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Rookie cards for every MLB No. 1 draft pick since 1965
There are many collecting projects out there. Some collect a particular player. Some go after cards of their favorite team. Some pursue more broad topics like Hall of Famers or Cy Young Award winners.
But one pursuit I don’t see much in the hobby, whether on social media or on the PSA Set Registry, is a collection of No. 1 MLB Draft Picks. So I decided to put together a guide to collecting rookie cards of these top picks.
Some require some investment due to the success of the player (i.e. Ken Griffey, Jr.) but many require only a search of the quarter box at your local LCS. This guide provides a look at rookie cards with a brief backstory on each player.
With 2023 No. 1 pick Paul Skenes now in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates, six of the last nine top picks are now in the major leagues, with No. 1 picks Jackson Holliday, Henry Davis and Spencer Torkelson expected to return later this year.
Skenes, last year's No. 1 pick, has taken the league by storm since being called up in early June. In 10 starts, he has a 5-0 record with a 2.12 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 59.1 innings.
Here's a look at the top picks dating back to 1965.
2023: Paul Skenes, Pirates
Rookie Card: 2023 1st Bowman
2022: Jackson Holliday, SS, Orioles
Rookie Card: 2022 Bowman Chrome Draft; 2023 Bowman Chrome
2021: Henry Davis C, Pirates
Rookie Card: 2021 Bowman Chrome Draft #BDC-48; 2021 Bowman Draft; 2021 Bowmans Best #92
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This pick was a surprise to many as the Pirates decided to select the catcher from Louisville. Catcher has not always been a popular pick at the top of the draft, but Davis was the second catcher selected first in the last three seasons. He played at three minor league levels in 2022, making it to Double-A Altoona.
2020: Spencer Torkelson 3B, Tigers
Rookie Card: 2020 Bowman Draft #BD-121; 2021 Donruss Optic #RP14; 2022 Topps Now #48
He was drafted as a third baseman in 2020 but played first base at Arizona State. He struggled as a rookie, batting .203 with eight home runs and 28 RBI in 110 games last year and will be looking to break out in 2023. He hit .267 at three levels in 2021 while hitting 30 home runs with 91 RBI. He set the freshman home run record at Arizona State and joins another No. 1 pick from the school — Bob Horner.
2019: Adley Rutschman C, Orioles
Rookie Card: 2019 Bowman Chrome Draft #BCD-1; 2019 Panini Prizm Draft Picks #1; 2020 Bowman Chrome #BCP50
There is usually a lot of debate around the No. 1 pick. In 2019, everybody believed Rutschman would be the pick, even though he was the first catcher to be selected first since 2001. He made his MLB debut in 2022, batting .254 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI in 113 games and enters 2023 as one of the top catchers in baseball.
2018: Casey Mize RHP, Tigers
Rookie Card: 2018 Bowman Draft #BD-1; 2021 Topps Update #US63; 2021 Donruss Optic #39; 2021 Topps Chrome #4
Mize was a hot pick out of Auburn after not being drafted out of high school. He pitched a no-hitter in the minors and started seven games in 2020 but went 0-3 with a 6.99 ERA. He started to get his bearings in the big leagues in 2021 with a 7-9 record with a 3.71 ERA and 118 Ks. He pitched just 10 innings in 2022 before suffering an arm injury and needing Tommy John surgery.
2017: Royce Lewis SS, Twins
Rookie Card: 2017 Bowman Chrome #BDC-1; 2018 Bowman Chrome Draft #BDC-87; 2019 Donruss Optic #RP-1
Lewis was considered the best talent coming out of high school but prognosticators thought one of the top college prospects would be taken No. 1. Instead, the Twins made Lewis the choice. He spent three seasons in the minors before missing the 2021 season with a torn ACL. He hit .300 in 40 major league at-bats in 2022 before beginning the 2023 season on the injured list.
2016: Mickey Moniak OF, Phillies
Rookie Card: 2021 Topps Heritage #653; 2021 Panini Chronicles Overdrive #10; 2021 Topps #457
When Moniak was selected No. 1, many fans and collectors asked, “Who?” He was on the top prospects lists but many did not have him listed No. 1. He has struggled in the big leagues, batting just .130 for the Phillies last year before being trading to the Angels. He started 2023 at Triple-A.
2015: Dansby Swanson SS, Diamondbacks
Rookie Card: 2017 Topps #87; 2017 Bowman #57 2017 Topps Update #US247
The day started with Swanson hitting a home run for Vanderbilt in a NCAA Super Regional. After the game, he was selected No. 1 by Arizona. The Diamondbacks traded Swanson to Atlanta and in seven seasons as the Braves’ shortstop, he hit .255 with 102 home runs and 411 RBI. He helped lead the Braves to the 2021 World Series with 27 home runs and 88 RBI and followed that up with 25 home runs and 96 RBI in 2022. With a career WAR of 7.0, he signed as a free agent with the Cubs during the offseason.
2014: Brady Aiken LHP, Astros
Rookie Card: 2016 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP7
Regardless of their cheating scandal, the Astros have had sustained success for the past few seasons. That was built from this stretch of the draft as Aiken was the third consecutive No. 1 overall pick for the team. However, Aiken ended up not signing, the first time that has happened in more than 30 years. He then had Tommy John surgery in 2015 and ended up getting selected 17th by the Indians in that year’s draft. Unfortunately, he only pitched in a total of 43 games over three seasons and has been out of baseball since 2019.
2013: Mark Appel RHP, Astros
Rookie Card: 2014 Bowman #BP5; 2014 Bowman Chrome #BCP5
Appel had been picked in the top 10 the year before but opted to go back to Stanford. It paid off as he was drafted No. 1 by the Astros in 2013. However, he was eventually traded to the Phillies and suffered injuries that cut his career short after the 2017 season. Appel returned in 2021, pitching at both AA and AAA. He pitched 10 innings for the Phillies in 2022 but struggled in Spring Training this year and was sent back to the minors.
2012: Carlos Correa SS, Astros
Rookie Card: 2015 Topps Update #US174; 2014 Bowman #TP-3
The Astros had three consecutive No. 1 picks but Correa turned out to be the only one that made it to the majors. He lived up to his billing by winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2015 and helped the Astros win the 2017 World Series. He posted the best season of his career in 2021 with a .279 average, 26 home runs and 92 RBI, finishing fifth in AL MVP voting. He signed with Minnesota for 2022 and after another solid season (.291, 22 home runs, 64 RBI), he resigned with the Twins during the offseason.
2011: Gerrit Cole RHP, Pirates
Rookie Card: 2013 Topps Chrome #210; 2013 Topps Update #US265
After being drafted by the Yankees out of high school in 2008, Cole decided to go to UCLA, which led to him being drafted first in 2011. He started his big-league career with the Pirates and soon became their ace. In fact, his performance carried the Bucs to the NL Wild Card game and a playoff berth for the first time in 20 years. He was traded to the Astros in 2018 and signed with the Yankees in 2020. He has yet to win a Cy Young Award but has finished in the top five with each team. Cole has had one 20-game win season, four seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA and five seasons with over 200 Ks.
2010: Bryce Harper OF, Nationals
Rookie Card: 2012 Bowman Chrome #214; 2011 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP1; 2012 Topps Update #US183
A No. 1 pick who definitely lived up to the hype and has the hardware to show for it. He was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2012 and has now has two NL MVP Awards, one in 2015 and one in 2021. The only thing he lacks is a World Series ring. His career numbers after 10 seasons are a .280 batting average with 285 home runs and 817 RBI.
2009: Stephen Strasburg RHP, Nationals
Rookie Card: 2010 Topps #661; 2010 Bowman Platinum #1
Strasburg had one of the strongest arms coming out of college, which resulted in a record signing bonus from the Nationals. When he debuted in 2010, the Nats felt they had struck gold with his 14-K debut. But Strasburg has had his share of arm issues. He made only five starts or less due to injuries 2011, 2020, 2021 and 2022 and is expected to miss much of the 2023 season as well. However, Strasburg’s ceiling is high when he’s healthy. He has had seven seasons with double-digit wins and led the NL in Ks and starts in 2014. He was the pitching force behind Washington’s World Series championship in 2019 as World Series MVP.
2008: Tim Beckham SS, Rays
Rookie Card: 2014 Bowman #215; 2014 Donruss #40; 2014 Topps #259
Beckham entered the draft with tons of potential but fell into the trap of using performance-enhancing substances. He played in the Rays minor league system through 2011, but received a 50-game suspension for a banned substance in 2012. He played a backup role with the Rays for the next few seasons and was traded to the Orioles in 2017. In 2019, he signed with the Mariners but tested positive again in August. That resulted in an 80-game suspension. He was in the Twins’ minor league system in 2022.
2007: David Price LHP, Rays
Rookie Card: 2009 Topps #35; 2009 Topps Heritage #73
Price is one of the few draft picks who didn’t need much seasoning in the minors and he was up with the Rays by 2008. Two years later, he was at the top of the Rays’ pitching staff, leading the team with 19 wins, a 2.72 ERA and finishing second in AL Cy Young voting. He would go on to win the award in 2012 with a 20-win season. He then became a bargaining chip as he was traded in 2014 to the Tigers. He went 4-4 in Detroit in 2014 and was 9-4 in 2015 before being traded to move the Blue Jays, where he went 9-1 and finished second in Cy Young voting. He signed with the Red Sox in 2016 for $30 million per year and alternated great seasons with injury-plagued seasons before moving to the Dodgers in 2021 in the Mookie Betts trade. He pitched out of the bullpen in 2022 with a 2.45 ERA in just 40 innings.
2006: Luke Hochevar RHP, Royals
Rookie Card: 2008 Bowman #209; 2008 Topps #149
Many high school players and underclassmen have to make a key decision if drafted: sign and pursue the dream, or roll the dice and go or stay in college. Hochevar was drafted twice (as a high school senior and after two years in college) and both times decided to stay and push his stock higher. In this case, it paid off as he was the top college pitcher at Tennessee with a 15-3 record and 2.26 ERA. The Royals pounced on him with the first pick. He never really panned out as he amassed a 43-61 record through 2013. He then had to undergo Tommy John surgery and missed the 2014 season. Prior to the surgery, the Royals moved him to the bullpen and he returned in that role for two more seasons before retiring after 2016. His claim to fame: he was the winning pitcher in the decisive game of the 2015 World Series.
2005: Justin Upton SS, Diamondbacks
Rookie Card: 2007 Topps Update #UH327; 2007 Bowman Chrome #BDPP110
Baseball scouts fell in love with Upton as a shortstop coming out of high school. Then the Diamondbacks saw his power and decided to move him to the outfield, where he has been his whole big-league career. He reached Arizona as a 19-year-old in 2007 and has posted a .262 career batting average along with 325 home runs and 1,003 RBI. Not enough to get him to the Hall of Fame but respectable numbers for a player that has been with six teams: Diamondbacks, Braves, Padres, Tigers, Angels and Mariners.
2004: Matt Bush SS, Padres
Rookie Card: 2004 Bowman Chrome Draft #BDP166; 2016 Topps Update #US235
No No. 1 pick has had a path quite like Bush. He was drafted as a shortstop out of high school by the Padres. From 2004-2007, he appeared in 213 games for San Diego and had only three home runs and 70 RBI. By 2007, the Padres decided to move him to pitcher but after one start, he tore a ligament and ended up having Tommy John surgery. Off-field problems are one of the key stories for Bush. He was suspended in 2004 due to a bar fight. After he returned from surgery in 2007, he was sent down and another incident with alcohol occurred. He was then traded to the Blue Jays in 2009 and had another incident that led to his release. He toiled around the Rays organization until 2012 but he had an alcohol-related car accident that led to a 39-month prison term. After his release, he signed with the Rangers, where pitched from 2016-2022 before joining the Brewers last season.
2003: Delmon Young OF, Rays
Rookie Card: 2007 Topps Finest #150; 2003 Upper Deck #562
Young was another California high school No. 1 pick as well as another pick with a sibling (Dmitri Young) in the majors (also see Justin Upton). He joined the Rays in 2006 and finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2007. He was traded to the Twins in the offseason and spent the next three-plus seasons there. His best season was in 2010 when he hit .298 with 21 home runs and 112 RBI, finishing 10th in AL MVP voting. In 2011, the Twins sent him to the Tigers where he spent the next two seasons. He bounced between the Phillies and Rays before landing with the Orioles in 2014. His career ended after the 2015 season but he did help the Tigers and Orioles make the playoffs.
2002: Bryan Bullington RHP, Pirates
Rookie Card: 2003 Topps #660
One of the players on the list you probably can’t name. He was drafted out of high school but went to Ball State, where he became an All-American. He did well in the minors until 2005 and got into one game for the Pirates. A torn labrum led to surgery and he missed the whole 2006 season. He came back with another solid season in the minors, and then finished 0-3 late in the 2007 season for the Pirates. He moved to Cleveland, Toronto and Kansas City over the next three seasons. His combined MLB record was 1-9 with a 5.62 ERA. He left the U.S. and found some success in Japan.
2001: Joe Mauer C, Twins
Rookie Card: 2002 Topps #622; 2002 Bowman #379
When the Twins had the top pick in 2001, they didn’t have to look far. Mauer played locally at a St. Paul High School. He made the big leagues by the end of the 2004 season and never looked back. He hit over .300 eight times as the Twins’ catcher. He won the AL MVP award in 2009 and finished in the top-eight three other times. He was a six-time All-Star and won three Gold Gloves. His final career numbers: .306 with 143 home runs and 923 RBI. He also finished with 2,123 hits, which many believe will carry him to a Hall of Fame selection soon.
2000: Adrian Gonzalez 1B, Marlins
Rookie Card: 2000 Bowman #86; 2000 Topps Stadium Club #151; 2000 Topps Traded Chrome #81
Gonzalez was taken to anchor first base for the Marlins. He put up top numbers through 2003, winning the Midwest League MVP that year. However, a wrist injury scared the big-league club and they traded him to the Rangers. He got minimal playing time at the major league level the next two seasons and the Rangers dealt him to the Padres, where he finally started to hit his stride. He was with the Padres for five seasons, leading them in home runs each year. He was traded to the Red Sox in 2010. (Interesting tidbit: a prospect that came to the Padres in that trade was Anthony Rizzo). Gonzalez spent a year and a half with the Sox and finished in the top 10 in AL MVP voting. Midway through 2012, Gonzalez was on the road again, this time to the Dodgers, where he spent five and a half seasons. He ended his career with the Mets in 2018. Gonzalez finished his career in 2012 with a .287 average, 317 home runs, 1,202 RBI and more than 2,000 hits.
1999: Josh Hamilton OF, Rays
Rookie Card: 1999 Topps Traded #T66; 1999 Bowman Chrome #431
Another guy with unbelievable talent but some demons that affected his performance. Hamilton hit the ground running in the minors, winning USA Today Minor League Player of the Year in 2000. However, an auto accident in 2001 started his drug addiction. His addiction became so serious that the Rays sent him to the Betty Ford Clinic for rehab in 2002. Failed drug tests sidelined him in 2003 and then cost him the entire 2004 season. He returned in 2006 and was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the Cubs, who traded him to the Reds. His official rookie season was with the Reds in 2007, when he played 90 games. He moved to the Rangers in 2008 where his talent finally shined. He led the AL in RBI with 130 and made the first of five straight All-Star teams. He won the AL MVP in 2010 after hitting a scorching .359 with 32 home runs and 100 RBI. He helped the Rangers reach the World Series for the first time in both 2010 and 2011. In 2012, he joined an elite club, hitting four home runs in one game. After the season, he signed a big deal with the Angels but steadily declined for two seasons and was traded back to the Rangers after a drug relapse. His career ended in the Rangers minor league system. His ended up with a .290 batting average and 200 home runs.
1998: Pat Burrell 3B, Phillies
Rookie Card: 1999 Topps Finest #131; 1999 Bowmans Best #151
Burrell was drafted out of high school in California but chose to go to Miami, where he put together a college campaign that caught the eye of the Phillies in the 1998 draft. He made the big club in 2000 and never looked back, spending nine seasons with the Phillies. That included one top-10 finish in NL MVP voting as well as a World Series championship in 2008. He spent a season and a half each with the Rays and Giants before hanging it up in 2011. His career line: 253, 292 home runs and 976 RBI. He has been on HOF ballots in recent years but is a long shot to reach that pinnacle.
1997: Matt Anderson RHP, Tigers
Rookie Card: 1998 Bowman #440
A strong pitcher in college, Anderson spent a season in the minors before his performance earned him a call-up to the Tigers as a reliever. He went 5-1 in 1998 with a 3.27 ERA in 42 games. His overall career included seven seasons between Detroit and Colorado with several stints in the minors in between. His final career MLB stats were a 15-7 record with a 5.19 ERA.
1996: Kris Benson P, Pirates
Rookie Card: 1997 Bowman #175
Benson came to the Pirates with high hopes and his rookie season in 1999, although not spectacular (11-14, 4.07 ERA), earned him fourth place in NL Rookie of the Year voting. He came back in 2000 and pitched over 200 innings, lowered his ERA to 3.85 and had 184 Ks. Benson missed the 2001 season after Tommy John surgery. He played with the Pirates, Mets, Orioles, Rangers and Diamondbacks during a career that ended after the 2010 season.
1995: Darin Erstad OF, Angels
Rookie Card: 1996 Upper Deck SP #4; 1997 Donruss #24
A multisport athlete in college, Erstad played both baseball and football (punter) at the University of Nebraska. He joined the Angels midway through the 1996 season and never looked back. He was an AL All-Star in 1998 and 2000, finishing 2000 with a scorching .355 batting average and a league-leading 240 hits. Ironically, that would be the only season he would hit .300. That same season he also set a record as the first regular leadoff hitter to finish a season with 100 RBI. He stayed with the Angels through the 2006 season, which was shortened due to injuries. In 2004, he set another record as his second Gold Glove Award made him the first to win one in both the outfield and infield (first base). He joined the White Sox in 2007 and finished his career with the Astros for two seasons.
1994: Paul Wilson RHP, Mets
Rookie Card: 1995 Topps #621
Wilson was drafted to be a starter and it would be three seasons before he made his way to the Big Apple. In 1996, he went 5-12 in 26 starts. The next two full seasons he returned to the minors and missed the 1999 season due to injuries. A trade sent him to the Rays in 2000 and back to the majors. He ended up with a 1-4 record in 11 games. He spent the next two seasons with the Rays and three with the Reds before calling it quits. His best season was 2004 when he was 11-6 with a 4.36 ERA.
1993: Alex Rodriguez SS, Mariners
Rookie Card: 1994 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice #647; 1994 Upper Deck #24; 1994 Donruss #114
Love him or hate him, A-Rod is near the top of the No. 1 Draft Pick club, no matter how he got there. He may be polarizing but he has the numbers. Whether his plaque ever graces the halls of Cooperstown remains to be seen. He started with the Mariners in 1994 and by 1996 made the AL All-Star team for the first of 14 times. That year he hit .358 with 36 home runs and 123 RBI and finished second in AL MVP voting. He would go on to win the award three times and finish in the top 10 another five times. In 2001, he moved to the Rangers for a record deal and stayed there three seasons. He then moved to New York, where he helped the Yankee win the 2009 World Series. He finished his career in 2016 with a career .295 batting average, 696 home runs, 2,086 RBI, 3,115 hits and 2,021 runs scored. He should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but his use of performance-enhancing drugs, as well as his numerous denials, caught up with him when he was suspended for the entire 2014 season.
1992: Phil Nevin 3B, Astros
Rookie Card: 1992 Topps Stadium Club #130; 1991 Topps Traded #83
Nevin came in with a pedigree but the Astros were torn on taking him No. 1. He was the best player in college, leading Cal State Fullerton to the College World Series. He also was an All-American kicker for the football team his freshman year. Nevin represented the U.S. as a member of the 1992 Olympic Team. The Astros top scout wanted to take Derek Jeter and ultimately quit when management decided to take Nevin. He ended up playing 12 seasons for seven different teams. His best year was 2001 when he made the NL All-Star team (his only career appearance) and finished the season batting .306 with 41 home runs and 126 RBI.
1991: Brien Taylor LHP, Yankees
Rookie Card: 1992 Topps #6; 1991 Topps Stadium Club #184
Scott Boras has made a fortune as one of baseball’s super-agents. However, not everything he touches turns to gold. Take Brien Taylor, who Boras called the “best high school pitcher I've seen in my life.” Boras did his job and got Taylor a $1.55 million signing bonus from the Yankees. He started in the minors in 1992 with a 6-8 record, 2.57 ERA and 187 Ks. In 1993, he was 13-7 with a 3.48 ERA and 150 Ks and was expected make the big club the next season. Buy in the offseason, he got into a fight that led to shoulder surgery and missed the 1994 season. When he returned, his fastball was significantly slower and he only pitched in 46 games over five seasons with a 3-15 record and never made it to the Yankees. This made him only the second No. 1 Pick to never spend one game in the major leagues.
1990: Chipper Jones, SS, Braves
Rookie Card: 1991 Score #671; 1991 Bowman #569; 1991 Topps #333
Funny how things work out sometimes. Chipper was not the Braves’ first choice. They wanted Texas pitcher Todd Van Poppel, but Van Poppel pulled a John Elway/Eli Manning and said if drafted, he would not sign with Atlanta. So the Braves moved on and picked Jones, who spent his whole career with the Braves on his way to the Hall of Fame. He progressed from Single-A to Triple-A in three years and was ready to join the Braves in 1994 when he tore his ACL in the spring and missed the entire season. He finally made it in 1995 and helped the Braves win the World Series as runner-up to the NL Rookie of the Year. His list of accomplishments is lengthy. He had the last hit in Fulton County Stadium and the first at Turner Field. He made the NL All-Star team eight times and won the NL MVP in 1999. He finished in the top 11 of NL MVP voting seven times, won two Silver Slugger Awards and had his jersey retired by the Braves. Upon his retirement, he was the only switch hitter with a career batting average over .300 (.303) with over 400 home runs (468). He entered Cooperstown in 2018 in his first time on the ballot.
1989: Ben McDonald RHP, Orioles
Rookie Card: 1990 Leaf #249; 1990 Upper Deck #54; 1990 Fleer #180; 1990 Score #680
Another player who played multiple sports in college, “Big Ben” excelled in basketball as well as baseball. He was the top player out of college and had been on the gold medal team at the 1988 Olympics. McDonald made it to the majors by the end of 1989 and by 1990 he was entrenched in the Orioles’ rotation and won eight games in 15 starts. He had four seasons with double-digit wins in seven seasons with the Orioles. He spent two seasons with the Brewers before having shoulder problems. Before the 1998 season, he was traded to the Indians but never pitched again due to rotator cuff surgery. His final MLB record was 78-70 with a 3.91 ERA.
1988: Andy Benes RHP, Padres
Rookie Card: 1989 Topps #437; 1990 Donruss #41
Whether it was his performance or the Padres’ impatience, Benes made it to the top level by 1989 and delivered immediately. He was 6-3 with a 3.51 ERA in 10 starts and never looked back. By 1991, he finished sixth in NL Cy Young voting with a 15-11 record and 3.03 ERA. In 1993, he made his only All-Star team, though he ended the season with a 15-15 record. 1994 was an enigma for Benes as he led the NL with 189 Ks but had a paltry 6-14 record driven by the Padres’ woes. He remained with the Padres until midway through the 1995 season when he was traded to the Mariners. He moved to the Cardinals in 1996 and the Diamondbacks in 1998 before returning to the Cardinals for three seasons to end his career. In 14 seasons, he had a 155-139 record with a 3.97 ERA and 2,000 Ks.
1987: Ken Griffey Jr. OF, Mariners
Rookie Card: 1989 Upper Deck #1; 1989 Fleer #548; 1989 Donruss #33; 1989 Topps Traded #41T
Not only is he the most popular player on this list, he very well could be one of the most popular players in the game. If you played baseball in the backyard in the 90s, this is whose swing you tried to emulate. “The Kid” burst onto the scene with the Mariners in 1989 after two seasons in the minors. He hit a double in his first big-league appearance and made the 90s his decade. He made the AL All-Star team every year as well as winning a Gold Glove each season. He also won the Silver Slugger Award every year of the decade but one. His sole AL MVP Award came in 1997 but he would finish in the top five in four other seasons. He led the AL in home runs four times in the ’90s and hit over 40 home runs six times. In 1990, when his dad joined the Mariners, they set a record by hitting back-to-back home runs. By 2000, when Griffey hit 30, the Ms decided to trade him to the Reds for four players. He played for the Reds for seven and a half seasons before another trade to the White Sox. He finished his career with the Mariners and in 2016 became the first player on this list elected to the Hall of Fame. He would have taken down some all-time records, including home runs, if not for late career injuries. Still he finished with a .284 batting average, 630 home runs, 1,836 RBI, 1,662 runs scored and 2,781 hits.
1986: Jeff King SS, Pirates
Rookie Card: 1988 Fleer #653; $0.99-$1.00); 1990 Leaf #163
King fits the bill as a solid, reliable player without any real flash but who came through in the clutch. He joined the Bucs in 1989 as their third baseman and helped the Pirates win three straight NL East titles with the likes of Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, Andy Van Slyke and Doug Drabek. He stayed in the “Steel City” through 1996 and hit the record books that year as the third player to hit home runs twice in the same inning two different times. During the offseason, he was traded to the Royals and stayed there until 1999 before back problems prompted him to retire. He ended his career with a .256 average and 154 home runs.
1985: B.J. Surhoff SS, Brewers
Rookie Card: 1987 Donruss #28; 1987 Topps #216
Surhoff was drafted as a shortstop out of college but the Brewers wanted him as a catcher. That versatility paid off as he ended up playing every position in the majors except pitcher. He joined the Brewers in ’87 and ended up playing for them until 1995, his best season as he hit .320 with 13 home runs and 73 RBI. He was traded to the Orioles and stayed there until 2000 when he was traded to the Braves. He returned to the Orioles in 2003 and ended his career there. His best season overall was in 1999 when he hit .308 with 28 home runs, 107 RBI and 207 hits. He finished his career with a respectable .282 average with 2,326 hits in 2313 games.
1984: Shawn Abner OF, Mets
Rookie Card: 1985 Topps #282; 1988 Donruss #33; 1988 Score #626
Not sure if this is when the Mets started to become the Mets but Abner is considered one of the biggest busts among No. 1 picks. In fact, he never played a game for the Mets. He put up decent numbers in the minors until 1986, but not good enough to make the big club. After the ’86 season, the Mets traded him to the Padres. He spent most of the 1987 season in the minors but reached the Padres at the end of the season. He bounced up and down between Triple-A and the Padres until 1991 when they sent him to the Angels. He played for the White Sox in 1992 and the Royals farm affiliate in 1993 when he injured himself playing basketball and basically ended his career. He tried a comeback with the Mets in 1995 but officially called it quits. He batted only .227 for his career with just 191 hits.
1983: Tim Belcher RHP, Twins
Rookie Card: 1988 Donruss #587; 1985 Topps #281; 1988 Score Rookie/Traded #101T; 1989 Topps #456; 1988 Fleer #509
The Twins took Belcher partly because of his fiery competitiveness but that backfired when he refused to sign with the club. So the Yankees took him in the 1984 Supplemental Draft but he didn’t end up there either as the A’s ended up getting him in the Compensation Pool. He spent time in the minors before being dealt to the Dodgers. He reached the majors near the end of 1987 and joined their rotation full-time in 1988. He went 12-6 with a 2.91 ERA and helped the Dodgers win the World Series, winning two games in the NLCS and one in the Fall Classic. He was a workhorse in 1989 with a 15-12 record in 30 starts and led the National League with 10 complete games and tied Roger Clemens for the MLB lead with eight shutouts. He pitched for the Dodgers through 1991 before he was traded to the Reds in the Eric Davis deal. He won 15 games in 1992 but the Reds moved him to the White Sox in 1993. He bounced from there to the Tigers, Mariners, Royals and Angels. In 1995, he assaulted a cameraman after a playoff loss and was in a bench-clearing brawl in 1999 against his former team, the Dodgers. His 14-year career ended with a 146-140 record with a 4.16 ERA and over 1,500 Ks.
1982: Shawon Dunston SS, Cubs
Rookie Card: 1985 Topps #280; 1985 Donruss #39; 1985 Fleer #649
Dunston became the first top draft pick to come from greater New York City (Brooklyn). He started in the minors and beat out Larry Bowa for the starting shortstop role in Spring Training in 1985. Though he struggled early and had to be sent down, he came back later in the season and stayed with the Cubs through the 1995 season. He made the NL All-Star team in 1988 and 1990. In 1996, the Cubs wanted to move him to third base but he chose to sign with the Giants instead. He returned to the Cubs in 1997, only to be traded later in the year to the Pirates. He bounced between teams before retiring in 2002. His career batting average was .269 with 1,597 hits.
1981: Mike Moore RHP, Mariners
Rookie Card: 1983 Topps #209; 1983 Donruss #428; 1983 Fleer #482
Moore, like many on this list, was drafted out of high school but chose to go to college to improve his draft stock. Moore’s gamble paid off as he went from a third-round pick to No. 1. By 1982, he found himself entrenched in the Mariners’ rotation. He spent seven seasons in Seattle with a 66-96 record. He signed as a free agent with Oakland, which proved to be a springboard for his career. In 1989, Moore went 19-11, made the AL All-Star team, finished third in Cy Young voting and helped the A’s win the World Series. He pitched over 199 innings in all four seasons in Oakland and won at least 17 games three times. Moore moved to the Tigers for three seasons before his career ended. He won 161 games and had a 4.39 ERA.
1980: Darryl Strawberry OF, Mets
Rookie Card: 1983 Topps Traded #108T; 1984 Topps #182; 1984 Donruss #68; 1984 Fleer #599
Another big bat who was highly sought after landed in the Big Apple from a California high school. Once Strawberry turned 21, he made the Mets roster in 1983 and won NL Rookie of the Year after hitting 26 home runs with 74 RBI. That would start a streak of nine straight seasons with at least 25 home runs. Starting in 1984, he made the NL All-Star team eight consecutive times. He was a key player on the 1986 World Champions. In 1987, he hit 39 home runs with 104 RBI and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting. In ’88, he was the MVP runner-up with 39 home runs and 101 RBI. He finished in the top 10 in MVP voting in 1990 and 1991, which was Strawberry’s first season in L.A. after signing a free agent contract with the Dodgers. He played three seasons there, one with the Giants, and then finished his career back in New York, this time with the Yankees. His final career numbers: .269, 335 home runs, 1,000 RBI and 221 stolen bases. The numbers could have been even higher if not for substance-abuse issues and injuries, including a cancer diagnosis at the end of his career.
1979: Al Chambers OF, Mariners
Rookie Card: 1983 Donruss #649; 1985 Topps #277
Chambers came in to give the Mariners the pop they needed but that would not be the case. The Mariners called him up in 1983. Unfortunately, he played only 57 games in three seasons. The power never came as he hit only .208 with just two home runs.
1978: Bob Horner 3B, Braves
Rookie Card: 1979 Topps #586
Power was Horner’s pedigree as he, at the time, had the career record for home runs at Arizona State. He went straight to the Braves, completely bypassing the minors, which was rare even for No. 1 picks. He won NL Rookie of the Year in 1978 after hitting 23 home runs with 63 RBI. He hit more than 30 home runs in three of the next four seasons and made the NL All-Star team in 1982. He hit four home runs in one game for the Braves in 1986 but left to become a free agent after the season. When no team signed him in 1987 he played one season in Japan. He returned to MLB in 1988 to play with the Cardinals. His career ended after that season due to recurring shoulder injuries. His career marks include: .277 with 218 home runs and 685 RBI in 10 seasons.
1977: Harold Baines 1B, White Sox
Rookie Card: 1981 Topps #347; 1981 Fleer #346
Considered a controversial choice for the Hall of Fame in 2019, it can’t be denied that Baines delivered for the White Sox. Team owner Bill Veeck reportedly remembered seeing Baines in Little League. He made the White Sox lineup in 1980 as an outfielder. He faced some injuries in 1981 but from 1982-1988, he was a full-time player and averaged 20 home runs with two 100-RBI seasons. He made the All-Star team six times, three with the White Sox. By 1989, he was traded to the Rangers in a swap that included a little-known outfielder named Sammy Sosa. In 1990, he was on the move again to Oakland. In 1993, he moved to the Orioles and spent three seasons there before coming back to the White Sox. He returned to the Orioles for three more seasons and then closed out his career with stints with the Indians, White Sox and Orioles again. He retired at 42 with 22 seasons, mostly at DH. His career line: .289, 384 home runs, 1,628 RBI and 2,866 hits.
1976: Floyd Bannister LHP, Astros
Rookie Card: 1978 Topps #39
The Astros took Bannister with their top pick in 1976 and he only had to pitch in seven minor league games before he joined the rotation in 1977. He started 23 games that first season with an 8-9 record. He proved to be a workhorse as he would start at least 20 games in 10 of the next 12 seasons. After two seasons in Houston, he was traded to Seattle, where he pitched for four seasons, the last in 1982 when he made the AL All-Star team and led the league in strikeouts. He signed with the White Sox and spent five seasons there before he was traded to the Royals. After two seasons in Kansas City, he left for Japan for a season before returning for one season each with the Angels and Rangers. His final line after 15 seasons: 134-143, 4.06 ERA and 1,723 Ks.
1971 and 1975: Danny Goodwin C, Angels
Rookie Card: 1979 Topps #322
The greatest claim to fame for this list belongs to Goodwin, the only player drafted No. 1 twice. He was drafted first in 1971 by the White Sox but went to Southern University in Louisiana. He shined in college at catcher and won the NAIA Player of the Year Award. The Angels had the top pick in 1975 and selected him again. He played in the minors in 1976 and bounced between the minors and the Angels in both 1977 and 1978. After the 1978 season, he was traded to the Twins, where he spent three seasons but never played more than 60 games with the big club. He signed with the A’s in 1982 and moved on to Japan before retirement.
1974: Bill Almon SS, Padres
Rookie Card: 1977 Topps #490
The Padres took Almon out of high school in the 1971 draft, but he went to Brown University and the Padres drafted him again at No. 1 in 1974. He bounced between the Padres and the minors for the next three seasons before playing shortstop for the club for the next three seasons. Before the 1980 season, he was traded to the Expos, released, and then picked up by the Mets. He joined the White Sox in 1981, his best season with a .301 average in 103 games. He stayed there for another season and then spent two seasons in Oakland and two more in Pittsburgh. In 1987, he was traded to the Mets and then swapped again in 1988 to Philadelphia, where he ended his career. In 15 seasons, he hit .254 with 846 hits.
1973: David Clyde LHP, Rangers
Rookie Card: 1974 Topps #133
The first high school pitcher taken No. 1, Clyde came in throwing heat for the Rangers, who sent him straight to the majors. He went 4-8 in 1973 with a 5.01 ERA in 18 starts. In 1974, he went 3-9 in 21 starts and critics started talking about how hard they were working the young pitchers. The critics proved correct. After the 1974 season, Clyde started to develop shoulder problems. He only pitched one game in 1975 and was sent to the minors, where he spent the next three seasons. In 1978, he was traded to the Indians and after 1979, he was already out of baseball.
1972: Dave Roberts 3B, Padres
Rookie Card: 1973 Topps #133
Roberts was one of those hyped players who ended up being a journeyman who never reached his potential. In fact, he was not only an infielder but also a backup catcher. Roberts played in 100 games in 1972 but only hit .244 with five home runs. 1973 was his best season as he hit .286 with 21 home runs. But he never got back to that level. He spent two more seasons with the Padres, and then went to the Blue Jays but he never played due to injuries. He returned to the Padres in 1977 for two seasons before doing the same for two more seasons in Texas and one each in Houston and Philadelphia.
1970: Mike Ivie C, Padres
Rookie Card: 1973 Topps #613
Ivie was drafted as a catcher and came out of high school with a true power pedigree. He played six games in 1971 and 12 in 1974 but the rest of his career was spent in the minors, where he continued to show power. He had one streak where he hit 21 home runs in 21 games. By 1975, he was a regular in the Padres’ lineup for three seasons before he was traded to the Giants. He stayed in San Francisco for three and a half seasons before he was shipped to Houston. By the 1982 season, he was released and ended up in Detroit for a season and a half before calling it a career. One claim to fame for Ivie is that he is one of only five players in history to have two pinch-hit grand slams in the same season.
1969: Jeff Burroughs OF, Senators
Rookie Card: 1972 Topps #191
Another power guy, the Senators took Burroughs with their No. 1 pick. He needed some seasoning in the minors and didn’t reach the big leagues until 1973. That resulted in a change of scenery as the Senators moved him to the Rangers. He played 151 games and hit 30 home runs in ’73. In 1974, he won the AL MVP as he hit .301 with 25 home runs and a league-leading 118 RBI. He played two more seasons in Texas before he was traded to the Braves for five players and $250,000. His first season in Atlanta was a feat as he had 41 home runs with 114 RBI. In 1978, he made the NL All-Star team, joining an elite club of players who made the All-Star team in each league (he made the AL team in 1974). Burroughs stayed in Atlanta until 1980 before he was traded to the Mariners. After one season in Seattle, he moved to Oakland for three seasons and played his final season in Toronto. His final numbers: .261, 240 home runs and 882 RBI.
1968: Tim Foli SS, Mets
Rookie Card: 1971 Topps #83
Foli had a chance to play baseball and football at USC, but when the Mets called with the No. 1 pick, he took the plunge. His was known more for his fielding than hitting. He made it to the majors for five games in 1970, and then played 97 games for the ’71 Mets. Foli played over 100 games in 12 of the next 13 seasons. He was traded to the Expos in 1972 and played there until 1977 when he was sent to the Giants. The Mets signed him back after that season and he remained until 1979, when he moved again to the Pirates. That proved to be a great move as the Pirates won the 1979 World Series. He moved to the Angels in 1982 and ’83, and then spent a season with the Yankees before finishing his career back in Pittsburgh. He played in 1,696 games in his 16-year career, batting .251 with just 25 home runs.
1967: Ron Blomberg 1B, Yankees
Rookie Card: 1972 Topps #203
Blomberg has a few claims to fame, maybe more than you may know. He is the only player chosen a Parade All-American in baseball, basketball and football. This led to over 100 scholarship offers, including one from John Wooden to play basketball at UCLA. His selection by the Yankees in the 1967 draft helped make that decision easier. He finally made it to the Yankees in 1969 for four games and was called up for good in 1971. His next claim came in 1973 when he was the first designated hitter in MLB history. He played for the Yankees through 1976 but injuries kept him on the shelf for most of the last two seasons and all of 1977. He signed with the White Sox in 1978 but injuries caught up to him for good, causing his career to end. Blomberg would go on to manage in the minor leagues and is still a Yankees scout today. He also is ranked highly on the lists of the top Jewish players in history.
1966: Steven Chilcott C, Mets
Rookie Card: None
The Mets thought they had found a diamond in the rough in Chilcott, but he had a host of injuries and had trouble adjusting to the professional game. That led to him being the first, along with Brien Taylor, No. 1 pick to never make it to the majors (hence no rookie card). He was in the Mets’ system until 1969 when he moved to Montreal but played only three games before returning to the Mets. He stayed in their farm system until 1972 when he moved to the Yankees before his career ended. He ended up playing 376 games in the minors and hit .242 before hanging it up. One note that makes this a true Mets move: the No. 2 pick in the 1966 draft — Reggie Jackson.
1965: Rick Monday OF, A's
Rookie Card: 1967 Topps #542
Monday is where it all began as the first No. 1 pick in baseball history. The Dodgers’ Tommy Lasorda was the first scout trying to sign Monday out of high school. He went to Arizona State and wound up the top pick of the A’s. He made it to the majors at the end of the 1966 season with the Kansas City version of the team. He was a permanent member of the team the next season and took part in the club’s move to Oakland, ultimately staying there through 1971. He was then traded to the Cubs, where he would stay through 1976. He signed with the Dodgers as a free agent in 1977 and was reunited with Lasorda. He stayed in LA until the end of his career in 1984. He made the All-Star twice, once in both leagues – 1968 in Oakland and 1978 in Los Angeles. His best overall season was in 1976 with the Cubs when he hit .272 with 32 home runs and 77 RBI. Most remember Monday for his feat in 1976 when two protesters tried to burn an American flag on the field at Dodger Stadium. Monday rushed over and pulled the flag away before it could be lit, cementing his hero status.
