Draft: Search by Position and Round
Posted by Sean Forman on May 18, 2010
Inspired by an article at FanGraphs on the value of first rounders by position, I've added an output that shows you players drafted from a particular position and a particular round. Above I've linked to all of the first round selections who were shortstops when drafted.
It is an option on the second line of options.
May 18th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
I was amused to find Gorman Thomas on that list.
May 18th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Bill James is right that prospects are almost never drafted as second basemen. Only 19 players have ever been drafted in the first round as second basemen. Ranked by WAR, the best of them — by a mile — is Chase Utley.
May 19th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
I remember several years ago trying to put together an all-time team of players who were the first overall pick in the draft. I had the most difficult time coming up with a catcher and a second baseman. I also had difficulty settling on a first baseman - Ron Blomberg or Bob Horner? First base and catcher have now been properly assigned, thanks to Adrian Gonzalez and Joe Mauer, respectively. I actually had B.J. Surhoff as the catcher; drafted as a shortstop, he debuted as a catcher. While he also played several other positions, he only appeared at second base for one game. Bill Almon, the highest-drafted player ever from an Ivy League school, appeared in 102 games at second base, so he has gotten the nod so far. Tim Beckham has been a disappointment offensively in the minors so far. Maybe if the Rays were to move him to the less demanding defensively position of second base, he can concentrate on his hitting (after a learning curve at the new position) and perhaps have a shot at this slot. And if Matt Bush had been both a better citizen and a better hitter, maybe he could have been moved to second and made it to the majors to fill this role.
Here's the team as I put it together about 10 years ago, with C and 1B updated:
C - Joe Mauer (replaces B.J. Surhoff)
1B - Adrian Gonzalez (replaces Bob Horner or Ron Blomberg, depending on my mood)
2B - Bill Almon (weakest choice on the team)
SS - Alex Rodriguez
3B - Chipper Jones
OF - Ken Griffey, Jr.
OF - Darryl Strawberry
OF - Josh Hamilton (relegates Rick Monday to the bench)
DH - Harold Baines
Counting Baines, all of the above outfielders, plus Darin Erstad, bat (and throw) lefthanded. I'll put two recent righthanded picks, Justin Upton and Delmon Young, on the bench with Monday. And maybe even Pat Burrell, if you throw out his recent performances.
Starting Rotation:
Andy Benes
Tim Belcher (still considered to be an overall 1st choice in my book despite not signing at that time)
Mike Moore
Floyd Bannister
And maybe either Kris Benson or Ben McDonald, two disappointments due to injuries, to make it five.
Closer:
David Price (based purely on 2008 postseason)
May 19th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
The best first rounder ever drafted as a third baseman was....
MANNY RAMIREZ! Oh, to go back in time and watch him play third.