Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Ahead of today’s draft, I look back on the history of the No. 30 selection. It’s a spot in which the Dodgers have never chosen, and the recent results aren’t great. However, there are a few noticeable names who were popped many years ago.
History of the No. 30 pick
2017: RHP Alex Lange, Cubs
2016: LHP Cole Ragans, Rangers
2015: SS Kyle Holder, Yankees
2014: RHP Luis Ortiz, Brewers
2013: SS Travis Demeritte, Rangers
2012: RHP Ty Hensley, Yankees
2011: SS Levi Michael, Twins
2010: OF Chevy Clark, Angels
2009: 2B LeVon Washington, Rays
2008: SS Casey Kelly, Red Sox
2007: RHP Andrew Brackman, Yankees
2006: RHP Adam Ottavino, Cardinals
2005: SS Tyler Greene, Cardinals
2004: RHP Eric Hurley, Rangers
2003: C Mitch Maier, Royals
2002: RHP Ben Fritz, Athletics
2001: LHP Noah Lowry, Giants
2000: 3B Scott Gorman, Braves
1999: RHP Chance Caple, Cardinals
1998: RHP Matt Burch, Royals
There are a few guys here I liked in their respective draft years; specifically Ortiz. He has since been traded to the Brewers in the Jonathan Lucroy deal, but he’s throwing well in the Milwaukee minor-league system. Outside of him, there haven’t been a ton of great players to be picked at No. 30 — at least, in the last 20 years. Lowry is probably the most accomplished, and that’s also partly because of the exposure we as Dodger fans had to him since played for San Francisco.
Here are a few other notable picks at No. 30 (15 bWAR or better).
1988: OF Brian Jordan, Cardinals
1987: SS Travis Fryman, Tigers
1983: 3B Chris Sabo, Reds
1982: LHP David Wells, Blue Jays
1974: RHP Moose Haas, Brewers
1971: SS Mike Schmidt, Phillies
1970: LHP Terry Forster, White Sox
1967: LHP Jerry Reuss, Cardinals
A few old friends on this list (Jordan, Wells, Reuss), a few solid performers in Fryman, Sabo and Wells, but the biggest name here, obviously, is the Phillies’ Hall of Fame third baseman. Even if he’s a bit … surly … he was a great player.
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The Dodgers also pick at No. 68 in the second round. Here are some of the notable players chosen there (again, 15 bWAR or better or current top prospects).
2010: LHP Drew Smyly, Tigers
2004: LHP Jason Vargas, Marlins
1999: RHP John Lackey, Angels
1975: RHP Don Robinson, Pirates
1965: RHP Stan Bahnsen, Yankees
Smyly doesn’t have 15 or more bWAR, but he’s a known player at this rate. Vargas is currently the ace of the Mets’ staff, while Lackey has been a really good performer and has a couple of World Series rings to show for it. Robinson logged nearly 2,000 MLB innings and was one of the better hitting pitchers of his time (three Silver Slugger awards). Bahnsen logged more than 2,500 innings and, well, that was about it. They were perfectly mediocre.
Also, the Dodgers drafted the great Brian Pilkington at No. 68 all the way back in 2001. He was their first selection of that draft and, well, there’s a reason you have no idea who he is.
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Here’s hoping the Dodgers land a good one (or two) in their first two picks.
