agents due to the predicament of playing home games at altitude. Instead, the Rockies have to acquire pitching in the draft and through trades. After drafting Holliday fourth overall, it was a safe bet that the Rockies would draft a pitcher with their next pick. Enter Middleton, a 6’0″, 178 lbs junior right-handed pitcher out of the University of Southern Mississippi. Middleton ranks as the 41st prospect by MLB Pipeline, and the Rockies drafted him 45th overall.
2025 was Middleton’s first season as a starting pitcher. He was a first-team All-American selection by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association. Middleton started 16 games for the Golden Eagles this season. He went 10-1, posting a stellar 2.31 ERA in 105 1/3 innings pitched. He limited opposing lineups to a .174 batting average and posted a K:BB ratio of 122:25. His 0.854 WHIP ranked second in NCAA Division I.
In MLB Pipeline’s scouting report, they noted that Middleton has all the tools to be a long-term starter. That is, if he can move past his lack of physicality. His fastball averages 93-95 mph, topping out at 97. Per MLB Pipeline, Middleton’s fastball is very effective as a swing-and-miss pitch from the letters to the knees. He also wields an upper-80s slider with great swing and miss stuff and utilizes an 86-88 mph changeup as his third pitch.
The Rockies need more pitchers who possess serious swing-and-miss stuff. The lack of strikeouts is something that has hurt the club in recent seasons. Hopefully, Middleton can follow the mold of righties Ryan Feltner and Chase Dollander. Both possess the best swing and miss stuff among the Rockies’ rotation early in their careers. Middleton is also excellent at avoiding walks. This is a must for any pitcher looking to find sustained success pitching in Colorado. Middleton fits the type of pitcher the Rockies are looking for and was good value at 45th overall.
Max Belyeu, RD CB-B, 74th Overall
The Rockies’ strong start to the draft continued when they drafted Belyeu, who bats left and throws right. A 6’2″, 215 lbs outfielder out of the University of Texas in the CB-B at 74th overall. The Competitive Balance round B comes in between the second and third rounds. Its purpose is awarding picks to teams who lost a free agent or were awarded a pick from the competitive balance lottery. The Rockies took advantage of this extra pick and went with the best available, taking Belyeu. It is a steal for the Rockies, as Belyeu rates as the 34th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline.com. The Rockies drafted outfielder Jared Thomas 42nd overall in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft. Thomas moved up the farm system quickly. Currently at Double-A Hartford as the club’s tenth-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline.com.
The Rockies decided to follow a similar path a year later in the draft and achieved tremendous value while doing so. The 21-year-old left-handed hitter was the 34th-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline. Both Belyeu and Thomas raked in the Longhorns’ outfield the past two seasons, and now both are in the Rockies’ system.
MLB Pipeline projected Belyeu as a player with a good chance to be the first Texas outfielder drafted in the first round since Drew Stubbs in 2006. Stubbs also played for the Rockies in 2014-15. The Rockies have to feel great landing a player ranked just outside the first round in the second competitive balance round. The unexpected slide could be attributed to Belyeu requiring surgery after fracturing his left thumb while diving for a ball in March. But the Rockies clearly did not see it as a long-term issue, and saw the tremendous offensive upside Belyeu brings.
Belyeu was one of the best hitters in the college ranks this season. In 32 games with the Longhorns, he hit .303/.410/.576 with a .986 OPS over 156 plate appearances. He recorded nine homers, 29 RBI, and had a K:BB ratio of 39:21. Per MLB Pipeline, Belyeu has a quick left-handed swing with hard contact and can hit for power to all fields. Defensively, Belyeu played exclusively in right field this season. MLB Pipeline noted this suits Belyeu well due to his strong and accurate arm.
Round CB-B, Pick 7⃣4⃣
Congrats to Max Belyeu (@BelyeuMax) on being selected No. 74 overall by the Colorado @Rockies in the 2025 MLB Draft! #DudeAlert@TexasBaseball@FiveToolTexas / #MLBDraft https://t.co/f7X8ltDNJF
— Five Tool Baseball (@FiveTool) July 14, 2025
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Rockies Nailed the Top of the Draft
The draft projections showed that if the Nationals went in a different direction with the first overall pick, Holliday could fall to the Rockies. After the Nationals took Willits, there was likely a lot of cheering out of the draft room in Colorado. The Rockies got their guy with the fourth pick. Holliday sparks excitement for the Rockies’ fan base off his name alone. But as one of the top-ranked prospects in this draft, the organization will highly await his debut at 20th and Blake. The Rockies have drafted some great shortstops in their history, and Holliday is a welcome addition to that list. But the Rockies’ strong draft momentum didn’t stop there.
Colorado drafted Middleton right around his projection, getting a pitcher that fits their vision without reaching. The Rockies have made a strong effort to cultivate pitching through the draft and trades in recent seasons. Since they took a shortstop with the fourth overall pick, getting a solid pitcher in the second round was imperative for a club that always needs more pitching.
Belyeu was one of the best value picks in the entire draft. It is not hard to envision Belyeu being looked at as a major steal for the Rockies a few years from now. The offensive potential is there for him. If he can carry over his offensive success from Texas to the major leagues, Belyeu could flourish at Coors Field. Belyeu and Thomas roaming the Rockies’ outfield together in the future is a fun possibility to think about.
The Rockies secured arguably the most talented player in this draft while achieving tremendous value with their top three picks. For a team with as many holes as Colorado, drafting with value in mind over need is always smart. However, they can walk away from the top of this draft feeling like they achieved both.
Main Photo Credit: © Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
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