After selecting Ole Miss left-hander Ryan Rolison in the first round with the No. 22 overall pick, the Rockies looked to the prep ranks for their second pick of the 2018 MLB Draft, taking Bedford (N.H.) High School first baseman Grant Lavigne at No. 42.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Lavigne is a left-handed hitter with raw power who is committed to Wake Forest University.
“He’s a good looking player, and we think he has a very bright future,” said Rockies’ vice president of scouting Bill Schmidt. “I would say he settles in (at first) — he played left field on his high school team, he played third base. Our belief is he’ll end up at first base… There’s a natural feel to this kid.”
In his senior season for Bedford, Lavigne is hitting .639 with seven homers and 26 RBIs while pacing the Bulldogs to the semifinals of the Division I state baseball tournament in New Hampshire.
He leads the state in average and home runs and was selected as the state’s Gatorade player of the year.
Bedford is the No. 1 seed in the tournament, so Lavigne could add a state title to his baseball resume in the June 11 championship, just a week after being drafted.
The Rockies have a third and final pick on the first day of the draft, in Competitive Balance Round A (76th overall), as a compensation pick for losing closer Greg Holland to free agency this past offseason.