MLB Draft 2024: Rockies draft 3B/OF Charlie Condon third overall

The Colorado Rockies have drafted their corner outfield bat of the future, as they selected Univeristy of Georgia third baseman/outfielder Charlie Condon with the third-overall pick.

Despite seemingly being overlooked early on in his career, the young slugger set the record straight in 2024.

Condon absolutely raked in Division-I baseball in 2024, slashing .433/.566/1.009 and leading D-I in homers, tallying 37 big flys. The Golden Spikes Award-winner will doubtless be enticed by the prospect of sending balls into orbit at Coors Field.

Condon’s power is a boon for Colorado fans, and his ability to lift the ball has drawn comparisons to Kris Bryant and Aaron Judge. That he fell to third in the Draft could be considered a surprise, as some experts assessed the 21-year-old as the best overall talent available.

It's no wonder that some fans are already feeling the excitement.

How much excitement?

Well, Senior Director of Scouting Operations Marc Gustafson had this to say about his new outfielder:

“We see him as the ‘face of the franchise’-type player,” Gustafson said. “He’s got the the skill set, he’s got the mindset, the work ethic... just a really solid player on and off the field. Most importantly, the hit/power combination is hard to come by. It was a no-brainer when he became available.”

That's some high praise.

It’s not just his play, though. Vice President and Assistant General Manager of Scouting Danny Montgomery spoke about Condon’s professionalism off the field as well.

“Outside of his talent, once we got to know him - as (good) as he is a ball player, he’s a better person, and that means a lot to us,” Montgomery said.

While he played a good amount of third base last season, including landing a spot on the First-Team All-SEC at the position, the Rockies may decide to focus Condon's talents in the outfield (he was announced as such during his official selection).

His 70-grade power will be a significant benefit to a Colorado offense that has had trouble scoring runs in recent seasons.

I’ll let Gustafson summarize Condon’s pick thusly:

“We were jumping with joy.”

★ ★ ★

Are you jumping with joy about the pick? Let us know in the comments!