Jump to content
TSM Forums
  • entries
    354
  • comments
    537
  • views
    86366

Draftback: 1980's MLB Roundup

Sign in to follow this  
Bored

352 views

The draft is tommorrow so I've decided just to do a quick list of the top players of each draft from the 1980's per Win Shares with a couple of other things thrown in. Now when putting this together I was quickly skimming over the list of players who played in the Majors from each draft so it's entirely possible I might have missed a key player or two so feel free to point out any omissions. For each year I only take in account players who signed.

 

1980

IPB Image

 

Top Pick Overall: Darryl Strawberry, 252 Win Shares, Mets

Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #2 Garry Harris, Blue Jays

Most Career Win Shares: Strawberry

Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Craig Lefferts 91, 9th Round, Cubs

Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Eric Davis 224, 8th Round, Reds

 

1981

IPB Image

 

Top Pick Overall: Mike Moore, 133 Win Shares, Mariners

Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #11 Mike Sodders, Twins

Most Career Win Shares: Tony Gwynn 398, 3rd Round, Padres

Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: David Cone 205, 3rd Round, Royals

Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Joe Carter 240, #2 Overall, Indians; Kevin McReynolds 202, #6 Overall, Padres; Paul O'Neill 259, 4th Round, Reds; Devon White 207, 6th Round, Angels; Fred McGriff 326, 9th Round, Yankees; Lenny Dykstra 201, 13th Round, Mets

Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: Mark Langston 184, 2nd Round, Mariners; Frank Viola 187, 2nd Round, Twins; John Franco 183, 5th Round, Dodgers

 

1982

IPB Image

 

Top Pick Overall: Shawon Dunston, 151 Win Shares, Cubs

Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #2 Augie Schmidt, Blue Jays

Most Career Win Shares: Jose Canseco 272, 15th Round, A's

Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: David Wells 203, 2nd Round, Blue Jays

Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Terry Pendleton 202, 7th Round, Cardinals

Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: Dwight Gooden 187, #5 Overall, Mets; Jimmy Key 188, 3rd Round, Blue Jays; Bret Saberhagen 193, 19th Round, Royals; Kenny Rogers 185, 39th Round, Rangers

 

1983

IPB Image

 

Top Pick Overall: Tim Belcher, 132 Win Shares, Twins (did not sign)

Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #5 Stan Hilton, A's

Most Career Win Shares: Roger Clemens 421, #19 Overall, Red Sox

Most Career Win Shares by a Player: Wally Joyner 253, 3rd Round, Angels

Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Ron Gant 206, 4th Round, Braves

 

1984

IPB Image

 

Top Pick Overall: Shawn Abner, 13 Win Shares, Mets

Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #13 Bob Caffrey, Expos

Most Career Win Shares: Greg Maddux 371, 2nd Overall, Cubs

Most Career Win Shares by a Player: Mark McGwire 342, #10 Overall, A's

Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Jay Bell 245, #8 Overall, Twins; Ken Caminiti 242, 3rd Round, Astros

Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: Tom Glavine 290, 2nd Round, Braves; Jamie Moyer 184, 6th Round, Cubs

 

1985

IPB Image

 

Top Pick Overall: B.J. Surhoff, 231 Win Shares, Brewers

Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #5 Kurt Brown, White Sox

Most Career Win Shares: Barry Bonds 661, #6 Overall, Pirates

Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Randy Johnson 297, 2nd Round, Expos

Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Will Clark 331, #2 Overall, Giants; Barry Larkin 347, #4 Overall, Reds; Rafael Palmeiro 394, #22 Overall, Cubs; David Justice 233, 4th Round, Braves; Mark Grace 294, 24th Round, Cubs

Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: John Smoltz 257, 22nd Round, Tigers

 

1986

IPB Image

 

Top Pick Overall: Jeff King, 115 Win Shares, Pirates

Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #14 Greg McMurty, Red Sox (did not sign)

Most Career Win Shares: Gary Sheffield 398, #6 Overall, Brewers

Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Kevin Brown 241, #4 Overall, Rangers

Other Players Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Matt Williams 241, #3 Overall, Giants; Todd Zeile 221, 2nd Round, Cardinals

 

1987

IPB Image

 

Top Pick Overall: Ken Griffey Jr., 358 Win Shares, Mariners

Highets Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #2 Mark Merchant, Pirates

Most Career Win Shares: Craig Biggio 411, #22 Overall, Astros

Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Kevin Appier 189, #9 Overall, Royals

Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Albert Belle 243, 2nd Round, Indians; Ray Lankford 228, 3rd Round, Cardinals; Reggie Sanders 201, 7th Round, Reds; Steve Finley 286, 13th Round, Orioles

 

1988

IPB Image

 

Top Pick Overall: Andy Benes, 139 Win Shares, Padres

Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #5 Bill Bene, Dodgers

Most Career Win Shares: Mike Piazza 309, 62nd Round, Dodgers

Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Benes

Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Robin Ventura 272, #10 Overall, White Sox; Tino Martinez 216, #14 Overall, Mariners; Marquis Grissom 248, 3rd Round, Expos; Luis Gonzalez 285, 4th Round, Astros; Jim Edmonds 263, 7th Round, Angels; Kenny Lofton 261, 17th Round, Astros

 

1989

IPB Image

 

Top Pick Overall: Ben McDonald, 83 Win Shares, Orioles

Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #4 Jeff Jackson, Phillies

Most Career Win Shares: Jeff Bagwell 387, 4th Round, Red Sox

Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Trevor Hoffman 144, 11th Round, Reds

Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Frank Thomas 362, #7 Overall, White Sox; Mo Vaughn 201, #23 Overall, Red Sox; Chuck Knoblauch 231, #25 Overall, Twins; John Olerud 301, 3rd Round, Blue Jays; Tim Salmon 228, 3rd Round, Angels; Ryan Klesko 222, 5th Round, Braves; Jim Thome 279, 13th Round, Indians; Brian Giles 228, 17th Round, Indians; Jeff Kent 295, 20th Round, Blue Jays

Sign in to follow this  


4 Comments


Recommended Comments

1989 produced some good major leaguers. You could see four HOFamers when everything is said and done.

 

Mike Piazza lasted until the 62nd round. Unbelievable.

 

 

Share this comment


Link to comment

Piazza wouldn't have been drafted at all if Lasorda didn't do him a favor by drafting him in the first place.

 

I don't think Lasorda thought he would make it out of A ball.

Share this comment


Link to comment

To show how slim the chances of Piazza becoming a star, nevermind one of the best hitting catchers of all-time, were just look at the other top players drafted from that decade and you see there is only three of them drafted after the 20th Round (John Smoltz, Mark Grace, Kenny Rogers) with Rogers being the next latest pick in the 39th Round. It's also ironic that the Dodgers #1 pick from the '88 Draft didn't even make it to the Majors.

Share this comment


Link to comment
×