Troy Tulowitzki graduated from high school in 2002 and was a standout pitcher and shortstop at Fremont HS. He went an impressive 12-1 on the mound his junior season and hit .519 as a senior. He was never a good draft prospect out of high school and wasn't one of the top 110 players in the state of California. He chose to attend Long Beach State University, who just had Bobby Crosby in their line of standout first round infielders.
LBSU plays in an extreme pitchers park where home runs are a rarity. He didn't have a great year with the bat as a freshman hitting .270/.307/.408 in 210 PAs. He hit five home runs, but only drew 9 walks. However he was noted for solid defensive play at the position. He was named second team Big West SS behind Randy Blood. He was also named to the Freshman All-American team by Collegiate Baseball.
A strong sophomore season in 2004 vaulted Tulowitzki onto draft radars. He hit .317/.410/.491 with 7 homers and improved his walk rate sigificantly. He also flashed his solid glove and was named first team All-Big West and honorable mention nationally. His status vaulted as he took the starting SS job away from Tyler Greene in the summer for Team USA. He led the team in homers hitting .299/.369/.519 with four home runs in 20 starts.
The accolades started to pile up the month before his junior season. He was named to the preseason first Team Alamerican by NCBWA, 2nd team by Baseball America (behind Greene) and second team by Collegiate Baseball. He had a huge season hitting .349/.431/.599 for LBSU, quite impressive for the park. Going into the draft he had the best defensive arm and glove for a college shortstop. He was also the third best athlete and one of the premier five tool talents. He was named the number four prospect in the draft class and number one from California. He was a physical player who played better defense than Crosby, but hit for similar power and sprays his power better. He has a good arm, quick feet and was as advanced as a shortstop can get. All of his tools graded out above average. He projected as a good defensive SS who could hit 25-30 home runs a year. His makeup and work ethic were also plauded.
The Colorado Rockies picked him up with the 7th pick in the draft. He signed quickly and the Rockies spent no time sending him outright to High A Modesto. He got into 22 games for the Nuts and hit an okay .266/.343/.457 with 4 homers before getting hurt. He did draw nine walks in 105 PAs, but he struck out. Still his raw tools were excellent and 22 games after a long grueling college season is too short of a sample size. He did not qualify for the California League top 20, but would have been very high in a league stucked with uber-prospects. He was named the Rockies' number two prospect as he showed good defense and above average powers. He ended up becoming the #25 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America.
The Rockies sent Tulowitzki to Double-A Tulsa of the Texas Leaue this season. He hit .291/.370/.473 in 103 games with 13 homers and 46 walks. He showed decent power and good on base skills. The only concern is his splits is that Tulsa is a home run friendly park and 10 of the 13 came there, but he had a higher flyball and linedrive percentage at home, so it wasn't all park. He simply hit better there, componently. He got a late promotion to Colorado and has struggled in limited action. He's hit .254/.347/.317 in 75 PAs with 17 strikeouts. He has drawn nine walks, so he's working the count a bit. He has played well the last few days, but sample size abroad.
All in all we have a shortstop who projects as an above average offensive performer with good power and offensive skills. Coors Field factored out, he's got the kind of bat who could hit .300/.350/.475 as a rough guess, with his big years being considerably higher. He combines that with an above average arm and range at shortstop. He's also an athletic guy who has quick feet and good hands. He's arguably one of baseball's top 10 prospects and will find himself at the top of the Rockies' system rankings and willl find himself was one of the top 3 prospects in a loaded Texas League.
LBSU plays in an extreme pitchers park where home runs are a rarity. He didn't have a great year with the bat as a freshman hitting .270/.307/.408 in 210 PAs. He hit five home runs, but only drew 9 walks. However he was noted for solid defensive play at the position. He was named second team Big West SS behind Randy Blood. He was also named to the Freshman All-American team by Collegiate Baseball.
A strong sophomore season in 2004 vaulted Tulowitzki onto draft radars. He hit .317/.410/.491 with 7 homers and improved his walk rate sigificantly. He also flashed his solid glove and was named first team All-Big West and honorable mention nationally. His status vaulted as he took the starting SS job away from Tyler Greene in the summer for Team USA. He led the team in homers hitting .299/.369/.519 with four home runs in 20 starts.
The accolades started to pile up the month before his junior season. He was named to the preseason first Team Alamerican by NCBWA, 2nd team by Baseball America (behind Greene) and second team by Collegiate Baseball. He had a huge season hitting .349/.431/.599 for LBSU, quite impressive for the park. Going into the draft he had the best defensive arm and glove for a college shortstop. He was also the third best athlete and one of the premier five tool talents. He was named the number four prospect in the draft class and number one from California. He was a physical player who played better defense than Crosby, but hit for similar power and sprays his power better. He has a good arm, quick feet and was as advanced as a shortstop can get. All of his tools graded out above average. He projected as a good defensive SS who could hit 25-30 home runs a year. His makeup and work ethic were also plauded.
The Colorado Rockies picked him up with the 7th pick in the draft. He signed quickly and the Rockies spent no time sending him outright to High A Modesto. He got into 22 games for the Nuts and hit an okay .266/.343/.457 with 4 homers before getting hurt. He did draw nine walks in 105 PAs, but he struck out. Still his raw tools were excellent and 22 games after a long grueling college season is too short of a sample size. He did not qualify for the California League top 20, but would have been very high in a league stucked with uber-prospects. He was named the Rockies' number two prospect as he showed good defense and above average powers. He ended up becoming the #25 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America.
The Rockies sent Tulowitzki to Double-A Tulsa of the Texas Leaue this season. He hit .291/.370/.473 in 103 games with 13 homers and 46 walks. He showed decent power and good on base skills. The only concern is his splits is that Tulsa is a home run friendly park and 10 of the 13 came there, but he had a higher flyball and linedrive percentage at home, so it wasn't all park. He simply hit better there, componently. He got a late promotion to Colorado and has struggled in limited action. He's hit .254/.347/.317 in 75 PAs with 17 strikeouts. He has drawn nine walks, so he's working the count a bit. He has played well the last few days, but sample size abroad.
All in all we have a shortstop who projects as an above average offensive performer with good power and offensive skills. Coors Field factored out, he's got the kind of bat who could hit .300/.350/.475 as a rough guess, with his big years being considerably higher. He combines that with an above average arm and range at shortstop. He's also an athletic guy who has quick feet and good hands. He's arguably one of baseball's top 10 prospects and will find himself at the top of the Rockies' system rankings and willl find himself was one of the top 3 prospects in a loaded Texas League.
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