DENVER -- As a 6-year-old in Hermosillo, Mexico, Javier Medina wore No. 9 on his first baseball team like his baseball hero, former Rockies star Vinny Castilla. After a long and unusual route, Medina -- now an 18-year-old right-handed pitcher -- has a chance to follow his hero, who is serving as a special front-office assistant with Colorado.
The Rockies chose Medina on Tuesday in the third round, 77th overall, of the 2015 Draft out of Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Ariz. Medina appeared in just a few games with Sahuaro his senior year because of an eligibility ruling that stemmed from his move from Mexico to the United States.