Rockies Return To Stillwater For Ryan Vilade

The Rockies hope their history with Stillwater (Okla.) High repeats itself with third baseman Ryan Vilade. In 1998, they selected Matt Holliday from that school.

“He’s definitely a legend at Stillwater High School, the greatest guy ever to probably play at Stillwater,” Vilade said. “To step in his shoes and be drafted out of Stillwater is an honor.”

The Rockies chose Vilade 48th overall in the second round, their lowest first pick since they began participating in the draft in 1992. They forfeited the 11th overall pick by signing free agent outfielder-first baseman Ian Desmond. In 2001, the Rockies selected second baseman Jayson Nix 44th overall.

After Vilade, the Rockies took Virginia closer Tommy Doyle at No. 70 overall in the supplemental second round.

The 18-year-old Vilade, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, played shortstop in high school, but the Rockies drafted him as a third baseman.

Vilade hit third on the U.S. national 18U team that won the Pan American Games title in October. His father James took a job as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State, so Vilade moved from Frisco, Texas, to Stillwater for his senior year and hit .410 with seven home runs.

“We feel good about his ability to hit for average,” Rockies scouting director Bill Schmidt said. “The power will come with balls that he can loft. Right now, I’d say he’s probably more of a line-drive, gap hitter.”

Vilade committed to Oklahoma State but said, “Now I’m a Colorado Rockie, and I can’t wait to start my career and go out and do great things and represent this organization well. And have fun while doing it, of course.”

Doyle, 21, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, went 3-1, 1.87 with 14 saves, 38 strikeouts and 10 walks in 33.2 innings for Virginia.

He sits at 93 mph with a fastball that has hit 97 and throws an 82-83 mph slider.

“(His slider) shows some swing-and-miss potential,” Schmidt said. “He’s a big-body kid with arm strength.”