Rocky Mountain High School, Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley Central, Greeley West, Fossil Ridge, Mountain View, Other Northern Colorado schools

Fort Collins and Northern Colorado have a rich history of local baseball players being taken in the MLB draft.

A player from Fort Collins was selected for 14 straight years from 2006-2019. Eaton and Rocky Mountain High Schools each have over a dozen players who heard their name called on draft day.

While fewer Northern Colorado players have been taken in the 2020s (partly due to MLB cutting the number of rounds from 40 to 20 since 2020), over 50 players from NoCo have been picked since the draft began in 1965.

Several were drafted multiple times, choosing to attend college out of high school before being selected again following collegiate careers.

NoCo products have been picked by 24 of 30 MLB teams. Unsurprisingly, the Colorado Rockies lead the way, taking a dozen players from up north during the franchise's 32-year run.

Here is the MLB Draft pick history for baseball players from Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley-area high schools in Colorado:

Rocky Mountain High School

Chad Bell, infielder, taken from Louisiana-Monroe: 19th round, New York Yankees (2019)
Carl Stajduhar, infielder, from New Mexico: 18th round, New York Mets (2017)
Tyler Stevens, pitcher, from New Mexico: 18th round, Los Angeles Angels (2017)
Cole Anderson, outfielder: 10th round, Colorado Rockies (2015)
Jess Amadee, pitcher, from Texas-Arlington: 27th round, Pittsburgh Pirates (2014)
Carl Stajduhar, infielder: 27th round, Atlanta Braves (2014)
Marco Gonzales, pitcher, from Gonzaga: 1st round, St. Louis Cardinals (2013)
Jake Stewart, outfielder, from Stanford: 9th round, Detroit Tigers (2012)
Andy Burns, infielder, from Arizona: 11th round, Toronto Blue Jays (2011)
Marco Gonzales, pitcher: 29th round, Colorado Rockies (2010)
Christopher Roglen, outfielder: 43rd round, Texas Rangers (2010)
Jake Stewart, outfielder: 14th round, Philadelphia Phillies (2009)
Andy Burns, infielder: 25th round, Colorado Rockies (2008)
Jason White, infielder, from Iowa: 17th round, Baltimore Orioles (2007)
Scott Bachman, pitcher: 44th round, Colorado Rockies (2006)
Luke Oglesby, outfielder/infielder, from New Mexico: 26th round, Kansas City Royals (1993)

Rocky Mountain graduate Andy Burns was picked by Toronto in the 11th round of the 2011 draft and was the second player from Fort Collins to make the MLB.

Eaton

Ryan Ure, pitcher, taken from Oklahoma State: 19th round, San Francisco Giants (2024)
Walker Martin, infielder: 2nd round, San Francisco Giants (2023)
Ryan Ure, pitcher: 16th round, Texas Rangers (2021)
Kyle Ottoson, pitcher, from Oklahoma State: 34th round, San Diego Padres (2012) (fourth time he was drafted)
Bennett Pickar, catcher, from Oral Roberts: 11th round, Detroit Tigers (2012)
Sterling Monfort, infielder: 47th round, Colorado Rockies (2010)
Bennett Pickar, catcher: 15th round, Atlanta Braves (2009)
Tyler Wallace, infielder: 46th round, Colorado Rockies (2009)
Shane Dyer, pitcher, from South Mountain CC: 6th round, Tampa Bay Rays (2008)
Shane Dyer, pitcher: 24th round, Colorado Rockies (2006)
Matt Hagen, infielder, from Liberty: 12th round, Seattle Mariners (2002)
Brad Schmeh, outfielder: 32nd round, New York Mets (1992)
Mike Anderson, outfielder, from Northern Colorado: 8th round, California Angels (1986)

Brewster starter Ryan Ure goes into his motion during a 2024 Cape Cod League game against Cotuit. Ure, a former Eaton player, has already been taken twice in the MLB Draft.

Loveland

Great Falls Voyagers starting pitcher Alec Hansen delivers to the plate during a 2016 Pioneer League game against the Idaho Falls Chukars. Hansen was a Loveland High School standout and was twice drafted by MLB teams.

Alec Hansen, pitcher, taken from Oklahoma: 2nd round, Chicago White Sox (2016)
Alec Hansen, pitcher: 25th round, Colorado Rockies (2013)
Dan Olson, infield/outfield, from Kansas: 32nd round, Florida Marlins (2002)
Ross Pilkington, infielder: 20th round, Colorado Rockies (2000)
Brad Moore, pitcher, from Northern Iowa: 35th round, Oakland Athletics (1998)
Dan Olson, infield/outfield: 48th round, Minnesota Twins (1998)
Scot McCloughlan, infielder, from Wichita State: 10th round, Toronto Blue Jays (1992)
Scot McCloughlan, infield/pitcher: 19th round, New York Mets (1989)

Fort Collins

Colby Shade, outfielder, taken from Oregon: 9th round, Miami Marlins (2023)
JD Hammer, pitcher, from Marshall: 24th round, Colorado Rockies (2016)
Ryan Beck, pitcher, from New Mexico State: 30th round, Detroit Tigers (2013)
Dan April, pitcher, from Mercer: 39th round, Tampa Bay Rays (2009)
Geoffrey Boutelier, from Cypress College: 36th round, Colorado Rockies (1998)
Matt Van Alsburg, outfielder: 45th round, St. Louis Cardinals (1998)
Dan Chastain, catcher: 57th round, Montreal Expos (1991)

Fort Collins High School baseball center fielder Colby Shade hits a triple during a game against Denver South on Monday, April 8, 2019. Shade played in college at Oregon and was drafted by the Marlins in 2023.

Greeley Central

Shawn Chacon, pitcher: 3rd round, Colorado Rockies (1996)
Tyler Bain, infielder, taken from Seward County CC: 82nd round, New York Yankees (1994)
Tim Forkner, infielder, from Seward County CC: 14th round, Houston Astros (1993)
Scott Johnson, pitcher: 44th round, Florida Marlins (1992)
Robert Kelly, pitcher: 22nd round, Minnesota Twins (1970)

Greeley West

Dallas Mahan, pitcher: 35th round, Seattle Mariners (1996)
T.J. Runnells, infielder: 36th round, Detroit Tigers (1996)
Rodney Scheller, pitcher: 3rd round, Los Angeles Dodgers (1975)
Douglas May, outfield/infield: 23rd round, Chicago White Sox (1972)

Fossil Ridge

Codi Heuer, pitcher, taken from Wichita State: 6th round, Chicago White Sox (2018)
Julian Garcia, pitcher, from Metro State: 10th round, Philadelphia Phillies (2016)
Brian Vigo-Suarez, infielder: 21st round, Milwaukee Brewers (2009)

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Codi Heuer (12) delivers the ball in the eighth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.

Mountain View

Logan Moore, catcher, taken from Northeastern CC: 9th round, Philadelphia Phillies (2011)
Nick Beghtol, catcher, from Dixie State College of Utah: 41st round, Pittsburgh Pirates (2005)
Nick Beghtol, catcher: 34th round, Pittsburgh Pirates (2004)

Other Northern Colorado schools

Poudre's Gregory Yolken, outfielder: 30th round, Pittsburgh Pirates (1974)
Res. Christian's Jordan Piche', pitcher, taken from Kansas: 28th round, Los Angeles Angels (2013)
Windsor's Jake Greenwalt, pitcher: 23rd round, San Francisco Giants (2016)
Northridge's Tayler Aguilar, outfielder, from Grand Canyon: 15th round, New York Yankees (2022)

Coloradoan reporter Kevin Lytle contributed to this story.

Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: MLB Draft: History of Fort Collins, Northern Colorado players picked in pro baseball draft