​Tyler Green, a right-handed pitcher from Thomas Jefferson High School who pitched for Wichita State, was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1991 MLB Draft with the 10th overall pick in Round 1. This information is drawn from CHSAA archives, and it excludes players taken in secondary or supplemental drafts. The accompanying photo is credited to Ezra Shaw of Getty Images.
Colorado has produced multiple No. 1 overall picks in MLB Draft history, a point of pride for the state. Since the draft began in 1965, 27 players from Colorado high schools have gone on to be selected in the first round. The ten highest picks among these Coloradans feature several recognizable names, including a current Colorado Rockies pitcher and a former World Series champion with the Kansas City Royals. There are also notable names who, although not in the top ten, made significant impacts in the majors—Brad Lidge, Scott Elarton, and the late Roy Halladay—all of whom were first-round selections in the 1990s.
So, who are the top 10 all-time highest MLB Draft picks from Colorado? Which teams drafted them? Scroll through the gallery near the top of this page as we count down from 10 to 1 to discover which Colorado high school products stand out as the state’s top first-round selections. (Note: All picks are sourced from CHSAA’s MLB Draft archives; players chosen in the secondary phase or supplemental drafts are not included.) Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan. This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan and has been prepared to highlight Colorado’s top all-time high school-to-MLB draft success stories for readers seeking historical context and notable names. The piece runs with a focus on the state’s contribution to the big-league draft landscape and offers a deeper look at how Colorado’s pipeline has evolved since the mid-20th century, including the most impactful first-round picks to come from Colorado high schools.