Grading Every MLB Team's 2017 Draft Haul 6 Years Later
Two years ago, we did a series of articles looking back on recent MLB draft classes and grading each team's draft haul in hindsight, and last year we added the 2016 draft class to the list.
It was decided that at least six years need to pass before a draft class can be properly assessed, giving prospects enough time to climb the minor-league ranks, reach the majors and establish themselves at the highest level.
With another year passed, it's time to add a class to the mix.
The 2017 draft class is one of the weakest in recent memory, with Trevor Rogers (No. 13 overall) and Brent Rooker (No. 35 overall) being the only players from the class who have earned an All-Star selection thus far.
That could change as top-three picks Royce Lewis, Hunter Greene and MacKenzie Gore continue to settle into the big leagues, but for now it's a class that is largely lacking in star power.
We went with A, B, C, D or F as the possible grades for each team based on the amount of MLB talent their draft class produced, how it did with its first-round pick(s) and how it used prospects to improve the roster in other ways, like trades. Unsigned players were not factored toward a team's grade and were not noted in this article with the exception of unsigned first-round selections.
Arizona Diamondbacks
1 of 30
First-Round Pick: 1B/OF Pavin Smith (1-7)
MLB Players: 3B Drew Ellis (2-44), C/OF Daulton Varsho (2-68), IF Buddy Kennedy (5-142), IF José Caballero (7-202), RHP Matt Peacock (23-682)
Pavin Smith hit .342/.427/.570 with 13 home runs and 77 RBI during his junior season at the University of Virginia, and he was the first college hitter off the board aside from two-way player Brendan McKay. He has a 91 OPS+ in 1,094 plate appearances in the majors and has settled into a part-time role.
Daulton Varsho was the big success story in this draft class, and his 61 home runs are tops among all hitters from the 2017 draft. He was flipped to the Toronto Blue Jays last offseason to acquire Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno. Infielder José Caballero was traded to Seattle all the way back in 2019 in exchange for Mike Leake, and he had a 2.4-WAR rookie season in 2023.
Grade: A
Atlanta Braves
2 of 30
First-Round Pick: RHP Kyle Wright (1-5)
MLB Players: OF Drew Waters (2-41), RHP Freddy Tarnok (3-80), LHP Bruce Zimmermann (5-140)
Vanderbilt right-hander Kyle Wright was a candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2017 draft before ultimately slipping to the No. 5 pick. He finished 21-5 with a 3.19 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 174 strikeouts in 180.1 innings during a breakout 2022 season. That was followed by an injury-plagued campaign in 2023, and he was traded to the Kansas City Royals in November.
Outfielder Drew Waters was a Top 100 prospect prior to the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons, but a high strikeout rate in the upper levels of the minors eventually hurt his stock. He was traded to the Kansas City Royals at the 2022 trade deadline.
Grade: B
Baltimore Orioles
3 of 30
First-Round Pick: LHP DL Hall (1-21)
MLB Players: LHP Zac Lowther (2-74), RHP Mike Baumann (3-98), IF Mason McCoy (6-188)
A hard-throwing lefty who was a top-tier prospect throughout his time in the Baltimore Orioles farm system, DL Hall had a 3.26 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 10.7 K/9 in 18 appearances out of the MLB bullpen in 2023. Spotty command will likely keep him from ever being a rotation staple, but he can be a useful bullpen piece.
Right-hander Mike Baumann was similarly developed as a starter before finding success in a relief role. The 28-year-old finished 10-1 with a 3.76 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 61 strikeouts in 64.2 innings while making 60 appearances out of the bullpen in 2023.
Grade: C
Boston Red Sox
4 of 30
First-Round Pick: RHP Tanner Houck (1-24)
MLB Players: RHP Kutter Crawford (16-491)
Despite missing time to injury, Tanner Houck still leads all pitchers from the 2017 draft class with 5.8 WAR. He has pitched in a variety of roles from filling a spot in the rotation to tallying eight saves in 2022, and he is currently penciled into a starting role for 2024.
Kutter Crawford is poised to join him in the 2024 rotation after a breakout 2023 campaign in which he finished with a 4.04 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 135 strikeouts in 129.1 innings. The Florida Gulf Coast University product has been one of the best late-round steals of the 2017 class thus far.
Grade: B
Chicago Cubs
5 of 30
First-Round Picks: LHP Brendon Little (1-27), RHP Alex Lange (1-30)
MLB Players: RHP Cory Abbott (2-67), RHP Keegan Thompson (3-105), RHP Erich Uelmen (4-135), OF Nelson Velázquez (5-165), RHP Jeremiah Estrada (6-195), IF Jared Young (15-465), RHP Brandon Hughes (16-495)
The Chicago Cubs had two picks inside the top 30, with the No. 30 selection added to their draft haul as compensation for losing Dexter Fowler in free agency after extending him a qualifying offer.
Alex Lange (174 G, 27 SV, 3.65 ERA) ranks second among 2017 draft picks in career appearances, and he has pitched his way into the closer's role in Detroit after he was acquired in the Nick Castellanos trade at the 2019 deadline. The Cubs might regret trading Nelson Velázquez to Kansas City this past summer, as he posted a 134 OPS+ with 14 home runs in 40 games after he was dealt.
Grade: B
Chicago White Sox
6 of 30
First-Round Pick: 3B Jake Burger (1-11)
MLB Players: 1B/OF Gavin Sheets (2-49), OF Luis González (3-87)
After huge offensive seasons at Missouri State in 2016 (1.110 OPS, 21 HR, 72 RBI) and 2017 (1.090 OPS, 22 HR, 65 RBI), Jake Burger was one of the top college hitters in the 2017 draft class. Unfortunately, a series of injuries derailed his development. He had played in just 66 MLB games entering the 2023 season, but made up for lost time with a 34-homer, 80-RBI campaign that saw him traded to the Miami Marlins at midseason.
Gavin Sheets has hit 36 home runs over the past three seasons as a useful left-handed power bat off the bench, though he doesn't have a clear defensive home.
Grade: C
Cincinnati Reds
7 of 30
First-Round Picks: RHP Hunter Greene (1-2), IF Jeter Downs (1-32)
MLB Players: OF Stuart Fairchild (2-38), RHP Mac Sceroler (5-137), C Mark Kolozsvary (7-197), LHP Packy Naughton (9-257), RHP Jared Solomon (11-317), RHP Ricky Karcher (13-377)
With a high-octane fastball and electric breaking stuff, Hunter Greene still has the potential to be the ace of the Cincinnati Reds staff, and the team showed confidence in him with a six-year, $53 million extension in April. He has a 4.62 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 316 strikeouts in 237.2 innings in the majors.
Infielder Jeter Downs was once a top prospect and one of the centerpieces of the trade that sent Mookie Betts from the Red Sox to the Dodgers, but he has yet to break through in the big leagues and is now part of the Yankees organization.
Grade: B
Cleveland Guardians
8 of 30
First-Round Pick: N/A
MLB Players: SS Tyler Freeman (2-71), IF Ernie Clement (4-132), LHP Kirk McCarty (7-222), RHP Eli Morgan (8-252), RHP James Karinchak (9-282), LHP Kyle Nelson (15-462)
Cleveland surrendered its first-round pick as compensation for signing slugger Edwin Encarnacion in free agency on the heels of a World Series appearance during the 2016 season.
They did well finding some useful arms in the late rounds. Eli Morgan (129 G, 4.35 ERA), James Karinchak (174 G, 3.31 ERA) and Kyle Nelson (122 G, 4.27 ERA) all have more than 100 career appearances in the majors, and Karinchak has the stuff to be a lights-out late-inning option with a bit more consistency.
Grade: B
Colorado Rockies
9 of 30
First-Round Pick: N/A
MLB Players: 3B/OF Ryan Vilade (2-48), RHP Tommy Doyle (2-70), LHP Lucas GIlbreath (7-206), OF Sean Bouchard (9-266), IF Alan Trejo (16-476)
The ill-fated Ian Desmond signing was not only a financial drain for the Colorado Rockies, but it also cost them their first-round pick as compensation since he had received a qualifying offer from the Texas Rangers.
The best of the bunch here is lefty reliever Lucas Gilbreath who has a 3.78 ERA and 9.8 K/9 with 16 holds in 94 appearances during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The 27-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery in March and should return to action early next year as the team's top left-handed bullpen option.
Grade: D
Detroit Tigers
10 of 30
First-Round Pick: RHP Alex Faedo (1-18)
MLB Players: RHP Dane Myers (6-185), RHP Will Vest (12-365), RHP Drew Carlton (32-965)
Right-hander Alex Faedo was the ace of the staff for an Florida Gators team that won the 2017 College World Series, going 9-2 with a 2.26 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 157 strikeouts in 123.2 innings. He has made 24 starts in the majors over the past two seasons and has a 4.94 ERA in 118.1 innings in the big leagues.
Reliever Will Vest was a nice late-round find, and he was one of Detroit's top setup relievers in 2023, posting a 2.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 10.4 K/9 with 11 holds in 48 games.
Grade: D
Houston Astros
11 of 30
First-Round Pick: RHP J.B. Bukauskas (1-15)
MLB Players: 3B Joe Perez (2-53), RHP Corbin Martin (2-56), IF J.J. Matijevic (2-75), RHP Tyler Ivey (3-91), RHP Peter Solomon (4-121), LHP Parker Mushinski (7-211), OF Corey Julks (8-241), C Michael Papierski (9-271), RHP Brandon Bielak (11-331), OF Jake Meyers (13-391), OF Chas McCormick (21-631), IF Josh Rojas (26-781)
J.B. Bukauskas went 9-1 with a 2.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 116 strikeouts in 92.2 innings during his junior year at North Carolina to cement his status as one of the top college pitchers in the nation. The Astros flipped him along with fellow 2017 draft picks Corbin Martin and Josh Rojas to acquire Zack Greinke from the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he spent 2023 bouncing around the waiver wire.
Outfielder Chas McCormick is one the best late-round finds in the 2017 draft class, and he has established himself as an everyday player on a contending Houston squad. The 28-year-old hit .273/.353/.489 for a 130 OPS+ with 17 doubles, 22 home runs, 70 RBI and 3.6 WAR in 2023.
Grade: A
Kansas City Royals
12 of 30
First-Round Pick: 1B Nick Pratto (1-14)
MLB Players: C/OF MJ Melendez (2-52), RHP Tyler Zuber (6-180), OF Brewer Hicken (7-210), RHP Collin Snider (12-360), LHP Robert Garcia (15-450)
A rare high school first baseman selected in the first round, Nick Pratto sent his prospect stock soaring in 2021 with a 36-homer, 98-RBI campaign in the upper levels of the minors. The 25-year-old is still searching for a consistent MLB role, and the emergence of Vinnie Pasquantino at first base has pushed him to the outfield.
MJ Melendez has been one of the more productive bats from the 2017 draft class with a 97 OPS+ and 34 home runs in 277 games. He is currently projected to be the team's starting left fielder and leadoff hitter in 2024.
Grade: C
Los Angeles Angels
13 of 30
First-Round Pick: OF Jo Adell (1-10)
MLB Players: RHP Griffin Canning (2-47), RHP Isaac Mattson (19-565), RHP Jeremy Beasley (30-895), 1B David MacKinnon (32-955)
Will Jo Adell ever live up to his tremendous raw potential?
The five-tool outfielder has shown flashes of superstar potential in the minors, but he has hit just .214/.259/.366 with 18 home runs and a 35.4 percent strikeout rate in 619 plate appearances in the big leagues. The 24-year-old is out of minor-league options, so this could be a make-or-break year in Anaheim.
Griffin Canning moved quickly through the minors to make his MLB debut in 2019, and he has a 4.58 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 353 strikeouts in 336.1 innings in the majors. He will join Reid Detmers and Patrick Sandoval atop the Ohtani-less rotation in 2024.
Grade: C
Los Angeles Dodgers
14 of 30
First-Round Pick: OF Jeren Kendall (1-23)
MLB Players: C Connor Wong (3-100), RHP Zach Pop (7-220), IF Rylan Bannon (8-250), OF Zach Reks (10-310), IF Jacob Amaya (11-340), RHP Andre Jackson (12-370), RHP Brett de Geus (33-1,000)
A three-year starter at Vanderbilt, outfielder Jeren Kendall hit .309/.386/.553 in 184 games during his time on campus. He hit just .209 with a .693 OPS across five minor-league seasons before retiring after the 2022 season, and he is one of only four players selected in the top 30 in 2017 to never reach the majors.
Connor Wong has found the most MLB success from this group, and he was used as part of the trade package to acquire Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox.
Grade: D
Miami Marlins
15 of 30
First-Round Pick: LHP Trevor Rogers (1-13), OF Brian Miller (1-36)
MLB Players: IF Joe Dunand (2-51), LHP Sean Guenther (7-209)
Left-hander Trevor Rogers finished runner-up in 2021 NL Rookie of the Year voting, posting a 2.64 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 157 strikeouts in 133 innings while earning an All-Star selection. The 26-year-old struggled to a 5.47 ERA over 23 starts the following year and injuries limited him to only four appearances in 2023, so he has yet to duplicate that success.
Brian Miller, Joe Dunand and Sean Guenther have played in a combined 22 games in the big leagues, but no one from that trio saw MLB action in 2023.
Grade: C
Milwaukee Brewers
16 of 30
First-Round Pick: IF Keston Hiura (1-9), OF Tristen Lutz (1-34)
MLB Players: RHP Bowden Francis (7-204), RHP Alec Bettinger (10-294)
Keston Hiura was billed as the best pure hitter in the 2017 draft class, and he debuted with a bang in 2019. He hit .303/.368/.570 with 23 doubles, 19 home runs and 49 RBI in 84 games to finish out the year hitting cleanup for a contending Milwaukee Brewers team.
However, he hit just .205/.293/.394 with a 38.5 percent strikeout rate in 709 plate appearances in the subsequent three seasons before spending all of 2023 in the minors and electing free agency in October.
Grade: C
Minnesota Twins
17 of 30
First-Round Pick: IF Royce Lewis (1-1), OF Brent Rooker (1-35)
MLB Players: LHP Charlie Barnes (4-106), OF Mark Contreras (9-256), RHP Calvin Faulcher (10-286), RHP Bailey Ober (12-346)
In terms of 2024 outlook, the Minnesota Twins have two of the best players from the 2017 draft class in Royce Lewis and Bailey Ober.
After years of battling injuries, Lewis finally broke through in 2023, hitting .309/.372/.548 with 15 home runs and 52 RBI in 58 games, and he added four home runs in six games during the postseason. He is expected to be the team's starting third baseman in 2024.
Bailey Ober finished 8-6 with a 3.43 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 146 strikeouts in 144.1 innings during an under-the-radar breakout season of his own in 2023. The 28-year-old will be counted on to fill a key spot in the rotation next year after Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda both walked in free agency.
The Twins also selected 2023 All-Star Brent Rooker with their compensatory pick, though they gave up on him too early, and he has now found success in Oakland.
Grade: A
New York Mets
18 of 30
First-Round Pick: LHP David Peterson (1-20)
MLB Players: IF/OF Mark Vientos (2-59), LHP Josh Walker (37-1,117)
Left-hander David Peterson was one of the breakout pitchers of the 2017 college season, going 11-4 with a 2.51 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 140 strikeouts in 100.1 innings during his junior year at Oregon to climb into the first-round conversation. He has a 4.51 ERA and 363 strikeouts in 333 innings in the big leagues.
There is still time for Mark Vientos to take a step forward with his approach at the plate and develop into a useful offensive player, while left-hander Josh Walker holds the distinction of being the latest-signed selection from the 2017 draft class to reach the majors.
Grade: C
New York Yankees
19 of 30
First-Round Pick: RHP Clarke Schmidt (1-16)
MLB Players: RHP Trevor Stephan (3-92), OF Canaan Smith-Njigba (4-122), RHP Glenn Otto (5-152), RHP Garrett Whitlock (18-542), RHP Ron Marinaccio (19-572), RHP Janson Junk (22-662)
Clarke Schmidt underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2017, but that didn't stop the Yankees from rolling the dice on him with their first-round selection. He posted a 4.64 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 149 strikeouts in 159 innings while making 32 starts in 2023, and he is poised to fill a rotation spot once again in 2024.
Trevor Stephan (Guardians) and Garrett Whitlock (Red Sox) were both left unprotected and ended up being selected in the 2020 Rule 5 draft. Otherwise, they would be filling spots in the Yankees bullpen alongside Ron Marinaccio right now.
Grade: A
Oakland Athletics
20 of 30
First-Round Pick: OF Austin Beck (1-6), SS Kevin Merrell (1-33)
MLB Players: OF Greg Deichmann (2-43), SS Nick Allen (3-81), OF Mickey McDonald (18-531)
Austin Beck holds the dubious distinction of being the highest selection from the 2017 draft class who has yet to reach the majors. The 25-year-old has hit .252/.303/.384 in 1,623 plate appearances across five minor-league seasons, and he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a minor-league free agent in December after spending the entire 2023 season recovering from a torn ACL.
Undersized Nick Allen was viewed as one of the best defensive infielders in the 2017 draft class, but questions about his future offensive impact caused him to slip to the third round. He has tallied 1.3 WAR in 206 games over the past two seasons largely on the strength of his glovework.
Grade: F
Philadelphia Phillies
21 of 30
First-Round Pick: OF Adam Haseley (1-8)
MLB Players: RHP Spencer Howard (2-45), RHP Connor Seabold (3-83), IF Dalton Guthrie (6-173), IF Nick Maton (7-203), RHP Connor Brogdon (10-293), LHP Kyle Dohy (16-473), LHP Damon Jones (18-533)
Outfielder Adam Haseley hit .390/.491/.659 with 16 doubles, 14 home runs and 56 RBI in 58 games to join University of Virginia teammate Pavin Smith as a top-10 pick in the 2017 draft. He has seen sporadic MLB action in each of the past five seasons, and he was traded to the Chicago White Sox prior to the 2022 season.
Spencer Howard developed into a consensus Top 100 prospect before he was traded to the Texas Rangers in the deal that brought back Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy at the 2021 trade deadline. Reliever Connor Brogdon is still part of Philadelphia's 40-man roster and will battle for a bullpen spot this spring.
Grade: C
Pittsburgh Pirates
22 of 30
First-Round Pick: RHP Shane Baz (1-12)
MLB Players: OF Calvin Mitchell (2-50), C Jason Delay (4-118), RHP Cody Bolton (6-178), OF Jared Oliva (7-208), OF Bligh Madris (9-268), RHP Beau Sulser (10-298), IF Tristan Gray (13-388), RHP Hunter Stratton (16-478)
The Pirates shipped 2017 first-round pick Shane Baz to the Tampa Bay Rays along with Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows in a lopsided deal to acquire Chris Archer, and while injuries have derailed him the past few seasons, he has shown frontline upside when healthy and is still only 24 years old.
The rest of this draft class has posted a combined minus-2.6 WAR in the majors, so while there is good quantity in this draft haul, it's lacking in quality.
Grade: C
San Diego Padres
23 of 30
First-Round Pick: LHP MacKenzie Gore (1-3)
MLB Players: C Luis Campusano (2-39), LHP Nick Margevicius (7-198), LHP Tom Cosgrove (12-348), C Chandler Seagle (30-888), IF Matthew Batten (32-948), RHP Caleb Boushley (33-978)
MacKenzie Gore was viewed by some evaluators as the best prep left-hander since Clayton Kershaw coming out of Whiteville High School in South Carolina after he went 11-0 with a 0.19 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 74.1 innings to win 2017 National Gatorade Player of the Year honors. He showed flashes with the Padres before he was traded to the Nationals in the Juan Soto blockbuster, and he now looks like a cornerstone of their rebuilding efforts.
Meanwhile, Luis Campusano is poised to be San Diego's primary catcher in 2024 after Austin Nola was non-tendered, while lefty Tom Cosgrove had a quietly excellent 2023 rookie season with a 1.75 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 54 games.
Grade: A
San Francisco Giants
24 of 30
First-Round Pick: OF Heliot Ramos (1-19)
MLB Players: OF Bryce Johnson (6-186)
One of the youngest players in the 2017 draft class, Heliot Ramos was a staple on leaguewide Top 100 prospect lists for several years thanks to his tremendous offensive ceiling. The 24-year-old has hit .158/.220/.250 with 26 strikeouts in 82 plate appearances in the big leagues, and he faces an uphill battle to earn an Opening Day roster spot with a crowded MLB outfield and one minor-league option remaining.
Sam Houston State product Bryce Johnson has gone 9-for-61 with 22 strikeouts and minus-0.5 WAR in 41 games in the majors over the past two seasons. His ability to handle center field defensively is his most valuable asset.
Grade: D
Seattle Mariners
25 of 30
First-Round Pick: 1B Evan White (1-17)
MLB Players: RHP Wyatt Mills (3-93), RHP Seth Elledge (4-123), LHP JP Sears (11-333), RHP Darren McCaughan (12-363), RHP Tommy Romero (15-453)
The Mariners liked the upside of Evan White enough that he was signed to a six-year, $24 million extension before making his MLB debut. He hit just .176 with a 66 OPS+ in 202 plate appearances as a rookie during the shortened 2020 campaign, but he won AL Gold Glove honors at first base. He has played in just 30 games in the big leagues in the three years since and was traded first to the Atlanta Braves and then to the Los Angeles Angels this offseason.
Left-hander JP Sears was traded to the New York Yankees a few months after he was drafted then flipped again to the Oakland Athletics at the 2022 trade deadline in the Frankie Montas deal. The 27-year-old was one of the few bright spots on the A's roster this season with a 4.54 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 2.5 WAR in 172.1 innings.
Grade: C
St. Louis Cardinals
26 of 30
First-Round Pick: N/A
MLB Players: OF Scott Hurst (3-94), IF Kramer Robertson (4-124), RHP Jake Walsh (16-484), IF Irving Lopez (19-574), RHP Kodi Whitley (27-814)
The Cardinals sacrificed their first-round pick to sign Dexter Fowler in free agency, so that immediately drags down the grade for their 2017 draft class.
Reliever Kodi Whitley is the best of the bunch from one of their club's worst draft hauls in recent memory. The 28-year-old has a 3.38 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 9.3 K/9 in 43 appearances in the majors, though he spent all of 2023 in the minors and was released in July, catching on with the Atlanta Braves a few days later.
Grade: F
Tampa Bay Rays
27 of 30
First-Round Pick: 1B/LHP Brendan McKay (1-4), RHP Drew Rasmussen (1-31, did not sign)
MLB Players: IF Taylor Walls (3-79), LHP Josh Fleming (5-139), RHP Riley O'Brien (8-229), RHP Phoenix Sanders (10-289), RHP Paul Campbell (21-619)
The 2017 Golden Spikes winner, Brendan McKay was a star on the mound (17 GS, 11-3, 2.56 ERA, 146 K, 109.0 IP) and at the plate (276 PA, .341/.457/.659, 18 HR, 57 RBI) for Louisville before going No. 4 overall in the 2017 draft. He made his MLB debut in 2019, but he has not seen MLB action since while battling a series of arm injuries.
The team failed to sign No. 31 overall pick Drew Rasmussen, and he was taken in the sixth round by the Milwaukee Brewers the following year...only to eventually find his way to Tampa Bay anyway in a 2021 trade.
Utility infielder Taylor Walls has quietly posted consecutive 2-WAR seasons and ranks among the 2017 draft class leaders with 6.0 WAR total in 295 games.
Grade: B
Texas Rangers
28 of 30
First-Round Pick: OF Bubba Thompson (1-26), SS Chris Seise (1-29)
MLB Players: RHP Hans Crouse (2-66), LHP Jake Latz (5-164), LHP John King (10-314), RHP Nick Snyder (19-584), SS Ryan Dorow (30-914)
With Bubba Thompson logging minus-0.3 WAR in 92 games and Chris Seise failing to reach the majors, the Texas Rangers whiffed in a big way on their two first-round picks in the 2017 draft.
Lefty reliever John King has a 3.91 ERA in 107 appearances in the majors, and he was sent to the St. Louis Cardinals in this summer's deadline deal to acquire Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton.
Grade: F
Toronto Blue Jays
29 of 30
First-Round Pick: SS Logan Warmoth (1-22), RHP Nate Pearson (1-28)
MLB Players: C/RHP Hagen Danner (2-61), C Riley Adams (3-99), IF Kevin Smith (4-129), LHP Zach Logue (9-279), 1B/OF Ryan Noda (15-459), RHP Ty Tice (16-489), IF Davis Schneider (28-849)
It looked like the Toronto Blue Jays struck gold with their selection of JUCO flame-thrower Nate Pearson when he quickly emerged as one of baseball's top pitching prospects, but injuries and inconsistent command have kept him from breaking through in the majors. He settled into a bullpen role in 2013 and posted a 4.85 ERA and 9.1 K/9 in 35 appearances.
The team's other first-round pick Logan Warmoth has yet to reach the majors, and he spent the 2023 season playing with Seattle's Double-A affiliate. Tip of the cap to late-round steals Ryan Noda and David Schneider who both found unexpected success in 2023.
Grade: C
Washington Nationals
30 of 30
First-Round Pick: LHP Seth Romero (1-25)
MLB Players: RHP Wil Crowe (2-65), RHP Jackson Tetreault (7-223), RHP Jake Cousins (20-613), RHP Gabe Klobosits (36-1,093)
Despite some off-the-field issues that led to multiple suspensions and eventually his dismissal from the team during his time at the University of Houston, the Nationals rolled the dice on Seth Romero with their first-round pick. The issues continued once he started his pro career, and he was arrested twice in 2022 for driving while intoxicated which ultimately led to him being released.
Right-hander Wil Crowe made 25 starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021, and he has a 5.30 ERA in 210.2 career innings in the majors.
Grade: F
