Mike Plant President & CEO, Braves Development Company | Atlanta Braves Website
Mike Plant President & CEO, Braves Development Company | Atlanta Braves Website
The Draft remains a crucial and cost-effective method for Major League Baseball teams to acquire and develop talent. The past decade has seen significant successes across various teams, with 18 of the highlighted players being first-round picks, including No. 1 overall choice Paul Skenes. Notable later-round selections include Pete Alonso, who set a rookie record with 53 home runs as a second-round pick, and fourth-rounders Shane Bieber and Corbin Burnes, both Cy Young Award winners.
Eight players from the last decade's draft have won World Series rings: Andrew Benintendi, Kyle Schwarber, Austin Riley, Will Smith, Jordan Montgomery, Josh Jung, Alex Bregman, and Trea Turner. Of these players, only Riley, Smith, Jung, and Bregman remain with their original drafting teams.
Highlighted below are each team's standout draft picks over the past ten years:
- **Blue Jays:** Bo Bichette (2016), SS – Signed for $1.1 million in the second round; boasts a career .290 average since debuting in 2019.
- **Orioles:** Gunnar Henderson (2019), SS – Second-rounder with more WAR than Adley Rutschman; both are All-Star starters in 2024.
- **Rays:** Shane McClanahan (2018), LHP – Compensation pick; dominant starter despite current recovery from Tommy John surgery.
- **Red Sox:** Andrew Benintendi (2015), OF – Helped win the 2018 World Series; made his first All-Star team in 2022.
- **Yankees:** Jordan Montgomery (2014), LHP – Fourth-rounder improved significantly post-draft; traded to Cardinals in 2022.
- **Guardians:** Shane Bieber (2016), RHP – Fourth-rounder enhanced his fastball velocity and breaking pitches; AL Cy Young Award winner.
- **Royals:** Bobby Witt Jr. (2019), SS – Face of the franchise after signing an 11-year extension worth $288.8 million.
- **Tigers:** Riley Greene (2019), OF – Fifth overall pick headed to his first All-Star Game at age 23.
- **Twins:** Bailey Ober (2017), RHP – Twelfth-rounder now a mainstay in the Twins’ rotation.
- **White Sox:** Carlos Rodón (2014), LHP – First-rounder earned consecutive All-Star berths despite injury setbacks.
Additional notable picks include:
- **Angels:** Zach Neto (2022), SS
- **Astros:** Alex Bregman (2015), SS
- **A’s:** Matt Chapman (2014), 3B
- **Mariners:** Logan Gilbert (2018), RHP
- **Rangers:** Josh Jung (2019), 3B
- **Braves:** Austin Riley (2015)
Further details on top prospects and draft coverage can be found through MLB Pipeline resources.
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