For the first time since 2011 a team other than the Houston Astros will be making the top overall pick in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
That unfortunate distinction now lies with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who hold the top pick for the first time since 2005 when they chose outfielder Justin Upton.
Houston, though, will still be well represented at this year's festivities, as it picks immediately after the D-backs as compensation for not signing its No. 1 overall pick a year ago, Brady Aiken, and holds the fifth pick as well.
Unlike the past few years, there doesn't seem to be a consensus No. 1 pick, as Arizona has been linked to a number of players, including Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson, UC Santa Barbara right-hander Dillon Tate, Vanderbilt right- hander Carson Fullmer, Illinois lefty Tyler Jay and high school shortstop Brendan Rodgers.
After the Astros, Colorado will choose third followed by Texas, Houston again, Minnesota, Boston, the Chicago White Sox, Cubs and Philadelphia to complete the top 10.
In addition to the Astros, Colorado (3rd and 27th), Atlanta (14th and 28th), the New York Yankees (16th and 30th), San Francisco (18th and 31st), Pittsburgh (19th and 32nd), Kansas City (21st and 33rd), Detroit (22nd and 34th), the Los Angeles Dodgers (24th and 35th) and Baltimore (25th and 36th) all have two selections in the first round.
The Braves have a Major League-high five selections within the first 75 picks during the opening day of the draft.
Once again the draft will take place over three days. The first day will consist of the first 75 picks, including Round 1 and Competitive Balance Round A, the second round and Competitive Balance Round B. There will be 4 1/2 minutes between first-round picks, two minutes during Competitive Balance Round A, and one minute during the second round and Competitive Balance Round B.
On Tuesday, the draft will resume in the second round at 1 p.m. ET and will be tentatively scheduled to go through the 10th round. The festivities will then conclude Wednesday, which will again begin at 1 p.m. ET and is set to cover rounds 11-40.
The inaugural Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held in New York in 1965. The selection rotation is determined by the clubs' reverse order of their won-lost records at the close of the previous regular season, regardless of league.
There will be 40 rounds in the draft and it will finish after all 30 teams have passed on a selection or after the final selection in the 40th round, whichever comes first.
Former No. 1 overall selections include current major league stars Alex Rodriguez (1993), Josh Hamilton (1999), Adrian Gonzalez (2000), Joe Mauer (2001), David Price (2007), Stephen Strasburg (2009) and Bryce Harper (2010).
[SportsNetwork.com]
