The All-Time Orioles Draft

[Frobby]

Note: only players who signed with us are listed.

Round 1: Mike Mussina, 1990 - 74.6 WAR
Round 2: Cal Ripken, 1978 - 89.3 WAR
Round 3: Eddie Murray, 1973 - 66.7 WAR
Round 4: Brad Bergesen, 2004 - 3.4 WAR
Round 5: Jim Johnson, 2001 - 5.0 WAR
Round 6: Mike Boddicker, 1978 - 29.0 WAR
Round 7: Mike Flanagan, 1973 - 23.9 WAR
Round 8: Chris Britton, 2001 - 1.0 WAR
Round 9: Jack Voigt, 1987 - 2.1 WAR
Round 10: Luis Matos, 1996 - 3.5 WAR
Round 11: Al Bumbry, 1968 - 22.0 WAR
Round 12: Herb Hutson, 1970, 0.2 WAR
Round 13: Steve Finley, 1987 - 40.5 WAR
Round 14: Kimera Bartee, 1993 - 0.2 WAR
Round 15: Josh Towers, 1996 - 2.7 WAR
Round 16: David Hernandez, 2005 - 2.6 WAR
Round 17: Greg Zaun, 1989 - 10.5 WAR
Round 18: David Segui, 1987 - 7.9 WAR
Round 19: Rocky Coppinger, 1993 - 1.3 WAR
Round 20: Mike Willis, 1972 - 1.6 WAR

Nobody drafted after the 20th round earned 5.0 WAR. Notables were Rich Coggins (2.4 WAR, 21st round), Willie Harris (3.1 WAR, 24th round) and D.J. Carrasco (4.1 WAR, 26th round).

Some players we drafted but were unable to sign -- Cliff Lee (20th round), Dave Winfield (40th round), Michael Young (25th round), Cecil Fielder (31st round), Glenn Davis (31st rouns), Bill Bonham, Kevin Gross, Walt Weiss, Rick Honeycutt, Dick Ruthven, and David Rau.

[btownoriole]

Note: only players who signed with us are listed.

Round 1: Mike Mussina, 1990 - 74.6 WAR
Round 2: Cal Ripken, 1978 - 89.3 WAR
Round 3: Eddie Murray, 1973 - 66.7 WAR
Round 4: Brad Bergesen, 2004 - 3.4 WAR
Round 5: Jim Johnson, 2001 - 5.0 WAR
Round 6: Mike Boddicker, 1978 - 29.0 WAR
Round 7: Mike Flanagan, 1973 - 23.9 WAR
Round 8: Chris Britton, 2001 - 1.0 WAR
Round 9: Jack Voigt, 1987 - 2.1 WAR
Round 10: Luis Matos, 1996 - 3.5 WAR
Round 11: Al Bumbry, 1968 - 22.0 WAR
Round 12: Herb Hutson, 1970, 0.2 WAR
Round 13: Steve Finley, 1987 - 40.5 WAR
Round 14: Kimera Bartee, 1993 - 0.2 WAR
Round 15: Josh Towers, 1996 - 2.7 WAR
Round 16: David Hernandez, 2005 - 2.6 WAR
Round 17: Greg Zaun, 1989 - 10.5 WAR
Round 18: David Segui, 1987 - 7.9 WAR
Round 19: Rocky Coppinger, 1993 - 1.3 WAR
Round 20: Mike Willis, 1972 - 1.6 WAR

Nobody drafted after the 20th round earned 5.0 WAR. Notables were Rich Coggins (2.4 WAR, 21st round), Willie Harris (3.1 WAR, 24th round) and D.J. Carrasco (4.1 WAR, 26th round).

Some players we drafted but were unable to sign -- Cliff Lee (20th round), Dave Winfield (40th round), Michael Young (25th round), Cecil Fielder (31st round), Glenn Davis (31st rouns), Bill Bonham, Kevin Gross, Walt Weiss, Rick Honeycutt, Dick Ruthven, and David Rau.

Great stuff, as always! The '73 and '78 drafts weren't too bad...

[Slappy]

Just to fuel the HS vs. College flames... Only took guys with > 5 WAR

Round 1: Mike Mussina, 1990 - 74.6 WAR (college - Stanford)
Round 2: Cal Ripken, 1978 - 89.3 WAR (high school)
Round 3: Eddie Murray, 1973 - 66.7 WAR (high school)
Round 5: Jim Johnson, 2001 - 5.0 WAR (high school)
Round 6: Mike Boddicker, 1978 - 29.0 WAR (college - Iowa)
Round 7: Mike Flanagan, 1973 - 23.9 WAR (college - UMass Amherst)
Round 11: Al Bumbry, 1968 - 22.0 WAR (college - VA State)
Round 13: Steve Finley, 1987 - 40.5 WAR (college - Southern Illinois)
Round 17: Greg Zaun, 1989 - 10.5 WAR (high school)
Round 18: David Segui, 1987 - 7.9 WAR (college - LA Tech)

6 college guys, 4 high schoolers. The HS guys have a combined 171.5 WAR (42.9 per) vs. 197.9 WAR (33.0 per) for the college guys. None of the high school guys are starting pitchers, though.

[survivedc]

I've often wondered the different effect college vs. straight into pro ball has on players. For example Cliff Lee who wasn't drafted until the 20th round before college and then the 4th round after. Would he have progressed the same if he played in the minors instead of going to school for a few years?

I guess there is really no way to answer this question but its something to ponder

[Moose Milligan]

I always wonder what the Orioles history would look like if we had signed Dave Winfield.

[Frobby]

Great stuff, as always! The '73 and '78 drafts weren't too bad...

Some other really good drafts:

1967 -- 1. Grich (67.6 WAR) and 2. Baylor (29.3 WAR)
1987 -- 3. Harnisch (15.5 WAR), 9. Voigt (2.9 WAR), 13. Finley (40.5 WAR) and 18. Segui (7.9 WAR). They also drafted Mussina in the 11th round but he went to Stanford instead.
1988 -- 1. Olson (13.8 WAR) and 3. Rhodes (13.1 WAR).
1989 --1. McDonald (19.8 WAR) and 17. Zaun (10.5 WAR)
1997 -- 1. Werth (20.0 WAR), 11. Hairston (9.5 WAR) and 26. Carrasco (4.1 WAR)
1999 -- 1s. Roberts (21.8 WAR), 6. Bedard (18.3 WAR), 24 Harris (3.1 WAR).

When you look at this, you realize that the Orioles didn't really have a good draft for about 9 years, from 1979 - 1986. You also realize that the much-maligned 1999 draft actually was one of the best we ever had, even though it could have been better.

It's a really rare year when you draft and sign two players who will eventually have a 10 WAR career, or get a total of 20+ WAR out of the draft. We might get that out of the 2007 draft (Wieters and Arrieta).