A look back at MLB Expansion Draft history

A model of this story first ran in December 2021.

Expansion Drafts are thrilling, not simply because they imply there are new groups being established in MLB, but in addition as a result of oftentimes they symbolize contemporary begins for gamers who go on to stardom. The first one was held on Dec. 14, 1960, when the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Senators (now the Texas Rangers) made their picks earlier than turning into the seventeenth and 18th franchises within the Majors.

To mark the anniversary, this is a glance again at that first Expansion Draft, and every of the 5 since then — people who got here in 1961, ’68, ’76, ’92, and ’97.

First choose: RHP Eli Grba from the Yankees
Grba was a 25-year-old right-hander who was coming off a stable second season within the Majors with the Yankees — through the 1960 season, he posted a 3.68 ERA over 80 2/3 innings (9 begins, 15 aid outings). He went on to pitch three extra MLB seasons, all with the Angels, with a 4.40 ERA over 92 appearances (60 begins) from 1961-63.

Best choose: INF Jim Fregosi from the Red Sox
The Angels drafted Fregosi, who hadn’t but made his MLB debut, from the Red Sox with the thirty fifth choose within the Expansion Draft. After making his huge league debut in September 1961, Fregosi grew to become among the best shortstops within the recreation. In ’63, his first full season, he hit .287/.325/.422 with 12 triples, producing 4.3 WAR (Baseball Reference) for Los Angeles. Over the following seven seasons, he posted 40.6 WAR and was an All-Star six instances. Following a troublesome 1971 marketing campaign, he was dealt to the Mets within the deal that introduced Nolan Ryan to the Halos and jumpstarted Ryan’s path to the Hall of Fame.

Other notable picks: 1B Ted Kluszewski and RHP Ken McBride
Kluszewski will all the time be remembered for 4 unbelievable seasons with the Reds from 1953-56, when he averaged 43 homers and a .968 OPS. But the massive slugger’s last MLB season got here in an Angels uniform after Los Angeles chosen him from the White Sox with the 51st choose within the Expansion Draft. He performed in 107 video games, his most since ’56 — accidents plagued him the remainder of his profession — posting a .764 OPS with 15 homers.

The Angels drafted McBride thirteenth from the White Sox, and the right-hander went on to 3 straight All-Star choices, pitching to a 3.46 ERA over 98 appearances (95 begins) from 1961-63.

1961 Angels document: 70-91-1 (first made playoffs in 1979)

First choose: LHP Bobby Shantz from the Yankees
Though by this level he was towards the tip of his profession, Shantz was a former AL MVP and had gained 4 straight Gold Glove Awards on the mound with the A’s and Yankees. Washington drafted the left-hander from New York and traded him to the Pirates two days later. He pitched 4 extra seasons with the Pirates, Astros, Cardinals, Cubs and Phillies.

Best choose: RHP Dean Chance from the Orioles
The Senators chosen Chance from the Orioles with the forty eighth choose, and instantly traded him to the Angels, their growth brethren. The deal despatched outfielder Joe Hicks to Washington. Suffice it to say that Los Angeles gained the swap, with Chance occurring to submit a 2.83 ERA in six seasons with the Halos, profitable the AL Cy Young Award in 1964, when he completed with a 1.65 ERA over 278 1/3 innings. Hicks performed in 114 video games over two seasons for Washington, hitting .217/.271/.360.

1961 Senators document: 61-100 (first made playoffs in 1996 — as Rangers)

First choose: INF Eddie Bressoud from the Giants
Bressoud would go on to be an All-Star infielder, however not for Houston — the membership drafted him from the Giants however traded him the following month to the Red Sox for shortstop Don Buddin. Bressoud was productive in 4 seasons with Boston — he hit .270/.337/.435 (109 OPS+) earlier than spending his last two MLB seasons with the Mets and Cardinals. Buddin, in the meantime, solely performed in 40 video games for Houston earlier than being dealt to the Tigers after hitting .163 in 100 plate appearances.

Best choose: RHP Turk Farrell from the Dodgers
Houston drafted Farrell from the Dodgers with the fortieth choose, and the right-hander went on to earn three All-Star choices over the following 4 seasons for the membership, posting a 3.20 ERA over 142 appearances (111 begins) throughout that span. He had a troublesome ’66 marketing campaign, struggling to a 4.60 ERA earlier than his contract was bought by the Phillies in May ’67.

1962 Colt .45s document: 64-96-2 (first made playoffs in 1980 — as Astros)

First choose: C Hobie Landrith from the Giants
The Mets’ first choice within the Expansion Draft was from the Giants, and Landrith solely performed in 23 video games for New York earlier than he was traded to the Orioles in June 1962.

Best choose: RHP Al Jackson from the Pirates
Jackson wasn’t significantly efficient for the Mets, however within the absence of some other picks from the Expansion Draft who carried out properly for New York, Jackson did eat a variety of innings for the membership. From 1962-65, he threw 877 innings and posted a 4.24 ERA.

Other notable picks: 1B Gil Hodges
Hodges was a fan favourite in Brooklyn and even saved his dwelling there after the Dodgers moved West. The Mets chosen him within the 14th spherical from L.A., bringing him again to the Big Apple. He hit the primary dwelling run in Mets historical past on April 11, 1962. After beginning the ’63 season on the lively roster, he retired when the Senators needed to make him their supervisor. He led Washington for four-plus seasons, returning to the Mets as their supervisor in 1968 and main them to their inconceivable 1969 World Series title.

1962 Mets document: 40-120-1^ (first made playoffs in 1969)

^(120 losses is essentially the most by an MLB workforce since 1899)

First choose: RHP Roger Nelson from the Orioles
The Royals chosen Nelson from the Orioles to open the Expansion Draft, and it proved to be choose — the right-hander pitched to a 3.10 ERA over 80 appearances (51 begins) for Kansas City from 1969-72. He was then traded to the Reds, however returned to the Royals in ’76, his last MLB season.

Best choose: RHP Al Fitzmorris from the White Sox
Kansas City drafted Fitzmorris from the White Sox with the fortieth choose, and he ended up pitching the primary eight seasons of his profession in a Royals uniform, posting a 3.46 ERA over 1,098 innings.

Other notable picks: RHP Hoyt Wilhelm
Wilhelm is remembered most for his time with the Giants, Orioles and White Sox from 1952-68, when he rose to stardom and put collectively the majority of the work that might ultimately land him within the Hall of Fame. But the Royals chosen him from Chicago with the forty ninth choose within the 1968 Expansion Draft, buying and selling him to the Angels two months later. He wasn’t with California for lengthy — the Halos dealt the veteran right-hander to Atlanta midseason, and it was with the Braves that he appeared in his 1,000th recreation.

1969 Royals document: 69-93-1 (first made playoffs in 1976)

First choose: RF Ollie Brown from the Giants
San Diego used its first choose to draft Brown from San Francisco, and he put up stable numbers on the plate for the Padres over the following three seasons, hitting .276/.331/.422 with 52 homers from 1969-71. Following a sluggish begin in ’72, he was traded to the A’s. Brown grew to become a journeyman after that, by no means recapturing the shape he had with the Padres.

Best choose: 1B/3B/LF Nate Colbert from the Astros
Colbert would go on to turn into among the best picks in Expansion Draft historical past after San Diego took him with the 18th choice from Houston. From 1969-73 with the Padres, he was among the best sluggers in baseball, hitting .260/.333/.483 with 149 dwelling runs — he stays the Padres’ all-time dwelling run chief to at the present time (161). Colbert had a troublesome 1974 marketing campaign and was traded to the Tigers, from whom the Expos bought his contract through the ’75 season. He by no means recaptured his slugging kind, and solely performed two extra seasons within the Majors.

Other notable picks: OF Cito Gaston
Gaston is remembered most for main the Blue Jays to back-to-back World Series titles as a supervisor in 1992 and ’93, however he was an outfielder within the Majors from 1967-78. Originally signed by the Braves, he was chosen by the Padres from Atlanta with the 59th choose within the ’68 Expansion Draft. The choose was wanting nice inside two seasons — Gaston hit .318/.364/.543 with 29 homers in 1970, incomes an All-Star choice. But that might be his solely huge season within the Majors, as he would have 4 extra mediocre seasons with San Diego earlier than being traded again to Atlanta.

1969 Padres document: 52-110 (first made playoffs in 1984)

First choose: 1B Don Mincher from the Angels
Mincher was by this level a two-time All-Star by means of 9 MLB seasons spent with Senators, Twins and Angels. He was nonetheless in his prime, and within the lone season of existence for the Pilots, who relocated to Milwaukee and have become the Brewers after their inaugural 1969 marketing campaign, he posted an .821 OPS with 10 homers in 140 video games. Milwaukee traded him to Oakland in January 1970.

Best choose: LF Lou Piniella from Cleveland
Piniella would by no means don a Pilots or Brewers uniform, however regardless that he excelled with different golf equipment, he was one of the best choose Seattle made within the Expansion Draft. The Pilots chosen him with the twenty eighth choose from Cleveland, for whom he solely appeared in six video games the prior season. Just earlier than the 1969 season opened, Seattle traded Piniella to Kansas City, the place he gained that yr’s AL Rookie of the Year Award. Following 5 stable seasons with the Royals, he was traded to the Yankees, for whom he performed the remainder of his 18-year taking part in profession.

Other notable picks: LF/3B Tommy Davis
The Pilots chosen Davis from the White Sox with the sixteenth choose within the Expansion Draft. Davis gained back-to-back batting titles whereas with the Dodgers in 1962 and ’63, and was an All-Star in each years. In ’62, he additionally led the Majors in hits (230) and RBIs (153), ending third in NL MVP Award voting. But Davis was by no means fairly the identical hitter after that, and in 123 video games with Seattle in 1969, he posted a .697 OPS with six homers earlier than being traded to the Astros.

1969 Seattle Pilots document: 64-98-1 (first made playoffs in 1981 as Milwaukee Brewers)

First choose: LF Manny Mota from the Pirates
Mota was a stable contributor in six seasons with Pittsburgh earlier than the Expos made him their first choice within the Expansion Draft. He wasn’t with Montreal lengthy, although — in June 1969, he was traded together with Maury Wills to the Dodgers for Ron Fairly and Paul Popovich.

Best choose: SS Maury Wills from the Pirates
Another choose the Expos constructed from the Pirates, this one with the twenty first choice, was an MVP and seven-time All-Star who led his league in steals for six straight seasons from 1960-65 with the Dodgers. By this level, Wills was 36 years previous, however he may nonetheless run, having stolen 52 bases the prior season for the Pirates. But Montreal packaged him together with Mota to the Dodgers in June ’69.

Other notable picks: 1B Donn Clendenon
Clendenon had a .775 OPS and 106 homers to his title when the Expos chosen him from the Pirates with the eleventh choose. The first baseman solely appeared in 38 video games for Montreal earlier than being traded to the Mets, for whom he would ultimately be named World Series MVP in New York’s inconceivable five-game victory over Baltimore. Clendenon hit .357 and launched three homers for the “Miracle Mets” in that yr’s Fall Classic.

1969 Expos document: 52-110 (first made playoffs in 1981)

First/finest choose: OF Ruppert Jones from the Royals
Jones made his MLB debut in August 1976 with Kansas City, and had performed in solely 28 MLB video games when Seattle chosen him with the primary choose in that offseason’s Expansion Draft. Jones made an instantaneous affect for the fledgling Mariners, turning into the franchise’s first All-Star in 1977. That season, he hit .263/.324/.454 with 24 dwelling runs and 13 steals. Jones spent two extra seasons with Seattle earlier than being traded to the Yankees following the ’79 marketing campaign.

1977 Mariners document: 64-98 (first made playoffs in 1995)

First choose: OF/SS Bob Bailor from the Orioles
Bailor appeared in 14 MLB video games with Baltimore earlier than Toronto chosen him with its first choose within the Expansion Draft. He had a stable rookie season with the Jays, hitting .310/.335/.403 in 122 video games. He remained with Toronto for 3 extra seasons, posting a .619 OPS earlier than he was dealt to the Mets in December 1980.

Best choose: RHP Jim Clancy from the Rangers
The Blue Jays chosen Clancy from Texas with the sixth choose within the Expansion Draft, and after making his MLB debut with Toronto as a 21-year-old in 1977, he went on to spend a dozen years with the franchise, a rarity for an Expansion Draft choose. The right-hander posted a 4.10 ERA (103 ERA+) over 352 appearances (345 begins) for the Jays, together with an All-Star marketing campaign in 1982, wherein he pitched to a 3.71 ERA in 40 begins.

Other notable picks: DH Rico Carty, RHP Pete Vuckovich
Carty was a batting champ (1970) who posted an .833 OPS with 204 dwelling runs over a 15-year MLB profession. The Blue Jays chosen him from Cleveland with the tenth total choice within the Expansion Draft, and traded him again to Cleveland the following month. Cleveland then traded him again to Toronto previous to the 1978 season. While he did properly with Toronto, he solely performed in 104 video games with the membership earlier than being traded to the A’s that August.

Vuckovich, who would go on to win the 1982 AL Cy Young Award with the Brewers and achieve notoriety by taking part in the position of slugging first baseman Clu Haywood within the film “Major League,” was taken by the Jays from the White Sox with the nineteenth choose within the 1976 Expansion Draft. He spent one season with Toronto, posting a 3.47 ERA over 53 appearances in ’77 earlier than being traded to the Cardinals.

1977 Blue Jays document: 54-107 (first made playoffs in 1985)

First choose: RHP David Nied from the Braves
The Braves drafted Nied within the 14th spherical in 1987, and he moved by means of Atlanta’s Minor League system shortly earlier than making his MLB debut in September ’92. With his Minor League monitor document and his 1.17 ERA over the primary 23 innings of his profession, the Rockies — who figured pitching would must be a precedence whereas taking part in within the skinny air of Denver — made him the primary collection of the 1992 Expansion Draft. Nied made the primary begin in franchise historical past on April 5, 1993, after which spent 4 largely injury-plagued seasons with Colorado, pitching to a 5.47 ERA (90 ERA+) over 46 appearances (39 begins).

Best choose: SS/3B Vinny Castilla from the Braves
Another choice the Rockies constructed from the Braves would show to be among the best in Expansion Draft historical past — Castilla was a thin shortstop with a penchant for crushing fastballs when Colorado snapped him up with the fortieth choose. Within two years, he was the membership’s on a regular basis third baseman and an All-Star at that. He grew to become one of many Rockies’ unique “Blake Street Bombers” together with Larry Walker, Dante Bichette, Andres Galarraga and Ellis Burks. From 1995-99, Castilla hit .302/.348/.545 (110 OPS+) with 191 homers for Colorado, ultimately being traded to the Rays previous to the 2000 marketing campaign. He returned to the Rockies for 15 video games in 2006, his last MLB season as a participant.

Other notable picks: 3B Charlie Hayes, 2B Eric Young, RHP Armando Reynoso
The Rockies drafted Hayes from the Yankees with the third choose, and he went on to steer the NL in doubles (45) and have one of the best total offensive marketing campaign of his profession in 1993. He signed with the Phillies as a free agent following the ’94 marketing campaign.

Young secured his place in Rockies historical past by homering within the first dwelling at-bat in franchise historical past on April 9, 1993. Selected from the Dodgers with the eleventh choose, he grew to become a sparkplug on the prime of Colorado’s lineup, main the league with 53 steals and incomes an All-Star choice in ’96.

Reynoso, one other choose from the Braves (58th), immediately grew to become the Rockies’ finest beginning pitcher and posted a 4.65 ERA (109 ERA+) in 4 seasons with Colorado.

1993 Rockies document: 67-95 (first made playoffs in 1995)

First choose: OF Nigel Wilson from the Blue Jays
Wilson was an undrafted free agent who signed with the Blue Jays in 1987. Five years later, after he posted an .841 OPS with 26 homers at Double-A Knoxville, Florida made him the second choose within the Expansion Draft. He made his MLB debut with the Marlins in September ’93, going 0-for-16 with 11 strikeouts. Clearly not able to face Major League pitching, Wilson spent the ’94 marketing campaign with Triple-A Edmonton, the place he once more hit properly, posting an .875 OPS with 12 homers in 87 video games. The Marlins put him by means of waivers in 1995, and he was claimed by the Reds. He appeared in 5 video games for Cincinnati, going 0-for-7 earlier than being chosen off waivers by Cleveland. Though he slugged .558 with 30 homers for Triple-A Buffalo, he solely performed in 10 video games for Cleveland earlier than being launched.

Best choose: RHP Trevor Hoffman from the Reds
His time with Florida was so brief — he appeared in 28 video games for the Marlins in 1993 — chances are you’ll not keep in mind and even have identified he went there with the eighth choose within the ’92 Expansion Draft. But baseball followers in every single place definitely know who Hoffman is after he grew to become one of many biggest closers of all time, ending his illustrious profession second on the all-time saves record (601) behind Mariano Rivera. The Marlins traded Hoffman to the Padres in June 1993, within the deal that introduced Gary Sheffield to Florida. San Diego is the place Hoffman rose to stardom and ensured he would ultimately have a plaque in Cooperstown.

Other notable picks: CF Chuck Carr, RHP Bryan Harvey, 1B/LF Jeff Conine, OF Carl Everett
The Marlins chosen Carr with the 14th choose from the Cardinals. He was an amazing defensive heart fielder and a speedy leadoff man in three seasons with Florida. In 1993, he led the NL with 58 steals and completed fourth in Rookie of the Year Award voting.

Harvey was the Marlins’ twentieth choose within the Expansion Draft from the Angels. The right-handed reliever was excellent for them in ’93, saving 45 video games with a 1.70 ERA. But accidents derailed the rest of his profession, and his final MLB season got here in ’95.

Florida’s subsequent choose, at No. 22, was Conine, who would spend eight seasons of his 17-year huge league profession with the franchise in two stints. He was a two-time All-Star and helped the Marlins win the World Series in 1997 and 2003.

Everett was chosen with the twenty seventh choose from the Yankees, however solely performed in 27 video games for Florida earlier than being dealt to the Mets following the ’94 season. With two homers to his title, he went on to hit 200 extra over 12 seasons spent with the Mets, Astros, Red Sox, Rangers, White Sox, Expos and Mariners.

1993 Marlins document: 64-98 (first made playoffs in 1997)

First choose: LHP Tony Saunders from the Marlins
Saunders made his MLB debut in 1997 with Florida, serving to the Marlins win their first World Series title earlier than being picked first total by Tampa Bay in that yr’s Expansion Draft. He posted a 4.61 ERA in 22 appearances (21 begins) throughout his rookie marketing campaign, and pitched for the Devil Rays for 2 seasons — he made 40 begins for Tampa Bay, with a 4.53 ERA. He suffered a horrible harm on May 26, 1999, when whereas pitching to the Rangers’ Juan Gonzalez, he broke his left arm. He tried to return to the mound the following yr, however whereas pitching within the Minors, he broke his arm a second time, ending his skilled profession.

Best choose: OF Bobby Abreu from the Astros
Abreu, who’s on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame poll for 2022, was some of the underrated hitters of his time, slashing .291/.395/.475 with 288 dwelling runs over an 18-year MLB profession. He made his huge league debut with the Astros on Sept. 1, 1996, and was taken second total within the subsequent yr’s Expansion Draft by the Devil Rays. Tampa Bay traded Abreu to the Phillies the identical day in alternate for shortstop Kevin Stocker. Abreu went on to spend eight-plus seasons with Philadelphia, posting a .928 OPS with 195 dwelling runs and incomes two All-Star choices. Stocker appeared in 231 video games for Tampa Bay, posting a .676 OPS.

Other notable picks: 1B Dmitri Young, OF Randy Winn
Tampa Bay chosen Young from the Reds with the sixteenth choose, after which traded him again to Cincinnati because the participant to be named later for an earlier transaction wherein the Devil Rays acquired outfielder Mike Kelly. Young was productive on the plate in 4 seasons with Cincinnati, hitting .304/.353/.488 with 67 homers in 565 video games. Kelly, in the meantime, performed one season with Tampa Bay, posting a .696 OPS with 10 homers and 13 steals in 106 video games. He was launched the next March.

Winn was taken 58th from the Marlins within the Expansion Draft and spent the primary 5 seasons of his 13-year MLB profession with the Devil Rays. A speedy outfielder, he stole 26 bases as a rookie however was a below-average hitter till 2002, when in an All-Star marketing campaign, he turned in an .821 OPS with 14 dwelling runs and 27 steals. Tampa Bay traded him that offseason to the Mariners in alternate for infielder Antonio Perez and supervisor Lou Piniella.

1998 Devil Rays document: 63-99 (first made playoffs in 2008 — as Rays)

First choose: LHP Brian Anderson from Cleveland
Anderson proved to be a stable second choose within the 1997 Expansion Draft, with the D-backs deciding on him from Cleveland, with whom the left-hander had simply reached the World Series the prior month. Anderson spent the following 4 seasons with Arizona, posting a 4.52 ERA (101 ERA+) and serving to the franchise win the World Series in 2001. That offseason, he signed a free-agent contract with Cleveland and spent the ultimate three seasons of his profession with Cleveland and Kansas City.

Best choose: INF Tony Batista from the A’s
Arizona made Batista the twenty seventh choose within the Expansion Draft by deciding on him from Oakland. With the membership looking for a division title and in want of aid pitching, the D-backs traded Batista to the Blue Jays for Dan Plesac in June 1999. After placing up a .731 OPS with 5 homers in 44 video games for Arizona that season, Bautista went on to belt 25 homers in 98 video games for Toronto. He was an All-Star the following season, launching a career-high 41 homers. Over the following 4 years, he averaged a .718 OPS with 28 homers a season for the Blue Jays, Orioles and Expos. He performed two extra seasons within the Majors with the Twins and Nationals.

Other notable picks: LHP Omar Daal, C Damian Miller
Daal was the thirty first choose within the Expansion Draft, from the Blue Jays. He was immediately one of many D-backs’ finest pitchers, posting a 2.88 ERA in 33 appearances (23 begins) within the franchise’s inaugural season. The following yr, he turned in a 3.65 ERA as a full-time starter and helped Arizona attain the postseason. He struggled to a 7.22 ERA by means of 20 appearances in 2000, and was traded to the Phillies that July within the deal that introduced Curt Schilling to Arizona.

The D-backs chosen Miller from the Twins with the forty seventh choose, and he grew to become their beginning catcher by 2000 and an All-Star in ’02. Arizona traded him to the Cubs the next offseason.

1998 D-backs document: 65-97 (first made playoffs in 1999)