No. 1 MLB Draft Picks Over the Last 20 Years: From A-Rod to Upton

Unlike football or basketball, baseball’s annual player draft is not designed to change the team that year.

They hold the draft in the middle of the season (June) instead of during the off-season because the teams do not expect any player they draft to have an immediate impact.

In fact, teams usually have to wait years before they see what type of players their draft picks turn out to be.

There are over 1,200 players picked annually, so it’s difficult to label any player drafted at any stage as a failure, there are just too many competing in the low levels of the minor leagues that they are better than everyone else, hands down.

But what about number one picks? These players are undoubtedly said to be the most talented amateur players in the world. How did they fair when they were thrown into pro ball?

Let’s begin with 1990…

1990 - Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves

Possibly the greatest Brave to ever don a uniform (except perhaps Henry Aaron), Chipper Jones is still one of the greatest switch-hitting third basemen in baseball history.

Definitely fits the mold of "Did he live up to expectations?"

Accomplishments:
MVP: 1999 NL
All-Star: 1996 (3B), 1997 (RES), 1998 (3B), 2000 (3B), 2001 (3B), 2008 (3B)
Silver Slugger: 1999 NL (3B), 2000 NL (3B)
Batting Title: 2008 NL .364

Career Stats though 2009: Lifetime Batting Average .307, 426 Home Runs, 1445 RBI, 2406 Hits, 1458 Runs Scored, in 2166 Games.

1991 - Brien Taylor, New York Yankees

Well, this might be giving away some of the mystery of this list, but I think if you're still here, your going to read through...

Brien Taylor is only the second No. 1 draft pick to never play in the major leagues. Steve Chilcott was the other back in 1966 by the New York Mets.

There are no key stats to add here, Brien Taylor still lives with his parents in the house bought with his signing bonus. He has five children.

1992 - Phil Nevin, Houston Astros

Nevin was the No. 1 pick in the draft, and the New York Yankees are forever different because of it.

Maybe they don't win four rings in five years, maybe they continue to lose year in and year out because the Astros passed on Derek Jeter, even though their scout Hal Newhouser pleaded with them to.

He quit over the decision they made, but its not as if Nevin was a bust, though he just played one year with Houston. He enjoyed a great career that spanned 12 seasons, he's just not Jeter.

Accomplishments:
All-Star: 2001 (RES)

Career Stats: Lifetime Batting Average .270, 208 Home Runs, 743 RBI, 1131 Hits, 584 Runs Scored, in 1217 Games.

1993 - Alex Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners

A-Rod.

Do I really need to say anything?

Signed right out of high school by Roger Jongewaard in the summer of 1993, Rodriguez debuted in 1994 and was a mainstay in the Mariners lineup after 1995.

He is probably one of the greatest players ever, albeit his need for stardom, his off field issues, and his link to steroids infuriates many of his would-be fans.

Accomplishments:
MVP: 2003 AL, 2005 AL, 2007 AL
All-Star: 1996 (RES), 1997 (SS), 1998 (SS), 2000 (SS), 2001 (SS), 2002 (SS), 2003 (SS), 2004 (3B), 2005 (3B), 2006 (3B), 2007 (3B), 2008 (3B)
Gold Gloves: 2002 AL (SS), 2003 AL (SS)
Silver Sluggers: 1996 AL (SS)
1998 AL (SS), 1999 AL (SS), 2000 AL (SS), 2001 AL (SS), 2002 AL (SS), 2003 AL (SS), 2005 AL (3B), 2007 AL (3B), 2008 AL (3B)
Batting Title: 1996 AL .358
Base Hit Title: 1998 AL 213
HR Title: 2001 AL 52, 2002 AL 57, 2003 AL 47, 2005 AL 48, 2007 AL 54
RBI Title: 2002 AL 142, 2007 AL 156

Career Stats though 2009: Lifetime Batting Average .305, 583 Home Runs, 1706 RBI, 2531 Hits, 1683 Runs Scored, in 2166 Games.

1994 - Paul Wilson, New York Mets

Wilson was tabbed as the next Mets phenom, along with Jason Isringhausen and Bill Pulsipher. Only one worked out, in Isringhausen, and that was as a closer for another team.

Career Stats: 40-58 W-L Record, 4.86 ERA and 619 Strikeouts in 941.2 Innings Pitched.

1995 - Darin Erstad, California Angels

Two Time All-Star, Darin Erstad enjoyed a 14-year career with three teams, the now-Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox, and Houston Astros. Erstad's greatest season came in 2000 when he hit .355 with 240 hits, 25 Home Runs and 1200 RBI.

Accomplishments:
All-Star: 1998 (RES), 2000 (RES)
Gold Gloves: 2000 AL (OF), 2002 AL (OF), 2004 AL (1B)
Silver Sluggers: 2000 AL (OF)
Base Hit Titles: 2000 AL 240

Career Stats: Lifetime Batting Average .282, 124 Home Runs, 699 RBI, 1697 Hits, 913 Runs Scored, in 1654 Games.

1996 - Kris Benson, Pittsburgh Pirates

Perhaps it is a source of pride for him, but when you are known more for your wife than your major league accomplishments, something tells me you didn't live up to expectations.

Perhaps his greatest season came in 2000 when he posted career highs in ERA, Strike Outs, Innings Pitches, and Games played, but his most memorable came when he pitched in the 1996 Olympics.

Career Stats: 69-74 W-L Record, 4.41 ERA and 798 Strikeouts in 1229.2 Innings Pitched

1997 - Matt Anderson, Detroit Tigers

He was supposed to be great. And he could have been. In 1998, he was called up by the Tigers from the minors, where he had an ERA under 0.70.

In his first major league season, he went 5–1 with a 3.27 ERA in 42 games. He also struck out 44 batters in 44 innings pitched.

But then, Anderson tore a muscle in the armpit of his throwing arm. After returning from the injury, he was unable to hit 90 mph on his fastball, after he had regularly topped 100 mph on the radar gun in his pre-injury days.

It behooves those who wonder what Anderson could have been, but we will never know, Anderson has fluttered in and out of pro-ball, last pitching for the Colorado Rockies in 2005.

Key Stats: 15-7 W-L Record, 5.19 ERA and 224 Strikeouts in 256.2 Innings Pitched.

1998 - Pat Burrell, Philadelphia Phillies

Burrell possesses exceptional raw power, and the most part has delivered in his career, although some scouts say that he seriously plays under his potential.

After debuting in 2000 for the Phillies and finishing fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, Burrell experienced consistent playing time, never having fewer than 539 at-bats in a season until 2009, his first year with Tampa Bay.

Career Stats though 2009: Lifetime Batting Average .254, 265 Home Runs, 891 RBI, 1257 Hits, 700 Runs Scored, in 1428 Games.

1999 - Josh Hamilton, Tampa Bay Rays

By now, everyone knows Josh Hamilton's story, after hitting the lowest of lows, battling a drug addiction, Hamilton found his faith and battled back to the Big Leagues.

He broke out in 2008 with an amazing .304 BA, 32 Home Runs, and 130 Runs Batted In. He made the All-Star team and crushed a memorable 35 Home Runs at Yankees Stadium in the Home Run Derby. He finished 7th in the AL MVP voting that year.

He is a give-all-you-can character, and routinely crashes into walls and dives full-on in needless games (like spring training).

He is the feel good story of baseball, and everyone is waiting for him to break out in 2010 after and injury riddled 2009.

Accomplishments:
All-Star Game: 2008 (CF), 2009 (CF)
Silver Sluggers: 2008 AL (OF)
RBI Titles: 2008 AL 130

Career Stats: Lifetime Batting Average .292, 61 Home Runs, 231 RBI, 367 Hits, 193 Runs Scored, in 335 Games.

2000 - Adrian Gonzalez, Florida Marlins

Adrian Gonzalez was the first infield player taken first in the draft since Alex Rodriguez seven years earlier. He has lived up to the hype.

Gonzalez, playing now in San Diego's spacious Petco Park, hit 40 Home Runs last year and is considered one of the best First Basemen in baseball.

Accomplishments:
All Star Game: 2008 (RES), 2009 (RES)
Gold Gloves: 2008 NL (1B), 2009 NL (1B)

Career Stats through 2009: .281 Batting Average, 137 Home Runs, 424 RBI, 724 Hits, 401 Runs in 698 Games.

2001 - Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins

When it's all said and done, this will be the best catcher in the history of baseball. Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, Pudge Rodriguez can all step aside, given that Mauer remains behind the plate, which most say he will.

Accomplishments:
MVP: 2009.
All Star Game: 2006 (RES), 2008 (C), 2009 (C).
Gold Gloves: 2008 AL (C), 2009 AL (C).
Silver Sluggers: 2006 AL (C), 2008 AL (C), 2009 AL (C).
Batting Titles: 2006 AL .347, 2008 AL .328, 2009 AL .365.

Career Stats through 2009: .327 Batting Average, 72 Home Runs, 397 RBI, 844 Hits, 419 Runs in 699 Games.

2002 - Brian Bullington, Pittsburgh Pirates

Another one of Pittsburgh's draft picks that didn't pan out, the Pirates selected Bullington not because he was the best amateur prospect, but because they felt they had the best chance of signing him.

So they bypassed B J. Upton, Prince Fielder, Scott Kazmir, Nick Swisher, and Cole Hamels to get him. He currently does not have a major league win to his name.

Career Stats through 2009: 0-5 W-L Record, 5.08 ERA, 25 SO and 14 BB in 39 IP.

2003 - Delmon Young, Tampa Bay Rays

Young has one of the best outfield arms in the game and one of the more powerful swings in the game.

Through 2009 though, it hasn't translated into many home runs on the field, his most being 13 coming with Tampa Bay in 2007.

Now he is with the Twins and holds an everyday job in the outfield. Still on of the best talents in the game, and could break out soon.

Career Stats: .290 BA, 38 HR, 232 RBI, 505 Hits, 211 Runs, in 452 Games Played.

2004 - Matt Bush, San Diego Padres

Only 24 its hard to cast M. Bush and M. Bust but it appears that he is headed that way.

Now with the Tampa Bay Rays organization, Bush is a converted pitcher, his fastball reaching 95 MPH, and as it takes pitchers generally longer to develop than hitters, we might see Bush in the big leagues someday, but it is unlikely he will produce like a former No. 1 pick is expected.

2005 - Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks

In 2007, at the tender age of 19 he made his debut with the Diamondbacks. In 2008 he hit a 484-foot home run off San Diego Padres' pitcher Josh Banks. In 2009 he made the all-star team.

In 2010 he signed a 6-year $51.2 deal that will keep him a D'Back until he is 28. Upton is serious business and could become the face of baseball in the years to come.

Accomplishments:
All Star: 2009 (RES)

Career Stats though 2009: ..272 BA, 43 HR, 139 RBI, 278 Hits, 153 Runs, in 289 Games.

2006 - Luke Hochevar, Kansas City Royals

He made his debut against the Yankees in 2007. In 2008 he had the lowest run support in the AL, with an average of 2.8 runs per game. In 2009, after starting the season in Triple-A, Hochevar came up and spent the rest of the year with the Royals.

He pitched an 80-pitch complete game later that year, something only five pitchers have done in the last 20 years.

Although his stats don't show it, Hochevar shows plenty of potential and poise. He should continue to develop into a good pitcher and many scouts are still optimistic of the 26-year-old.

Career Stats through 2009: 13-26 W-L Record, 5.88 ERA, 183 SO, in 284.2 IP.

2007 - David Price, Tampa Bay Rays

He was actually drafted in the 19th round by the Dodgers in 2004, but did not sign a contract.

In 2008, after dazzling in the ALCS and World Series, Price entered the starting rotation in 2009 with moderate success.

He is one of the most dynamic pitchers in the game, and should be a fixture at the start of a big league rotation.

Career Stats through 2009: 10-7 W-L Record, 4.17 ERA, 114 SO, in 142.1 IP.

2008 - Tim Beckham, Tampa Bay Rays

Beckham is currently one of the top prospects in baseball as a shortstop for the class A Bowling Green Hot Rods in the Rays organization.

At only 20 years old, he still employs tremendous upside and potential.

2009 - Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals

Strasburg has been touted as the best amateur player to ever come out of the draft. His expectations are Cy Young awards and regular All-Star appearances.

A bit much for a mere prospect, but if you watch Strasburg you can understand why.

He has humility, poise, control, and desire, four feats that every scout and manager wants to see in players. We will see....