Re-Drafting Mike Trout and 2009 MLB Draft Including International Prospects
What if Major League Baseball were like the National Basketball Association and international players were part of the annual draft process rather than the current free-for-all system where players go to the highest bidder within the confines of a club's predetermined bonus pool?
That's the hypothetical scenario we set out to explore with this new redraft series.
This time around the focus is 2009, which had a deep international class headlined by José Ramírez, Xander Bogaerts, Willson Contreras and Jorge Polanco.
They join a draft pool originally headlined by Stephen Strasburg (WAS), Dustin Ackley (SEA), Donavan Tate (SD), Tony Sanchez (PIT) and Matt Hobgood (BAL) as the top five picks.
1. Washington Nationals: OF Mike Trout
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Actual Pick: RHP Stephen Strasburg
Trout's Actual Draft Position: No. 25 overall (Los Angeles Angels)
Stephen Strasburg was arguably the most hyped college pitcher of all-time coming out of San Diego State after he used a triple-digits fastball and electric breaking stuff to go 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 195 strikeouts in 109 innings during his junior season.
The Nationals made him the No. 1 overall pick and signed him to a record-shattering four-year, $15.1 million MLB deal.
Even with his strong career numbers and key contributions to the team's World Series win in 2019, it's impossible to make a case for him or anyone else to be the No. 1 selection over Mike Trout in this redraft.
At 31 years old, Trout already ranks No. 52 on the all-time WAR leaderboard, having recently passed Ken Griffey Jr., Pedro Martinez and Fergie Jenkins, and hot on the trail of Chipper Jones. He will retire as one of the all-time greats in the history of the sport.
2. Seattle Mariners: 3B Nolan Arenado
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Actual Pick: OF Dustin Ackley
Arenado's Actual Draft Position: No. 59 overall (Colorado Rockies)
With 53.0 WAR for his career, Nolan Arenado is on the cusp of moving into the top 20 all-time among third basemen—No. 20 Jimmy Collins (53.3) and No. 19 Ron Cey (53.8) are both within shouting distance.
By the time he calls it quits, there's a very good chance he will be just the 10th player in history at the position to reach 70 WAR for his career, and the Hall of Fame likely awaits if he stays on his current trajectory.
For a Seattle Mariners team that drafted longtime third baseman Kyle Seager with the No. 82 overall pick in this same draft, it's an opportunity to upgrade from an above-average player at third base to a bona fide superstar.
3. San Diego Padres: 1B Paul Goldschmidt
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Actual Pick: OF Donavan Tate
Goldschmidt's Actual Draft Position: No. 246 overall (Arizona Diamondbacks)
The Padres drafted one of the biggest busts in recent history when they selected Donavan Tate at No. 3 overall and gave him a $6.7 million bonus.
Injuries and off-the-field issues kept him from ever advancing above the High-A level, and he hit .226/.331/.321 with a 28.6 percent strikeout rate across six minor league seasons before calling it quits in 2016. He would later attend the University of Arizona and find his way onto the football team's roster as a quarterback.
In this redraft, the Padres replace him with Paul Goldschmidt, who would be hands down the greatest first baseman in franchise history and a cornerstone of their recent push to contend for a World Series title.
The 35-year-old is a career .295/.390/.524 hitter with 1,834 hits, 328 home runs, 1,082 RBI and 60.7 WAR, and he should have a compelling Hall of Fame case when all is said and done.
4. Pittsburgh Pirates: 3B José Ramírez
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Actual Pick: C Tony Sanchez
Ramírez Actual Draft Position: International signing (CLE, $50,000 bonus)
Since breaking out during his first year as an everyday player in 2016, José Ramírez has unquestionably been one of the best players in the sport.
Here's a look at where he ranks on the WAR leaderboard since that time:
- Mookie Betts: 50.9
- Mike Trout: 47.7
- Max Scherzer: 41.2
- José Ramírez: 40.7
- Nolan Arenado: 40.6
- Aaron Judge: 39.4
- Paul Goldschmidt: 37.7
- Freddie Freeman: 37.4
- Manny Machado: 35.9
- Carlos Correa: 35.5
Not bad for a guy who originally signed for just $50,000 out of the Dominican Republic, and he would easily be the best homegrown player for the Pittsburgh Pirates since Andrew McCutchen.
5. Baltimore Orioles: SS Xander Bogaerts
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Actual Pick: RHP Matt Hobgood
Bogaerts' Actual Draft Position: International signing (BOS, $410,000 bonus)
Dan Connolly of The Athletic wrote a great profile on Matt Hobgood back in 2019, with the "biggest draft bust in Orioles history" right there in the headline. The prep right-hander never pitched above Double-A and finished his pro career in 2015 with a 4.98 ERA in 325.1 professional innings.
In his place, the team finds a long-awaited franchise shortstop in Xander Bogaerts, who they got to watch first hand develop into a star with the Boston Red Sox in the AL East.
The 30-year-old signed an 11-year, $280 million deal with the San Diego Padres during the offseason, and he is a career .290/.355/.455 hitter with four All-Star appearances, five Silver Slugger Award and 36.9 WAR over 11 seasons.
6. San Francisco Giants: RHP Stephen Strasburg
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Actual Pick: RHP Zack Wheeler
Strasburg's Actual Draft Position: No. 1 overall (Washington Nationals)
The best pitcher in this draft class is a tight race between two guys who were originally drafted inside the top 10, with Stephen Strasburg and Zack Wheeler both starting their pro careers with plenty of hype.
Here's a quick look at how things have shaken out thus far:
The Giants actually took Wheeler the first time around, but made the ill-advised decision to flip him to the New York Mets in exchange for a two-month rental of Carlos Beltrán at the 2011 trade deadline. The fact that they wound up missing the playoffs entirely that year only makes that decision look worse in hindsight.
7. Atlanta Braves: RHP Zack Wheeler
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Actual Pick: LHP Mike Minor
Wheeler's Actual Draft Position: No. 6 overall (San Francisco Giants)
Left-hander Mike Minor was one of the first players from the 2009 draft class to reach the majors, making his MLB debut on Aug. 9, 2010, and joining the starting rotation full-time the following year.
Right-hander Zack Wheeler was a less polished arm than the Vanderbilt product since he was drafted out of the high school ranks, but it would have been worth waiting a few more years for him to develop into a legitimate frontline starter.
The 33-year-old is 11-7 with a 3.00 ERA and 164 strikeouts in 159 innings over 25 career starts against the Atlanta Braves.
8. Cincinnati Reds: DH J.D. Martinez
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Actual Pick: RHP Mike Leake
Martinez's Actual Draft Position: No. 611 overall (Houston Astros)
It took a few middling seasons and one massive swing overhaul for J.D. Martinez to fully tap into his offensive potential, but he has put together an excellent run as a premium run producer.
He hit .251/.300/.387 for an 88 OPS+ in three years with a rebuilding Houston Astros team before he was released prior to the start of the 2014 season. The Detroit Tigers signed him two days later, retooled his swing, and he batted .315/.358/.553 with 30 doubles, 23 home runs and 76 RBI in 123 games in his first season with the team.
The 35-year-old now sports a 132 OPS+ with 300 home runs and 950 RBI over a 13-year big league career, and he is making good on a one-year, $10 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers here in 2023.
9. Detroit Tigers: IF Matt Carpenter
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Actual Pick: RHP Jacob Turner
Carpenter's Actual Draft Position: No. 399 overall (St. Louis Cardinals)
Matt Carpenter did not make his pro debut until he was 23 years old after spending five seasons at TCU, and he was a 13th-round pick after hitting .333/.472/.662 with 23 doubles, 11 home runs, 47 RBI and 13 steals as a senior.
He made his MLB debut in 2011 and peaked in 2013 when he hit .318/.392/.481 with 55 doubles, 11 home runs, 78 RBI and an NL-leading 199 hits while finishing fourth in NL MVP voting in a 6.6-WAR season.
A three-time All-Star and doubles machine throughout his time with the St. Louis Cardinals, he has a 123 OPS+ and 1,219 hits with 28.8 WAR across 13 seasons.
10. Washington Nationals: C Willson Contreras
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Actual Pick: RHP Drew Storen
Contreras' Actual Draft Position: International signing (CHC, $850,000 bonus)
Willson Contreras made his MLB debut during the Chicago Cubs run to a World Series title in 2016, hitting .282/.357/.488 for a 122 OPS+ with 14 doubles, 12 home runs and 35 RBI in 76 games as a part-time catcher and left fielder.
He took over as the team's starting catcher the following year and went on to earn three All-Star selections in seven seasons before departing in free agency this past offseason and signing a five-year, $87.5 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.
While he is off to a rough start this year, he had a 114 OPS+ while averaging 29 doubles, 26 home runs, 81 RBI and 3.0 WAR per 162 games during his time with the North Siders.
11. Colorado Rockies: 3B Kyle Seager
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Actual Pick: LHP Tyler Matzek
Seager's Actual Draft Position: No. 82 overall (Seattle Mariners)
In this redraft, the Seattle Mariners and Colorado Rockies are essentially swapping franchise third basemen, with Nolan Arenado going to Seattle with the No. 2 overall pick and Kyle Seager replacing him in Colorado as the No. 11 selection.
While he was overshadowed by Dustin Ackley at the University of North Carolina, Seager had a strong junior season of his own in 2019, hitting .393/.487/.592 with 36 extra-base hits and 62 RBI in 66 games.
He would spend his entire 11-year career in Seattle, posting a 112 OPS+ with 1,395 hits, 242 home runs, 807 RBI and 36.9 WAR.
12. Kansas City Royals: LHP Dallas Keuchel
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Actual Pick: RHP Aaron Crow
Keuchel's Actual Draft Position: No. 221 overall (Houston Astros)
The Kansas City Royals might have won back-to-back World Series titles in 2014 and 2015 if they had Dallas Keuchel fronting the starting rotation.
- 2014: 29 GS, 12-9, 2.93 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 146 K, 200 IP
- 2015: 33 GS, 20-8, 2.48 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 216 K, 232 IP
He struggled to a 5.20 ERA in 239 innings over his first two seasons in the majors before taking a massive step forward in 2014 and then winning AL Cy Young honors in 2015, and while his peak was relatively short he was one of the best in the game for a few years.
His MLB career is seemingly over after a rough 2022 campaign, and if it is he'll finish 101-91 with a 3.98 ERA in 1,588 innings as a two-time All-Star, five-time Gold Glove winner and 2017 World Series champion.
13. Oakland Athletics: 2B Jorge Polanco
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Actual Pick: SS Grant Green
Polanco's Actual Draft Position: International signing (MIN, $775,000 bonus)
A three-year starter at USC who hit .359/.421/.565 during his time on campus, Grant Green drew comparisons to Evan Longoria and Troy Tulowitzki and was viewed as a five-tool middle infielder.
He hit .318/.363/.520 with 39 doubles, 20 home runs and 87 RBI at High-A in his first full professional season, but ultimately played just 129 games in the majors, hitting a lackluster .248/.283/.336 across 353 plate appearances.
Jorge Polanco could fill the role he was intended to fill on the Oakland infield as an impact offensive player who has seen significant time at second base and shortstop. The 29-year-old has a 111 OPS+ and 15.8 WAR over 10 seasons, and he had a 33-homer, 98-RBI season in 2021.
14. Texas Rangers: 1B Brandon Belt
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Actual Pick: LHP Matt Purke (did not sign)
Belt's Actual Draft Position: No. 147 overall (San Francisco Giants)
Brandon Belt went from fifth-round pick to top-tier prospect almost immediately when he hit .352/.456/.620 with 43 doubles, 23 home runs, 112 RBI and 22 steals in 136 games while reaching Triple-A in his pro debut in 2010.
Injuries and inconsistent power production kept him from ever truly becoming a star in the majors, but he has put together a solid 13-year career, winning World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants in 2012 and 2014.
The 35-year-old is still going strong playing on a one-year, $9.3 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, and he has a 123 OPS+ with 179 home runs, 602 RBI and 28.2 WAR for his career.
15. Cleveland Guardians: 2B Brian Dozier
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Actual Pick: RHP Alex White
Dozier's Actual Draft Position: No. 252 overall (Minnesota Twins)
The Cleveland Guardians actually originally drafted an All-Star second baseman of their own in this draft class, selecting Jason Kipnis in the second round, but Brian Dozier would represent a significant upgrade.
While his peak was short, during the four-year stretch from 2014 through the 2017 season, Dozier posted a 120 OPS+ while averaging 34 doubles, 32 home runs, 85 RBI, 17 steals and 4.7 WAR.
That included a 134 OPS+ with 42 home runs and 99 RBI in 2016, which could have made him a game-changing addition to a Cleveland squad that came one win short of a World Series title that year.
16. Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Max Kepler
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Actual Pick: 3B Bobby Borchering
Kepler's Actual Draft Position: International signing (MIN, $800,000 bonus)
With 17.1 WAR over nine seasons, Max Kepler trails only Glenn Hubbard (19.2) and Pretzels Getzien (18.0) among the 44 German-born players who have played in the big leagues.
That was partially just an excuse to write about a player from the 1800s named "Pretzels" but it also illustrates the under-the-radar career that Kepler has put together during his time with the Minnesota Twins.
The 30-year-old has tallied at least 2 WAR five different times, including a 4.0-WAR season in 2019 when he posted a 123 OPS+ with 32 doubles, 36 home runs and 90 RBI to earn some down-ballot AL MVP votes.
17. Arizona Diamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin
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Actual Pick: OF AJ Pollock
Corbin's Actual Draft Position: No. 80 overall (Los Angeles Angels)
Patrick Corbin has been talked about frequently as one of the worst contracts in baseball the last few years as he plays out a six-year, $140 million deal with the Washington Nationals, but there's a reason he earned that payday in the first place.
He put together back-to-back excellent seasons in 2018 (11-7, 3.15 ERA, 246 K, 200.0 IP) in his final year with the Arizona Diamondbacks and 2019 (14-7, 3.25 ERA, 238 K, 202.0 IP) in his first year with the Nationals when he helped the team win a World Series title.
He spent six seasons with the D-backs before departing in free agency, but he actually started his career as a top prospect in the Los Angeles Angels system. He was traded along with Tyler Skaggs and two others at the 2010 trade deadline in exchange for Dan Haren.
18. Miami Marlins: OF AJ Pollock
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Actual Pick: LHP Chad James
Pollock's Actual Draft Position: No. 17 overall (Arizona Diamondbacks)
AJ Pollock has played 120 games just three times over 12 years in the big leagues, but when healthy he has been an extremely productive player offensively, defensively and on the base paths.
Everything clicked during a healthy season in 2015 when he hit .315/.367/.498 with 39 doubles, 20 home runs, 76 RBI, 111 runs scored and 39 steals in a 6.9-WAR season while also winning NL Gold Glove honors in center field.
The 35-year-old has posted a 111 OPS+ with 144 home runs and 122 steals while tallying 22.5 WAR in his career.
19 St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Mike Leake
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Actual Pick: RHP Shelby Miller
Leake's Actual Draft Position: No. 8 overall (Cincinnati Reds)
Mike Leake is one of only 23 players since the first MLB draft was held in 1965 to go straight to the big leagues without spending any time in the minors.
He went 16-1 with a 1.71 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 162 strikeouts in 142 innings during his junior season at Arizona State, and after being shut down for the year following the draft, he jumped straight into the MLB rotation to start the 2010 season and went 8-4 with a 4.23 ERA in 138.1 innings as a rookie.
He never developed into a frontline starter, but was a reliable middle-of-the-rotation workhorse throughout his career with a 4.05 ERA in 1,829 career innings.
Interestingly, his biggest MLB payday actually came from the St. Louis Cardinals who signed him to a five-year, $80 million deal prior to the 2016 season.
20. Toronto Blue Jays: LHP Mike Minor
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Actual Pick: RHP Chad Jenkins
Minor's Actual Draft Position: No. 7 overall (Atlanta Braves)
Assuming he has called it a career following an injury-plagued 2022 campaign, Mike Minor put together one of the more interesting careers of any pitcher in recent memory.
He was a highly-touted prospect in the Atlanta Braves system and a promising young starter when he first broke into the league. Then he missed the entire 2015 and 2016 seasons with shoulder issues before popping back up as a lights-out reliever for the Kansas City Royals in 2017.
That earned him a three-year, $28 million deal from the Texas Rangers and a ticket back into the starting rotation, and he had the best season of his career in 2019 when he finished 14-10 with a 3.59 ERA and 200 strikeouts in a career-high 208.1 innings to finish eighth in AL Cy Young voting.
All told, he logged a 4.25 ERA in 1,409 career innings.
21. Houston Astros: RHP Miles Mikolas
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Actual Pick: SS Jiovanni Mier
Mikolas' Actual Draft Position: No. 204 overall (San Diego Padres)
In a different organization and with a different career trajectory, would Miles Mikolas have still spent three seasons pitching in the Japanese League?
After struggling to a 6.44 ERA over 10 starts with the Texas Rangers in 2014, Mikolas joined the Yomiuri Giants where he completely transformed his career. He went 14-8 with a 2.25 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 187 strikeouts in 188 innings as one of the best pitchers in Japan in 2017 before returning stateside with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Since returning, he has a 3.60 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 731 innings, and he has been a two-time All-Star.
22. Minnesota Twins: 2B Jason Kipnis
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Actual Pick: RHP Kyle Gibson
Kipnis' Actual Draft Position: No. 63 overall (Cleveland Guardians)
A two-time All-Star with a nice mix of power and speed, Jason Kipnis had a 102 OPS+ with 126 home runs and 136 steals over 10 seasons.
He was a 5-WAR player in 2013 when he hit .284/.366/.452 for a 130 OPS+ with 36 doubles, 17 home runs, 84 RBI and 30 steals, earning his first All-Star selection and finishing 11th in AL MVP voting.
With Brian Dozier and Jorge Polanco both going elsewhere in this redraft, the Twins are a logical landing spot for the second baseman.
23. Chicago White Sox: RHP Frankie Montas
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Actual Pick: OF Jared Mitchell
Montas' Actual Draft Position: International signing (BOS, $75,000 bonus)
Years before he made his MLB debut, Frankie Montas was part of the three-team, seven-player blockbuster deal that sent Jake Peavy to the Boston Red Sox and the young duo of Avisaíl García and José Iglesias to the Detroit Tigers at the 2013 trade deadline.
He was traded twice more before finally finding a home in the Oakland Athletics rotation, and over six seasons in Oakland he posted a 3.70 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 558 strikeouts in 537.2 innings while finishing sixth in AL Cy Young voting during the 2021 season.
The 30-year-old has been sidelined for the entire 2023 season thus far following arthroscopic shoulder surgery, and he will be a free agent next offseason, so his career is at something of a crossroads.
24. Los Angeles Angels: C Yan Gomes
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Actual Pick: OF Randal Grichuk
Actual Draft Position: No. 310 overall (Toronto Blue Jays)
Yan Gomes is one of only five Brazilian-born players to play in the big leagues, and he is the only one to make an All-Star team.
He was acquired by Cleveland along with Mike Aviles in an under-the-radar deal prior to the 2013 season that sent Esmil Rogers the other way, and he developed into one of the better two-way catchers in the sport in the years that followed.
During his six seasons in Cleveland, he tallied 12.3 WAR while averaging 14 home runs and 49 RBI, winning AL Silver Slugger in 2014 and earning an All-Star selection in 2018.
The 35-year-old is still going strong with the Chicago Cubs, and he would have helped solve a revolving door behind the plate for the Angels.
25. Los Angeles Angels: RHP Kyle Gibson
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Actual Pick: OF Mike Trout
Gibson's Actual Draft Position: No. 22 overall (Minnesota Twins)
Kyle Gibson was one of the top college arms in the nation during the 2019 season, going 11-3 with a 3.21 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 131 strikeouts in 106.2 innings as a junior at the University of Missouri.
Despite his college production, he didn't make his MLB debut until 2013 when he was 25 years old, and he struggled to a 6.53 ERA over 10 starts in his first taste of the big leagues on a 96-loss team.
He steadily emerged as a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter in the years that followed, even earning an All-Star selection as a member of the Texas Rangers in 2021, and he has 97 wins and a 4.53 ERA over 1,600.2 innings in the majors.
26. Milwaukee Brewers: C Gary Sánchez
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Actual Pick: RHP Eric Arnett
Sánchez's Actual Draft Position: International signing (NYY, $3 million bonus)
The promise that Gary Sánchez showed when he slugged 20 home runs in 53 games as a rookie in 2016 never fully materialized during his time with the New York Yankees.
He tallied a pair of 30-homer seasons and continued to be a major power threat when healthy, but he also struggled to hit .200 at times and was a defensive liability behind the plate.
This late in our redraft, a catcher with 161 career home runs and 13.1 WAR over nine seasons is well worth the ups and downs he has faced in his career, and the position has been a consistent area of need for the Milwaukee Brewers since Jonathan Lucroy left town.
27. Seattle Mariners: IF/OF Enrique Hernández
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Actual Pick: SS Nick Franklin
Hernández's Actual Draft Position: No. 191 overall (Houston Astros)
One of baseball's best super-utility players for the better part of a decade, Enrique Hernández has more than 30 career games played at second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield spots.
Despite tallying more than 500 plate appearances just once in 10 big league seasons, he has managed to rack up 16.2 WAR on the strength of strong defensive metrics and some sneaky power. That includes a 20-homer, 5.0-WAR season with the Boston Red Sox in 2021 when he played a Gold Glove-caliber center field.
On top of his strong regular season resume, he also has a .900 OPS with 13 home runs in 69 career playoff games, and he won a ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.
28. Boston Red Sox: 1B/3B Miguel Sanó
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Actual Pick: OF Reymond Fuentes
Sanó's Actual Draft Position: International signing (MIN, $3.15 million bonus)
One of the most hyped international prospects of the last 30 years, Miguel Sanó was given a $3.15 million signing bonus, which was at the time the largest ever handed out to an international free agent from somewhere other than Cuba or Japan.
A top prospect throughout his time in the Minnesota farm system, he made his MLB debut in 2015 when he posted a 149 OPS+ with 18 home runs and 52 RBI in 80 games to finish third in AL Rookie of the Year voting.
While he showcased light-tower power throughout his MLB career, strikeouts were a constant issue and he racked up a 36.4 percent strikeout rate over eight seasons. Despite all the whiffs, he still posted a 116 OPS+ with 162 home runs and 7.6 WAR through the 2022 season.
29. New York Yankees: 1B/OF Wil Myers
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Actual Pick: OF Slade Heathcott
Actual Draft Position: No. 91 overall (Kansas City Royals)
The face of the San Diego Padres during some lean rebuilding years, Wil Myers began his pro career as a catcher in the Kansas City Royals farm system.
The Royals traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays in a seven-player deal for James Shields and Wade Davis that helped them win a World Series title, and Myers debuted with a bang in 2013 when he won AL Rookie of the Year honors despite playing only 88 games.
He was traded again before the 2015 season as part of the deal that sent a young Trea Turner from San Diego to Washington, and he had back-to-back 20/20 seasons with the Padres in 2016 and 2017 to earn a six-year, $83 million extension.
The results of that extension were mixed at best, but he still has a 109 OPS+ with 156 home runs, 533 RBI, 107 steals and 12.7 WAR in 11 seasons.
30. Tampa Bay Rays: SS José Iglesias
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Actual Pick: 2B LeVon Washington (did not sign)
Iglesias' Actual Draft Position: International signing (BOS, four-year, $8.2 million deal)
José Iglesias began playing professionally at the highest level in Cuba when he was 16 years old, and an excellent glove at shortstop and elite contact skills have been his calling card throughout an underrated MLB career.
He made his MLB debut in 2011, but didn't become a regular in the majors until 2013 when he hit .303/.349/.386 in 109 games to finish runner-up in AL Rookie of the Year voting, and he was traded at midseason that year in the deal that brought Jake Peavy to Boston.
A .279/.319/.382 career hitter with 1,051 hits over 11 seasons, he would have been a great fit for a Tampa Bay organization that values defense higher than many other teams.
31. Chicago Cubs: OF Khris Davis
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Actual Pick: OF Brett Jackson
Davis' Actual Draft Position: No. 226 overall (Milwaukee Brewers)
Khris Davis had a brief but extremely loud peak with the Oakland Athletics
After he was acquired in an under-the-radar trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, he posted a 131 OPS+ while averaging 44 home runs and 112 RBI during his first three seasons with the team from 2016 through 2018.
Those three years accounted for the majority of his MLB production, and his falloff from there was a steep one, but for a Chicago Cubs team that won a World Series in 2016 and returned to the playoffs in 2017 and 2018, his peak lines up perfectly with their window of title contention.
32. Colorado Rockies: RHP Shelby Miller
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Actual Pick: OF Tim Wheeler
Miller's Actual Draft Position: No. 19 overall (St. Louis Cardinals)
Once upon a time, Shelby Miller was a promising enough young pitcher that the Arizona Diamondbacks traded Dansby Swanson to acquire him just six months after selecting the Vanderbilt shortstop with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft.
Over his first four seasons in the majors, Miller had a 3.22 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 483 strikeouts in 575.1 innings, and he was an All-Star with the Atlanta Braves in 2015 before he was dealt to the D-backs.
Unfortunately, injuries became a major issue and over the next seven years he would struggle to a 7.02 ERA while pitching only 202.2 combined innings.
Still only 32 years old, he has resurfaced this season as a reliever for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he has a 2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 9.3 K/9 in 25 appearances.
Supplemental Round
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33. Seattle Mariners: RHP Domingo Germán
34. Colorado Rockies: IF/OF Jurickson Profar
35. Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Randal Grichuk
36. Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Mychal Givens
37. Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Mike Fiers
38. Chicago White Sox: RHP Garrett Richards
39. Milwaukee Brewers: OF Michael A. Taylor
40. Los Angeles Angels: RHP Trevor Rosenthal
41. Arizona Diamondbacks: LHP Steven Matz
42. Los Angeles Angels: 1B Ji-Man Choi
43. Cincinnati Reds: C Tucker Barnhart
44. Texas Rangers: OF Billy Hamilton
45. Arizona Diamondbacks: IF/OF Brock Holt
46. Minnesota Twins: RHP Joe Kelly
47. Milwaukee Brewers: OF Jake Marisnick
48. Los Angeles Angels: RHP Dan Straily
49. Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP AJ Ramos
All statistics courtesy of Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.
