2015 Amateur Draft

From BR Bullpen

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The 2015 First Year Player Draft was the fifty-first Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. It began on June 8, 2015.

Because they failed to sign the first overall pick in the 2014 amateur draft, Brady Aiken, the Houston Astros ended up with two picks in the top five, the first team to do so: they got the second overall pick in compensation of Aiken's failure to sign with them, and the 5th overall based on their finish during the season; they also held two more picks within the top 50. For his part, Aiken was selected again in the first round, although this time he fell to #17 because of concerns over his health; he signed a contract quickly this time, however.

Six years after the draft, the top two picks, Dansby Swanson and Bregman faced off in the 2021 World Series as key players for their respective teams, the Atlanta Braves (Swanson had been traded there in a disastrous trade for Arizona one year after being selected first overall) and the Astros. Both were drafted as shortstops - Bregman quickly switched to third base - and there was a lot of discussion before the draft about who was the better prospect.

Draft Order[edit]

First Round[edit]

Pick Team Player Position School (Type) Hometown Notes
1 Arizona Diamondbacks Dansby Swanson SS Vanderbilt University (Col.) Marietta, GA
2 Houston Astros Alex Bregman SS Louisiana State University (Col.) Albuquerque, NM compensation for failure to sign 2014 Pick Brady Aiken
3 Colorado Rockies Brendan Rodgers SS Lake Mary High School (HS) Lake Mary, FL
4 Texas Rangers Dillon Tate RHP University of California, Santa Barbara (Col.) Claremont, CA
5 Houston Astros Kyle Tucker OF Henry B. Plant High School (HS) Tampa, FL
6 Minnesota Twins Tyler Jay LHP University of Illinois (Col.)
7 Boston Red Sox Andrew Benintendi OF University of Arkansas (Col.)
8 Chicago White Sox Carson Fulmer RHP Vanderbilt University (Col.) Winter Haven, FL
9 Chicago Cubs Ian Happ OF University of Cincinnati (Col.)
10 Philadelphia Phillies Cornelius Randolph SS Griffin High School (HS) Griffin, GA
11 Cincinnati Reds Tyler Stephenson C Kennesaw Mountain High School (HS) Kennesaw, GA
12 Miami Marlins Josh Naylor 1B St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School (HS) Mississauga, ON
13 Tampa Bay Rays Garrett Whitley OF Niskayuna High School (HS) Niskayuna, NY
14 Atlanta Braves Kolby Allard LHP San Clemente High School (HS) San Clemente, CA
15 Milwaukee Brewers Trent Clark OF Richland High School (HS) Fort Worth, TX
16 New York Yankees James Kaprielian RHP UCLA (Col.)
17 Cleveland Indians Brady Aiken LHP IMG Academy San Diego, CA
18 San Francisco Giants Phillip Bickford RHP College of Southern Nevada (Col.) Ventura, CA
19 Pittsburgh Pirates Kevin Newman SS University of Arizona (Col.)
20 Oakland Athletics Richie Martin SS University of Florida (Col.)
21 Kansas City Royals Ashe Russell RHP Cathedral High School (Indianapolis) (HS) Indianapolis, IN
22 Detroit Tigers Beau Burrows RHP Weatherford High School (HS) Weatherford, TX
23 St. Louis Cardinals Nick Plummer OF Brother Rice High School (Bloomfield Hills) (HS) Bloomfield Hills, MI
24 Los Angeles Dodgers Walker Buehler RHP Vanderbilt University (Col.) Lexington, KY
25 Baltimore Orioles D.J. Stewart OF Florida State University (Col.)
26 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Taylor Ward C Fresno State University (Col.) Indio, CA

Compensation Round A[edit]

Pick Team Player Position School (Type) Hometown Notes
27 Colorado Rockies Mike Nikorak RHP Stroudsburg High School (HS) Stroudsburg, PA Compensation pick for the New York Mets signing Michael Cuddyer
28 Atlanta Braves Michael Soroka RHP Bishop Carroll High School (HS) Calgary, AB Compensation pick for the Minnesota Twins signing Ervin Santana
29 Toronto Blue Jays Jon Harris RHP Missouri State University (Col.) Compensation pick for the Chicago White Sox signing Melky Cabrera
30 New York Yankees Kyle Holder SS University of San Diego (Col.) Compensation pick for the Chicago White Sox signing David Robertson
31 San Francisco Giants Chris Shaw 1B Boston College (Col.) Compensation pick for the Boston Red Sox signing Pablo Sandoval
32 Pittsburgh Pirates Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B Concordia Lutheran High School (HS) Tomball, TX Compensation pick for the Toronto Blue Jays signing Russell Martin
33 Kansas City Royals Nolan Watson RHP Lawrence North High School (HS) Indianapolis, IN Compensation pick for the San Diego Padres signing James Shields
34 Detroit Tigers Christin Stewart IF University of Tennessee (Col.) Lawrenceville, GA Compensation pick for the Washington Nationals signing Max Scherzer
35 Los Angeles Dodgers Kyle Funkhouser RHP University of Louisville (Col.) Compensation pick for the Boston Red Sox signing Hanley Ramirez
Did not sign
36 Baltimore Orioles Ryan Mountcastle IF Paul J. Hagerty High School (HS) Compensation pick for the Seattle Mariners signing Nelson Cruz

Competitive Balance Round A[edit]

Pick Team Player Position School (Type) Hometown Notes
37 Houston Astros Daz Cameron OF Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (HS) McDonough, GA Traded by Marlins to Astros as part of five-player deal for Jarred Cosart
38 Colorado Rockies Tyler Nevin 3B Poway High School (HS)
39 St. Louis Cardinals Jake Woodford P Plant High School (HS) Tampa, FL
40 Milwaukee Brewers Nathan Kirby P University of Virginia (Col.)
41 Atlanta Braves Austin Riley 3B/P DeSoto Central High School (HS) Traded by Padres to Braves as part of six-player deal for Craig Kimbrel
42 Cleveland Indians Triston McKenzie P Royal Palm Beach High School (HS)

Notes[edit]

Carson Fulmer (#8) was the first player from the draft to reach the major leagues, making his debut on July 17, 2016. He was followed on July 23rd by Alex Bregman (#2), who became the first position player from the draft to make the Show.

Further Reading[edit]

  • Jim Callis: "Draft: Pick-by-pick, first-round analysis", mlb.com, June 8, 2015. [1]
  • Spencer Fordin: "Shortstop trio atop Draft makes history: Displaying depth at position, Swanson, Bregman, Rodgers are first three picks", mlb.com, June 8, 2015. [2]
  • Jake Lourim: "Diamondbacks take Dansby Swanson with No. 1 overall pick", USA Today Sports, June 8, 2015. [3]
  • Brian McTaggart: "Bregman, Swanson forever linked by Draft: Top two picks from 2015 face off in World Series", mlb.com, October 26, 2021. [4]

Related Sites[edit]