STARTING PITCHER
B: Apr 7, 1971, Russellville, KY
H: 6’2″    W: 205    B:R    T:R

Drafted by Rockies in 2nd Round: Jun 1992
Bend 1992; Central Valley 1993; Colorado Springs 1993-96, 97; ROCKIES 1994-98; Asheville 1997; Chandler 1998; Salem 1998
ROCKIES 1994-98 (16-20, 6.11)
Became Free Agent: Oct 20, 1998; signed by CIN, Dec 15, 1998
Signed as Free Agent: Jun 24, 2001
Tri-City 2001; Carolina 2001; Colorado Springs 2002
Released: May 15, 2002

[The 1996 Leaf Signature series must have been one of the first large-scale autograph issues. It was a very simple design, but with terrific presentation; a lot of otherwise overlooked, middle-tier players from the '90s got represented in this set.]

Thompson was a solid draft choice in 1992, who ended up outrunning the number one pick John Burke. Still, his career, stuck as it was in the pre-humidor days of Coors Field, never caught traction.

Like Burke, he fast-tracked through the Rockies system and the parent club, always desperate for pitching, needed him immensely. Debuting on July 26, 1994, he beat the San Diego Padres for his first career win. By 1995, Mark was a fixture on the staff, when he got his lone playoff appearance and a career highlight. Called upon to relieve after the Braves forced extra innings in Game 3, Thompson pitched a perfect tenth inning to earn what was to be the only save of his big league career.

By ’96, Thompson was a full-time starter when he went 9-11, enjoying his best year in the majors.

The rigors of pitching at altitude soon took their toll. The next two seasons saw him pitching only 12 games in Colorado (and a mere 10 more in the minors). At 27, Mark Thompson was through with the Rockies.

The Reds picked him up, and he struggled in AAA. In mid July of 1998, the Cards took a flyer and it paid off in the short run. He did well with their AAA club and he got 5 games with the big club at season’s end. He relieved most of the 2000 season, but not well enough for the Cardinals to hang onto him. In 2001 he made a return to the Rockies organization, where continuing arm problems led to his dismissal the following May. Thompson got one more shot with the Reds that year, then played indy ball through 2003.

In 2006, he spent one last season in the Colorado chain as pitching coach for the Casper Rockies. But the rigors of travel and time away from home had worn down his commitment to professional ball.

Today, he coaches youngsters in his hometown of Russellville.

STARTING PITCHER
B: Feb 9, 1970, Durango, CO
H: 6’4″    W: 220    B:B    T:R

Drafted by Rockies in 1st Round (27th pick): Jun 1992
Bend 1992; Central Valley 1993; Colorado Springs 1993-1998; Asheville 1994; Salem 1996, 1998
ROCKIES 1996-1997 (4-6, 6.75)
Became Free Agent: Oct 16, 1998; Signed by Cleveland, Dec 4, 1998

John Burke was the Rockies first pick in their first participation in the free agent draft, and subsequently became the earliest player in their organization to rise to the major league level. He had previously been chosen by the Orioles in the 34th round of the 1989 draft, and the Astros in the first round of the 1991 draft. A standout with the University of Florida, he made a steady rise through the Rockies chain, being named as a California League All-Star in 1993 and the PCL’s best pitching prospect in 1995.

By August 1996, he was called up to the pitching-hungry Rockies. Toughing out a 4-6 record over parts of two years in the difficult environs of early Coors Field, John found himself back in the minors in 1998 as he coped with injuries and fading prospects. After the season, he was signed by Cleveland as a free agent, but never pitched in their system.

Burke was unfortunate enough to be dining with Doug Million in Mesa on Sep 23, 1997, when Million suddenly died following an asthma seizure.

John Burke belongs in the same sentence with Ryan Turner — a well-remembered Rockies “first”, though this time achieving a decent modicum of success. Who knows what kind of history he might have accrued with either the Orioles or the Astros — significantly more favorable locales for pitchers — but he is fondly remembered by fans of the Rockies in their early days.

JOSE CEDENO

FIRST BASE/INFIELD
B: Jun 29, 1975, Santo Domingo, DR
H: 6’0″    W: 150    B:R    T:R

Undrafted Free Agent: Jun 9, 1992
Salcedo (DL) 1992; Chandler 1993; Bend 1994; Central Valley 1994
Released after 1994 season

There were three Latin players signed on June 9, 1992, none of whom panned out for Colorado. Jose Cedeno was a very young man of only 19 when released following a disappointing 1994 season. A versatile infielder, he couldn’t get his bat started in A level ball.

JAVIER DIAZ

THIRD BASE
B: Jun 2, 1975, Santo Domingo, DR
H: 6’2″    W: 163    B:R    T:R

Undrafted Free Agent: Jun 9, 1992
Salcedo (DL) 1992; Chandler 1993; Asheville 1994
Released after 1994 season

By his third year in the Rockies organization, Javier Diaz was beginning to show potential at the plate, hitting .261 in part-time action with Asheville; he appeared on his sole baseball card that year. However, his fielding was atrocious (a composite .831 in 1993-94) and he was passed over for 1995.

REYES FLOBIL

INFIELDER
B: May 27, 1974, San Pedro de Macoris
H: 5’11″    W: 160    B:R    T:R

Undrafted Free Agent: Jun 9, 1992
Salcedo (DL) 1992-1993
Released after 1993 season

Third of three Dominican players selected on June 9, 1992. Flobil spent two years with Salcedo, hitting .195 and .154. Through at 19, like so many of these youngsters.

CATCHER
B: Oct 17, 1973, Maracaibo, Venezuela
H: 6’2″    W: 188    B:R    T:R

Undrafted Free Agent: Apr 27, 1992
Mesa 1992; Chandler 1993; Central Valley 1993; Bend 1994; Asheville 1995-96; Salem 1995; Colorado Springs 1996
Released after 1996 season

Yohel Pozo came oh-so close to the big league squad in 1996 with his mid-season callup to the Triple-A Sky Sox, where he batted .277 in 20 games. It was the apex of a not-so-impressive five-year run in the Rockies’ system. A catcher who struggles to hit .200 is going to struggle to keep a place in any organization; but like most of these Latin players, he was signed young with a load of potential ahead.
So here it is, late 1996, and the Rockies are suspended in third place, just close enough that they think they might have a chance. Jeff Reed is handling the catching and hitting .284. Jayhawk Owens is his capable backup, but only hitting .236. Jorge Brito has been tearing up AAA, but is floundering in the big leagues. So it’s a perfect opening for Pozo when, at the end of August, Steve Decker is purchased from the Giants to be the backup behind the plate.  Remember, the Rox are coming off a wild card season in 1995 and are really thinking they can close the three-game gap and take the division. Yet, despite Decker hitting .320 in his role as backup catcher, the Rockies downspin to 8 games out, and Yohel Pozo takes September off.

In 1997, Reed is still the Rockies catcher, but all the others have all moved on. For Pozo, his professional career in North America is at an end.

RELIEF PITCHER
B: Jan 15, 1968, Detroit, MI
H: 6’1″    W: 205     B:L    T:R

Free Agent from Miami (FSL): Apr 10, 1992
Visalia 1992; Central Valley 1993; New Haven 1994
Retired: June 1994

Pitching Coach: Chandler Rockies 1994-95
Scout: 1996-2009
National Cross Checker: 2010-2011

Ericson’s got probably the longest career of any guy to wear a Rockies uniform.  He was a free agent from the unaffiliated Miami Miracle team in the Florida State League, where he had put up some pretty fair numbers in 1990-91. With Visalia in 1992, he had his best season, striking out 70 in just 62 innings. But early promise didn’t pan out the next two years, and he retired in June of 1994 to take the role of pitching coach with the Rockies Rookie level team in Chandler, a post he filled for two years. Check out this Classic card from 1992; he just LOOKS like a coach.

From 1996 through 2009, Ericson scouted for the organization. His prize pick was Shawn Chacon, and in 2001 he was named the Rockies Scout of the Year. In 2010, he took over as National Cross Checker, continuing his string of two decades on the Rockies payroll. Pretty good for the kid from Detroit.

ALGER MEDINA
OUTFIELDER/INFIELDER
B: Jun 30, 1974, Santo Domingo, DR
H: 6’0″     W: 176     B:R     T: R
Undrafted free agent: Mar 7, 1992
Salcedo 1992; Chandler 1993
Released, May 1994

Barely 19, Alger Medina opened some eyes with a solid .291 average in Chandler in 1993, where he stole 26 bases in 29 games. Who steals that many bases in that few games?!? With a Ted-Williamsian OBP of .477, you had to believe Medina had some potential. But following the spring of 1994, he was let go. The Brewers snatched him up, but his numbers tailed off for them in 1994, as well as the Cubs in 1995. This card from the Rockford Cubs 1995 team set is the only one he ever got.