With the fourth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies selected Ethan Holliday, son of franchise icon Matt Holliday.
A cynical perspective might tell you that this is a pick of the heart rather than of the head. After all, a strong case can be made that the Rockies currently, and well always, are in desperate need of pitching. Not only do they need to add to a current young group that features Chase Dollander, Carson Palmquist, Brody Brecht, and Sean Sullivan but they also need someone who can help turn their historic losing around.
Surely, a college pitcher would fit that description perfectly and Liam Doyle, taken immediately after Holliday by the St. Louis Cardinals, may well end up being exactly what the Rockies need. But the high-end potential for Holliday was simply too much to pass up.
Of course, you get to start with the good feels. His dad remains beloved among the fans in Denver and his brother, Jackson Holliday, has brought a ton of energy to the Baltimore Orioles. Matt even returned late in his career for the 2018 postseason run and having him back around the organization can only mean good things for everyone involved.
But this isn’t just a good story for the Rockies to get some free public relations material. Make no mistake, Holliday was almost universally considered to be the single most talented player in this draft and was the most wide-reaching consensus pick to go first overall to the Washington Nationals.
The first couple of picks went way outside what the experts and evaluators were predicting, meaning that Ethan Holliday more or less fell into their lap. The best player in the draft taken at fourth overall.
It’s easy to dream on what the 6’4 shortstop will be able to do with his monster raw power at Coors Field someday. His athleticism should play up as well, especially when cruising around the bases. And he could make for a potent power pair in the middle of the Rockies future lineup with Golden Spikes winner Charlie Condon.
The most fun, and some of the best teams of Rockies past have often featured twin elite talents. The Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki era, the Nolan Arenado/Charlie Blackmon era, and of course, the time of Todd Helton and Larry Walker.
Of course, like with all prospects, you have to wait and see how it all pans out. But this was the best possible case scenario for a Colorado Rockies franchise in need of literally anything that can provide some good energy. And eventually, some good baseball.