​As Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft wrapped up, Colorado Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and assistant general manager Tommy Tanous sat with reporters to discuss the day’s activity. Here are the highlights from that session, lightly edited for clarity.
Tommy Tanous started by praising one pick in particular: “There was a lot to like about him. First of all, he’s an SEC shortstop—a switch-hitting shortstop with elite on-base ability, plus power, solid defensive value, and strong baseball instincts that show up every day. One remarkable thing about Tyler is that he played through a significant shoulder injury this year. He lost some time, came back, and still ended up having an extremely productive year. He’s an incredibly talented kid, and to find a shortstop this productive gives us confidence that he can stay at shortstop.”
Tanous emphasized the player’s competitiveness: “There’s definitely a chip on his shoulder when he plays. You can’t miss his intensity on the field, his focus in games, and what he does during practice. We spoke with many coaches—summer coaches and his current coaches—and this is a very intense, serious player with a strong drive to succeed.”
Regarding organizational plans, Tanous noted that versatility would be part of the strategy: “Both players will stay on that path. We have a lot of teams and a need for multiple shortstops. I think many players in our system will move around a bit, and we’ll build some versatility. That doesn’t mean they won’t be shortstops when you see them in center field for a day or at second base. But the majority of their development time will be devoted to shortstop.”
DePodesta added context about the day’s selections: “This wasn’t exactly the plan we laid out at the start, which was to chase two catchers. Yet those two players were both high on our board, and we felt that if we had access to them, we should seize the opportunity. We believe both have the potential for long big-league careers. They’re both right-handed hitters with power, and they both have catching ability. I might be showing a bit of my bias here about how a team is built from the outset, but these are two outstanding prospects, and they’ll get ample opportunities with us.”
Tanous then highlighted the distinct traits of the two recent picks. “Daniel Jackson—the Golden Spikes Award winner, and the first catcher in Division I history to post 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases—is exceptionally talented. Jack Natili brings big, big power. Both players possess solid decision-making skills that we can further develop, and both have extremely heavy, natural power that comes easily to them. Our development focus will be on their strike-zone discipline and how we continue to build on that,” Tanous explained. “Both are outstanding athletes, and that athleticism will be a key theme in our conversations with them as we map out their progression.”
DePodesta closed by reiterating the long-term view: the organization expects to give these players significant opportunities to grow and contribute, while remaining mindful of their paths and the roles they can evolve into as they mature as players. The overall message was clear: the Rockies are pursuing high-upside talent, prepared to cultivate versatility as they guide these athletes toward sustained success in the majors.