Ranking the Past 15 MLB Draft Classes

After examining baseball’s top-drafting general managers, I thought that I’d keep things rolling by mixing in another retrospective draft article. However, while the previous piece had the narrow focus of evaluating only five GMs in relation to their current organization, today’s coverage is more inclusive in the sense that I’m grading each draft class over the last 15 years.

But instead of breaking down each class in its entirety, I’ve based my rankings solely on the quality of first-rounders. Therefore, although a particular draft class may have yielded a greater number of big leaguers in the mid-to-late rounds, I’m only interested in analyzing the No. 1 picks from each year, respectively.

Rather than simply listing every first-round selection, I’ve included only those players who enjoyed—or are in the midst of—a notable big-league career. Similarly, I’ve also highlighted (or in this case, italicized) prospects who rank among the top-100 in the game. And based upon those qualifications, I’ve assigned each class a letter grade with a brief analysis of the top five.

15. 2000: C-

1. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Miami Marlins

6. Rocco Baldelli, OF, Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays

15. Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies

29. Adam Wainwright, RHP, Atlanta Braves

14. 1999: C

1. Josh Hamilton, OF, Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays

2. Josh Beckett, RHP, Miami (Florida) Marlins

9. Barry Zito, LHP, Oakland Athletics

10. Ben Sheets, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers

12. Brett Myers, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies

19. Alex Rios, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays

13. 2001: C

1. Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins

2. Mark Prior, RHP, Chicago Cubs

4. Gavin Floyd, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies

5. Mark Teixeira, 3B, Texas Rangers

13. Casey Kotchman, 1B, Los Angeles Angels

12. 2003: C+

1. Delmon Young, OF, Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays

2. Rickie Weeks, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers

7. Nick Markakis, OF, Baltimore Orioles

8. Paul Maholm, LHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

9. John Danks, LHP, Texas Rangers

10. Ian Stewart, 3B, Colorado Rockies

13. Aaron Hill, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

17. David Murphy, OF, Boston Red Sox

23. Brandon Wood, SS, Los Angeles Angels

24. Chad Billingsley, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

29. Carlos Quentin, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

11. 1998: C+

1. Pat Burrell, 3B/1B, Philadelphia Phillies

2. Mark Mulder, LHP, Oakland Athletics

3. Corey Patterson, OF, Chicago Cubs

5. J.D. Drew, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

10. Carlos Pena, 1B, Texas Rangers

17. Brad Lidge, RHP, Houston Astros

20. CC Sabathia, LHP, Cleveland Indians

22. Matt Thornton, LHP, Seattle Mariners

10. 2012: B-

1. Carlos Correa, SS, Houston Astros

2. Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins

3. Mike Zunino, C, Seattle Mariners

4. Kevin Gausman, RHP, Baltimore Orioles

5. Kyle Zimmer, RHP, Kansas City Royals

6. Albert Almora, OF, Chicago Cubs

7. Max Fried, LHP, San Diego Padres

10. David Dahl, OF, Colorado Rockies

11. Addison Russell, SS, Oakland Athletics

13. Courtney Hawkins, OF, Chicago White Sox

16. Lucas Giolito, RHP, Washington Nationals

9. 2008: B-

2. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates

3. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Kansas City Royals

4. Brian Matusz, LHP, Baltimore Orioles

5. Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants

7. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

8. Gordon Beckham, SS, Chicago White Sox

14. Aaron Hicks, OF, Minnesota Twins

15. Ethan Martin, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

16. Brett Lawrie, 3B/C, Milwaukee Brewers

18. Ike Davis, 1B, New York Mets

19. Andrew Cashner, RHP, Chicago Cubs

30. Casey Kelly, RHP/SS, Boston Red Sox

8. 2010: B

1. Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals

2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

3. Manny Machado, SS, Baltimore Orioles

7. Matt Harvey, RHP, New York Mets

10. Michael Choice, OF, Oakland Athletics

12. Yasmani Grandal, C, Cincinnati Reds

13. Chris Sale, LHP, Chicago White Sox

18. Kaleb Cowart, 3B/RHP, Los Angeles Angels

23. Christian Yelich, OF, Miami Marlins

24. Gary Brown, OF, San Francisco Giants

27. Jesse Biddle, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies

28. Zach Lee, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

7. 2007: B

1. David Price, LHP, Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays

2. Mike Moustakas, SS, Kansas City Royals

5. Matt Wieters, C, Baltimore Orioles

6. Ross Detwiler, LHP, Washington Nationals

9. Jarrod Parker, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks

10. Madison Bumgarner, LHP, San Francisco Giants

14. Jason Heyward, OF, Atlanta Braves

15. Devin Mesoraco, C, Cincinnati Reds

21. J.P. Arencibia, C/1B, Toronto Blue Jays

27. Rick Porcello, RHP, Detroit Tigers

28. Ben Revere, OF, Minnesota Twins

6. 2006: B

Notes: Beyond Evan Longoria, the 2006 draft class is responsible for three Cy Young Awards, one for Clayton Kershaw and two for Tim Lincecum.

1. Luke Hochevar, RHP, Kansas City Royals

3. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays

5. Brandon Morrow, RHP, Seattle Mariners

7. Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

8. Drew Stubbs, OF, Cincinnati Reds

10. Tim Lincecum, RHP, San Francisco Giants

11. Max Scherzer, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks

21. Ian Kennedy, RHP, New York Yankees

5. 2002: B+

Notes: The 2002 draft class yielded three front-line starting pitchers in Zack Greinke, Cole Hamels and Matt Cain, as well as three All-Star position players: B.J. Upton, Prince Fielder and Nick Swisher.

2. B.J. Upton, SS, Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays

6. Zack Greinke, RHP, Kansas City Royals

7. Prince Fielder, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers

12. Joe Saunders, LHP, Los Angeles Angels

15. Scott Kazmir, LHP, New York Mets

16. Nick Swisher, 1B/OF, Oakland Athletics

17. Cole Hamels, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies

19. James Loney, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers

22. Jeremy Guthrie, RHP, Cleveland Indians

23. Jeff Francoeur, OF, Atlanta Braves

24. Joe Blanton, RHP, Oakland Athletics

25. Matt Cain, RHP, San Francisco Giants

4. 2004: B+

Notes: I'm not sure what's more impressive about the 2004 draft class: that it produced a pair of aces (Justin Verlander and Jared Weaver), or that it features four pitchers who have thrown either a no-hitter or perfect game (Verlander, Weaver, Phil Humber and Homer Bailey).

2. Justin Verlander, RHP, Detroit Tigers

3. Phil Humber, RHP, New York Mets

4. Jeff Niemann, RHP, Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays

7. Homer Bailey, RHP, Cincinnati Reds

11. Neil Walker, C, Pittsburgh Pirates

12. Jered Weaver, RHP, Los Angeles Angels

14. Billy Butler, 3B, Kansas City Royals

15. Stephen Drew, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks

23. Phil Hughes, RHP, New York Yankees

3. 2009: B+

Notes: Although there's still a lot of unproven prospects from this class, it does feature two generational superstars in Stephen Strasburg and Mike Trout.

1. Stephen Strasburg, RHP, Washington Nationals

2. Dustin Ackley, OF, Seattle Mariners

6. Zack Wheeler, RHP, San Francisco Giants

7. Mike Minor, LHP, Atlanta Braves

9. Jacob Turner, RHP, Detroit Tigers

10. Drew Storen, RHP, Washington Nationals

19. Shelby Miller, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals

22. Kyle Gibson, RHP, Minnesota Twins

25. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

27. Nick Franklin, SS, Seattle Mariners

29. Slade Heathcott, OF, New York Yankees

31. Brett Jackson, OF, Chicago Cubs

2. 2011: A-

Notes: Much like the 2004 draft class, 2011 was a year loaded with elite pitching prospects. In my opinion, there's a strong chance that it will eventually produce more front-line starters in Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer, Dylan Bundy, Archie Bradley, Jose Fernandez, Matt Barnes and Taylor Guerrieri. Wow.

1. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

2. Danny Hultzen, LHP, Seattle Mariners

3. Trevor Bauer, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks

4. Dylan Bundy, RHP, Baltimore Orioles

5. Bubba Starling, OF, Kansas City Royals

6. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Washington Nationals

7. Archie Bradley, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks

8. Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians

9. Javier Baez, SS, Chicago Cubs

11. George Springer, OF, Houston Astros

14. Jose Fernandez, RHP, Miami Marlins

19. Matt Barnes, RHP, Boston Red Sox

22. Kolten Wong, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals

23. Alex Meyer, RHP, Washington Nationals

24. Taylor Guerrieri, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

27. Robert Stephenson, RHP, Cincinnati Reds

1. 2005: A

Notes: The 2005 draft class is, without a doubt, the best of the last 15 years. I mean, just look at this list of players, It's basically an All-Star team.

1. Justin Upton, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks

2. Alex Gordon, 3B, Kansas City Royals

4. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Washington Nationals

5. Ryan Braun, 3B, Milwaukee Brewers

6. Ricky Romero, LHP, Toronto Blue Jays

7. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies

10. Cameron Maybin, OF, Detroit Tigers

11. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

12. Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnati Reds

23. Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red Sox

25. Matt Garza, RHP, Minnesota Twins

28. Colby Rasmus, OF, St. Louis Cardinals