Ryan Burr, a 2012 graduate of Highlands Ranch, became the first local player selected in this year’s MLB Draft on Tuesday.
Burr, now a junior standout at Arizona State, was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the first pick in the fifth round on Tuesday.
“Couldn’t be happier!” Burr tweeted on Tuesday. “I am going to be a @Dbacks !!! Can’t wait to get after it!”
He led five locals who were selected on Tuesday, the second day of the draft. Joining him were Highlands Ranch shortstop Nick Shumpert (seventh round), Legend outfield Greg Pickett (eighth round), Cheyenne Mountain alum Bret Helton (ninth round) and Rocky Mountain outfielder Cole Anderson (tenth round).
Former Highlands Ranch star Ryan Burr, pictured during his senior season in 2012. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
At ASU, Burr developed into a shutdown closer, and set the school record with 38 saves. It was a record that had stood since 1967.
He was a first-team all-Pac-12 pick this season after going 8-2 with 14 saves to go along with a 2.91 ERA in 46 1/3 innings. He struck out 74 batters to just 25 walks, thanks in large part to a fastball which hits 97 mph, according to a scouting report on MLB.com.
Burr was also selected out of high school, going in the 33rd round to the Texas Rangers. He opted not to sign then, and moved on to Arizona State.
The first local 2015 graduate to go in this year’s draft was another Highlands Ranch product: Shumpert, a 6-foot, 180-pound shortstop, was picked by the Detroit Tigers in the seventh round, No. 220 overall.
Shumpert, who is committed to Kentucky, is the son of former big-leaguer Terry Shumpert, who spent 14 seasons in the MLB, including 1998-2002 with the Colorado Rockies.
During his senior season this spring, Shumpert hit .600 with five home runs and 14 RBIs. He also stole 33 bases. In addition, he drew 20 walks for an eye-popping .722 on-base percentage.
Shumpert led Class 5A in batting average, steals and on-base percentage in 2015.
“I want to thank the @tigers for giving me the opportunity to start my professional career,” Shumpert tweeted on Tuesday.
A round after Shumpert, Legend’s Pickett went No. 234 overall to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Pickett, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound outfield who is committed to Mississippi State, hit .420 with six home runs and 22 RBIs this spring.
Pickett is the first player from Legend — which was established in 2008 — to be selected in the MLB Draft.
Helton, the Cheyenne Mountain alum, was picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the ninth round. He was taken No. 277 overall.
Now a junior at Utah, Helton was 2-8 with a 5.72 ERA in 61 1/3 innings this season.
In the tenth round, the Colorado Rockies picked Anderson, the outfielder from Rocky Mountain. He was the No. 287 pick in the draft.
Anderson batted .405 with 25 RBIs this season, and led 5A with seven home runs. He also stole six bases.
The MLB Draft started on Monday, but there were no local selections in the first 75 picks — which spanned the first round, compensation round, both competitive balance rounds, and the second round.
It actually marked the first time since 2011 that no Colorado products were selected in the first round. Last season, Thomas Jefferson alum Kyle Freeland went No. 8 overall.
The draft’s third-through-tenth rounds are Tuesday, and rounds 11-40 are Wednesday.
Last season, 23 players who played high school baseball in Colorado were selected in the MLB Draft, including 12 who graduated in 2014.
Follow all of the 2015 draftees in our tracker.