Top 20 MLB ACTIVE Draft Steals

Welcome to another Humm Baby Baseball countdown and today we’ll wrap up my series on MLB Draft Steals by going down the list of my Top 25 MLB Active Draft Steals. This includes only players that are currently active and on a Major League roster and each of these players signed out of a draft in which they were taken in no higher than the 5th round. Players of the past like Mike Piazza, Ozzie Smith and John Smoltz have proven that you don’t have to take a prospect in the first or second round in order to find a future Hall of Famer. That hasn’t changed and today we’ll talk about 20 MLB stars who were all taken very late in the draft. I am ranking these based not just on how good the player is, but also on how late they were taken. The later the pick, the better the steal. A few honorable mentions include..

Honorable Mentions

• Mike Yastrzemski - 14th Round

• Jared Walsh - 39th Round

• Adam Frazier - 6th Round

• Cedric Mullins - 13th Round

• Tommy La Stella - 8th Round

• Matt Moore - 8th Round

• Matt Carpenter - 13th Round

20. Corey Dickerson - 8th Round

First up is Corey Dickerson, who was a massive superstar at Meridian Community College in Mississippi. He hit .459 with 21 bombs during his freshman year. Still, he wasn’t taken until the 8th round by the Rockies in 2010, who had also drafted him in the 29th round out of High School in 2009. Dickerson destroyed Rookie Ball with a .348 average and 13 bombs. He moved quickly through the Minors and found his way into the Rockies lineup by mid-2013. In 2014, he crushed 24 bombs with a .312 batting average and .931 OPS. He was later traded to the Rays where he hit 27 homers in 2017, making the All Star Team. In 2018, he hit .300 for the Pirates and won a Gold Glove. Dickerson recently signed with the Nationals for the 2023 season.

19. Nestor Cortes Jr - 36th Round

Coming in at #17 is a player with a chance to move much higher a list like this in the future, Nestor Cortes Jr. He was not taken until the 36th round in 2013, but absolutely dominated the minor leagues with an 11-4 record and 1.53 ERA in 2016. He continued to pitch well in the minors until, surprisingly, the Yankees left him unprotected and he was taken in the Rule 5 Draft by the Orioles. Luckily for the Yankees, the O’s were not patient with him and after a couple bad outings, they sent him back to New York. He went 5-1 in 2019, then after a stint with the Mariners, came back to the Yankees where he finally had his breakout season in 2022 going 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA and 163 strikeouts, making his first All Star Team. He is currently slated to be in the rotation for the 2023 and could end up being an amazing steal from the 36th round.

18. Ty France - 34th Round

Next up is another player who could be ranked much higher on a list like this in a few years. Ty France was taken all the way down in the 34th round of the 2015 Draft and as of now, is the only player from that round to make the big leagues. France played at San Diego State University and showed some ability by hitting .337 across four seasons. Nevertheless, he wasn’t considered a big prospect and not taken until the 1,017th pick by the Padres. He hit so well in the Minors, the Padres had no choice but to keep moving him up until 2019, when he made Triple A look like T-Ball, hitting .399 with an OPS over 1.200. He hit 27 home runs in just 76 games, forcing the Padres to bring him up to the big leagues. He never got a full opportunity, however, until he joined the Mariners lineup in 2021 and hit .291 with 18 homers. France could go on to become one of the greatest steals of all time, but he is still at the beginning of his big league career.

17. Jordan Romano - 10th Round

Undrafted out of High School, Jordan Romano at first attended Connors State College in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he 0-1 with an 8.68 ERA, not exactly stellar numbers. The next year, he improved drastically and transferred to Oral Roberts, where he became the closer, saving 11 games with a 2.66 ERA. The Blue Jays took him in the 10th round of the 2014 Draft, paying him a $25,000 signing bonus. The Jays almost lost him when the White Sox took him in the Rule 5 Draft in 2018, but after a trade to the Rangers, he was returned to Toronto. Despite a high ERA in the Triple A, his strikeout stuff was good enough to give him an opportunity and in 2020, Romano broke through with a 1.23 ERA in 15 apperanaces. In ‘21, he became the closer and last season, he made his first All Star Team and saved 36 games with a 2.11 ERA.

16. Blake Treinen - 7th Round

Next up is a player with an amazing story. Blake Treinen retired from baseball for the first time after his freshmen year of High School. He had some weight issues and struggled with borderline Type 2 Diabetes. Treinen worked hard to get in shape and by his Junior year realized he had grown 6 inches and could throw a ball harder than ever. He gave baseball another try and pitched well, but had no scholarship offers. He went to a Junior College called Baker, where he struggled to get playing time. After a transfer to Arkansas, he was told that they don’t hold open tryouts and denied even the opportunity to play ball. Finally, Treinen was given a chance at South Dakota State, where he went 7-3 with a 3.00 ERA. The A’s took him in the 7th round and later traded him to the Nationals. In 2014, Treinen, against all odds, made it to the big leagues and pitched well, with a 2.49 ERA in 15 games. The A’s eventually got their man back in another trade and in 2018, Treinen was one of the best in the game, allowing just 46 hits in 80 innings with a stunning 0.78 ERA. He’s been one of the most effective relievers out of the Dodgers bullpen since 2020 and an absolutely incredible steal from the 7th Round.

15. Max Muncy -5th Round

Max Muncy had a nice career at Baylor where he hit .311 with 27 homers. It wasn’t enough to get him very high in the draft however, as he wasn’t taken until the 5th round when the Oakland A’s took him as the 169th overall pick. He hit 25 homers with 100 RBIs during his first full minor league season and became a prospect to keep an eye on for Oakland. Unfortunately, he didn’t hit well with the big league club during two stints in 2015 and 2016, looking like the dreaded Quadruple-A Player. The A’s released him during the end of Spring Training in 2017. He signed a Minor League deal with the Dodgers, earned another shot in the big leagues by 2018 and from there, became one of the premiere power hitters in the game, crushing 35 home runs in ‘18 and 35 again in ‘19. He has made two All Star Teams and already has 144 big league home runs.

14. Brandon Belt - 5th Round

Coming in at #14 is the Captain, Brandon Belt, who was taken in the 5th round of the 2009 Draft out of Texas. He was quickly a mid-season All Star with the High A San Jose Giants. He blasted through the minors all the way to Triple A in his first season, ending the year with a .352 average and 23 home runs across all levels. He was quickly considered a top prospect for the Giants and made his MLB debut in 2011. By 2012 he was a regular and helped the Giants win their second World Series in 3 years. Of course, he was also part of the 2014 World Championship team as well and hit one of the most dramatic homers in Giants history in the NLDS in Washington D.C. with this tie-breaking bomb in the 18th inning. He ended up spending 12 years with the Giants, getting on base consistently while playing phenomenal defense at first base. In 2021, he crushed 29 home runs and helped the Giants win a franchise record 107 games. For the 2023 season, he has signed with the Blue Jays.

13. Chris Bassitt - 16th Round

Up next on the list is a pitcher named Chris Bassitt, who had a 1.62 ERA as a reliever during his Junior year at the University of Akron. He wasn’t taken until the 16th round by the Chicago White Sox. His excellence continued in the Minor Leagues and the organization converted him to a starter. Bassitt made his big league debut in 2014. After that season, the Sox sent him to the A’s along with Marcus Semien, who we may be discussing soon as well. Bassitt went on to be an All Star in Oakland. In 2020, he had a 2.59 ERA. In 2022, Bassitt went 15-9 for the Mets, helping them win over 100 games. After the season, he signed a 3-year, $63 million contract with the Blue Jays. Not bad for a 16th Round Pick.

12. Jake Cronenworth - 7th Round

Just cracking the Top 10 is Jake Cronenworth, who is still very early in his career. He played for the Michigan Wolverines, hitting .338 in his final year with 6 homers. The Tampa Bay Rays took him but not until the 7th round. He hit extremely well for five years in the Rays organization, but before he could make his big league debut, he was traded to the Padres. The Padres thanked the Rays for developing him for them, put him right in their lineup and let him rake as he hit .285 his rookie year, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting. The next season, in 2021, he made his first All Star Team and found his power stroke, crushing 21 homers. He made the All Star Team again in 2022 and drove in a career high 88 runs. He also hit well in the postseason for San Diego and is already a definite great steal as a 7th round pick even though the Rays never took advantage.

11. Brandon Woodruff - 11th Round

Coming up next is pitcher Brandon Woodruff, who was a solid prospect out of High School and was as originally taken in the 5th round by the Rangers but did not sign. His stock fell a bit after struggling at Mississippi State with a 6.75 ERA his Junior Year. The Brewers took him in the 11th round. In 2016, he went 14-9 with a 2.68 between Single and Double-A, becoming a serious pitching prospect for Milwaukee. The next year, he made his big league debut. By 2019, he worked his way to the top of the Brewers rotation, making the All Star Team and going 11-3 with a 3.62 ERA. He made another All Star Team in 2021 and then, in 2022, went 13-4 with a 3.02 ERA. He, along with Corbin Burnes, has become one of the most solid 1-2 punches at the top of a rotation in the game. Burns, by the way, was also a nice steal from the 4th round, but this list is only considering those taken in the 5th and lower.

10. Kyle Hendricks - 8th Round

Next up, we have The Professor, Kyle Hendricks, who was a solid pitcher for the Dartmouth Big Green. He was not considered a huge prospect and not taken until the 8th round by the Texas Rangers. Shortly after his pro career began, the Rangers traded him to the Cubs as part of a trade that sent Ryan Dempster to the Rangers. He quickly turned heads in the Cubs organization, going 13-4 with an even 2 ERA between Double and Triple A. He was promoted to the big leagues the next season and had a stellar rookie year, going 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA. In 2016, he was one of the best in the league, going 16-8 with a 2.13 ERA, then continued to dominate during the postseason, helping the Cubs win their first World Series since Teddy Roosevelt was president. Although he hasn’t repeated his 2016 season, Hendricks has continued to be a staple in the Cubs rotation and is still on their roster for the 2023 season.

9. Joc Pederson - 11th Round

Coming in at #9 is a fantastic steal in the 11st round, taken out of Palo Alto High School, Joc Pederson. He hit extremely well in the minors and after the 2013 season in which he hit 22 home runs, Joc was ranked as the #1 Dodgers Prospect by Baseball America. He became a full time big leaguer in 2015 and made the All Star Team, finishing the season with 26 bombs. His best season came in 2019 when he crushed 36 home runs. He came through for the Dodgers in 2020 and then the Braves in 2021 with some key postseason home runs, helping each team win a World Series. He smashed over 20 home runs again in 2022 for the Giants and now has a 171 career homers as an 11th Round Pick.

8. Marcus Semien - 6th Round

Next up is a huge star in the game named Marcus Semien, who played college ball at Cal. He was a solid prospect, but after hitting .275 his Junior year, his stock dropped a bit and he fell all the way to the 6th round. It was the White Sox who took him and he moved quickly through the minors, earning a promotion in just his third season. In 2014, he got an extended shot in Chicago but hit just .234 with 6 homers in 64 games. It was after this season when the White Sox packaged him up with Chris Bassitt and a couple others to send to Oakland for Jeff Samardzija and Michael Ynoa. The Sox got some value from these players but they certainly lost the trade. Semien became an everyday player in Oakland and crushed 27 homers in 2016. He was an MVP candidate in 2019 when he hit .285 with 33 homers. He has only missed about 8 games in the past 4 years. Before the 2022 season, he signed a 7-year deal worth $175 million with the Rangers.

7. Jeff McNeil - 12th Round

Next up is Squirrel, Jeff McNeil, who didn’t even play baseball during his Senior year at high school because he was focused on golf. He eventually returned to baseball at CSU Long Beach and hit .348 his Junior Year. The Mets took notice and drafted McNeil but not until the 12th round. His hitting ability and incredible speed were immediately noticeable in the minors as he hit .292 in A Ball with 17 steals. The next year, 2015, he hit .308 and was slowly climbing the Mets Top Prospects List. Still, he wasn’t promoted until 2018 as he was tearing up Triple-A with Las Vegas. With New York, he hit .329, finishing 6th for the Rook of the Year. The next year, his bat exploded with 23 bombs and a .318 average. He also made the All Star Team. He led the league with a .326 batting average last year and recently signed a lucrative extension with the Mets. He was an absolutely fantastic steal for the Mets in the 12th Round.

6. Robbie Ray -12th Round

Ray was an elite High School pitcher in the Nasvhille area who went 7-1 with 0.95 ERA during his Senior Year. He was planning to play at Arkansas when the Washington Nationals drafted him 12th round and offered a signing bonus of nearly $800,000, an amount usually allocated for fourth round picks. It was an offer he couldn’t refuse and Ray entered the Minor Leagues. Unlike many players on this list, the minors weren’t always easy for Ray and he struggled in High A, going 4-12 with a 6.56 ERA. The Nationals stuck with him, though, and by 2013 he had completely turned his career around, drastically improving his strikeout stuff and going 11-5 with a 3.36 ERA. With his improved value, the Nats traded him to Detroit, and Ray made his big leauge debut in 2014. He was later traded to the Diamondbacks and after two rough seasons, everything came together in 2017 when he went 15-5 and made the All Star Team. With the Blue Jays in 2021, Ray was one of the best in the game, striking out a league leading 248 batters and taking home the Cy Young Award. In November of 2021, he signed a 5 year, $115 million contract with the Seattle Mariners.

5. Mookie Betts - 5th Round

Although the next player wasn’t taken too insultingly low, I still have to put him very high on the list because Mookie Betts went from a 5th round pick to an American League MVP. He was a fantastic High School athlete and hit .548 with 24 steals his Junior Year. However, he committed to attend Tennessee on a scholarship, which certainly hurt his draft stock. He was taken in the 5th round but offered a $750,000 bonus. He signed with the Red Sox and went on to dominate the minors, hitting .346 in 2014 between Double and Triple A, earning a call up to the big leagues. From there, the rest is history as Betts became one of the greatest players in the game, making the All Star Team every year, winning Gold Glove after Gold Glove and even taking home the MVP in 2018. He helped the Red Sox win a World Series then did the same for the Dodgers in 2020. In his first 9 years, he already has 213 home runs, 6 Gold Gloves, an MVP and a batting title.

4. Josh Hader -19th Round

Moving into the top 3, we have Josh Hader, who makes it this high because he was taken all the way down in the 19th round. Hader went 10-0 with 0.3 ERA in High School, but at that time had a fastball in the mid-80’s. The Orioles took him as the 582nd overall pick and he is just one of the three players from his round to make the big leagues. Hader adjusted his workout routine and increased his velocity dramatically in the Minors. He had a 2.77 ERA in 2013 and made the Single A All Star Team. After the season, he was traded to Houston and continued to pitch well in their system as a starter. In 2016, he was traded to the Brewers and continued to start games in the Minors. However, after he was promoted in 2017, he pitched so well out of the bullpen that Hader became a reliever and won the Reliever of the Year award in 2018 despite not yet being a full time closer. He took over the closer role for good in 2019 and became one of the most dominant in the game. In 2021, he reached 400 strikeouts faster than any pitcher in history innings-wise. He’s already made four All Star Teams and has 131 career saves. He was traded to the Padres in 2022 and after some early struggles, pitched well for them during the postseason.

3. Jacob Degrom - 9th Round

Incredibly, one of the greatest pitchers of his generation was not even selected out of High School and was exclusively a shortstop throughout his first two college seasons. I’m talking about Jacob Degrom, who wasn’t drafted until the 10th Round of the 2010 Draft by the New York Mets. Early in his Minor League career, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery, but came back strong in 2012, going 9-3 with a 2.43 ERA in A Ball. In 2013 The Mets added him to their 40-man Roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. He made his Major League Debut in 2014 and in 22 starts had a 2.69 ERA with 144 strikeouts in 140 innings. DeGrom took home the Rookie of the Year award and went on to become one of MLB’s premiere starters, winning back to back Cy Young awards in 2018 and 2019. He’s made four All Star teams and recently signed a 5-year $185 million deal with the Texas Rangers.

2. J.D. Martinez - 20th Round

Just missing out on #1 is J.D. Martinez, who gets this high not only because he is a 5-time All Star with nearly 300 career home runs, but because he was taken shockingly in the 20th round. He played college baseball at Nova Southeastern University, where he set the school home run record with 32. He was an RBI machine who hit .394 and absolutely should have gone higher in the draft. However, because he went to a Division II school, he wasn’t considered too hot of a prospect and wasn’t taken until the 20th round when he was selected by the Houston Astros. He tore up the minor leagues, hitting well over .330 at each level, until the Astros promoted him in 2011. Unfortunately, he bounced back and forth between the minors and big leagues for the next 3 years until the Astros released him just as he was ready to hit his stride in 2014. He signed with the Tigers and hit .315 with 23 home runs. From there, he only got better, hitting 38 bombs the next season and becoming an All Star. He had his best years, however, in Boston and was instrumental in 2018, hitting 43 bombs with 130 RBIs, leading the team to a World Series ring. He recently signed a $10 million deal to play for the Dodgers in 2023.

1. Paul Goldschmidt - 8th Round

Coming in at #1 on my list of the Top 20 Active MLB Steals is an 8th Round selection named Paul Goldschmidt. He played college ball at Texas State and set Bobcat career records with 36 home runs and 179 RBIs. Still, he wasn’t taken until the 8th round of the ‘09 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Minor Leagues were child’s play for Goldschmidt who crushed 35 home runs in High A with a .314 average. The next year, he had 30 homers in Double-A when the D-Backs promoted him. From there, he became an MLB superstar, making 6 straight All Star teams and twice finishing runner-up for the MVP in Arizona. He hit 36 homers and drove in 125 runs in 2013 and helped the Diamondbacks make the postseason twice. He was later traded to St. Louis, where he won the 2022 MVP award after hitting .317 with 35 bombs. Goldschmidt is one of the best in the game and was a superb steal for the D-backs in the 8th round.

Top 20 MLB Draft STEALS Of ALL TIME

The MLB Draft started in 1965 and was an instant success, allowing every team to have the opportunity to bring elite talent into their organization. The Kansas City Athletics took Rick Monday with the first overall pick and he became an All Star player. However, one of the most intriguing aspects of the draft is that even if a team is picking beyond the first round, you never know when you’ll find a diamond in the rough. The Reds, for example, took a catcher in the 2nd round named Johnny Bench. Sometimes, these amazing finds occur even deeper – much deeper – in the draft and today, we will begin our exploration into the top 20 biggest draft steals of all time. The only criteria is that the pick had to occur outside of the top 5 rounds and this list only contains retired players. Also, of course, the player had to have signed with the team that drafted him. Part 3 of this series will be on the MLB Draft steals for active players. Even if the player found success with a different team than he was drafted by, he will still be considered for this list, even though the team that “stole” him never benefited from the steal. This list will rank these players based on how late they were taken compared to how good they actually became.

Honorable Mention: Robb Nen (Round 32, Overall: 831st)

a young Robb Nen

My honorable mention is the former San Francisco Giant closer Robb Nen, who was a third baseman and pitcher at Los Alamitos High School. He wasn’t valued too highly, but did have some MLB blood as the son of former big leaguer Dick Nenn, and the Rangers took a chance on him in the 32nd Round of the 1987 Draft. He was the 831st overall selection. Of the 25 players picked in the 32nd round that year, only two made the big leagues – Robb Nen and Jim Campbell, who appeared in exactly two career MLB games. Nen worked his way through the minors as a starter and made his MLB debut with the Rangers in 1993. He was injury-pone and ineffective with Texas but after he was traded to the Marlins, he was moved to the bullpen to reduce the stress on his arm, and he found his calling. He racked up over 100 saves for the Marlins and became an elite MLB closer. His dominance in the 1997 postseason helped the Marlins win the World Series. Then, for the next 5 years, he averaged 41 saves per season for the San Francisco Giants. He continued to dominate in the postseason, helping the Giants became National League Champions in 2002. Unfortunately, injuries & surgeries brought his career to an early end but he still managed over 300 saves as a Round 32 pick.

20. Mark Buehrle (Round 38, Overall: 1,139th)

Next up is Mark Buerhle, a pitcher who didn’t even make the team during his sophomore year of High School. He worked hard and became good enough to attend Jefferson College, a community college in Missouri. The White Sox took him in the 38th round with the 1,139th overall pick of 1998 Draft. At this point in the draft, teams are just filling rosters on their minor league affiliates. No one else in that round ever made any kind of impact in the major leagues. Buehrle pitched extremely well in the minors and quickly made the big league club in 2001, where went 16-8 in his first full season with a 3.29 ERA. He 2002, he made the All Star team and won 19 games. The White Sox had struck gold in the 38th round. He went on to make 5 All Star Teams and win 4 gold gloves in addition to 214 big league wins with the White Sox, Marlins and Blue Jays. In 2021, he received 11% of the vote for the Hall of Fame, allowing him to stay on the ballot. He will probably not quite make it into the Hall of Fame, but Mark Buerhle’s story is incredible – he went from getting cut from his High School team to getting picked late in the MLB Draft to winning over 200 MLB games.

19. Jeff Conine (Round 58, Overall: 1,226th)

If getting picked as the 1,139th overall pick sounds bad, how about the 1,226th overall pick? That’s how low Jeff Conine was picked by the Kansas City Royals in the 1987 Draft, a draft that broke a record for the number of draft picks. Most years, Conine would have never even been picked. No one else in the 58th round made it above Low A Ball. The most shocking thing about Conine is that at UCLA, he was a pitcher – and just an average pitcher at that - and he only had one plate appearance as a hitter, when he was hit by a pitch. It was Royals scout Guy Hansen who convinced the Royals to draft him by telling him that this guy could really hit and could be a first baseman. At this point in the draft, the Royals figured why not? No one was expected to pan out anyway. He had no issues at all with minor league pitching and hit .320 in Double A with 15 home runs. In Triple-A, he hit .302 with 20 bombs. The Royals knew they had hit the jackpot and promoted Conine to the majors. Unfortunately for them, the Florida Marlins were an expansion team and snagged up Conine in their inaugural draft, moved him to left field and found their franchise player. He is the only player who was with the Marlins for both their 1997 and 2003 world series championships, although he did play for the Orioles in-between them. He also won an All Star Game MVP Award and retired with over 200 homers and 1,000 RBIs – not bad for a 1,226th overall pick.

18. Jim Edmonds (Round 7, Overall 169th)

Jim Edmonds is a player who was recently highlighted in one of my top Hall of Fame Snubs ranking. Although he should be in the Hall of Fame in my opinion, he is ranked #17 since he wasn’t drafted ridiculously low – but it was still low. He was taken by the California Angels in the 7th round as the 169th overall pick, in-between Bernie Jenkins and Bill St. Peter, neither of whom made it above Double-A. He was considered damaged goods with a shoulder injury in High School, but showed serious promise in the minors by hitting over .290 in High A then over .300 in Double A and Triple A. His defense was also top-notch and the Angels promoted him in 1993. They still weren’t convinced he was in their future plans and signed free agents Bo Jackson and Dwight Smith for the 1994 season. Neverthless, Edmonds forced his way into the lineup and was in Rookie of the Year talks when the season was abruptly ended by the strike. The next year, his bat exploded – Edmonds crushed 33 home runs with 107 RBIs while making ridiculous plays in the outfield. He went on the be an absolute machine for the Cardinals, averaging 35 home runs a year for 6 years. He finished his career with a .284 average, 393 bombs, 8 gold gloves, a silver slugger and 4 All Star selections – representing the 7th round.

17. Fred McGriff (Round 9, Overall: 233rd)

Another huge Hall of Fame Snub who was taken even later than Edmonds is Fred McGriff. He loved the game of baseball as a kid and always hung out around the Reds Spring Training camp in Tampa, Florida. Unfortunately, even in his High School days, Fred McGriff was getting snubbed as he was cut from his Sophomore team. He made the team the next year, although no scouts paid any attention to him – that is, until a few scouts who were checking out Doc Gooden pitch saw this McGriff kid hit a towering home run off Doc. The New York Yankees, with the last pick of the 9th round, decided to go ahead and take a shot at him as the 233rd overall pick. He showed some promise in rookie league by hitting .272 with 9 home runs. Then, figuring they were already good at first base with Don Mattingly, the Yankees let their draft steal go by trading McGriff, along with Dave Collins and Mike Morgan, to the Blue Jays for Dale Murray and Tom Dodd. They should’ve asked for much more. McGriff ended up smashing 20 bombs for the Jays in 1987, then 34 the next year, beginning a streak of 7 straight 30+ home run seasons. In 1990, the Jays also traded McGriff, although they got much better value in return by getting Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar from San Diego, Neverthless, McGriff still put up big numbers with the Padres and then the Braves, who picked him up at the trade deadline in 1993 to help them try to catch the red-hot Giants. He was the spark they needed – literally, as the Braves stadium caught on fire right after the trade, and figuratively – as the Braves won the division that year. In 1995, he helped them win the World Series. McGriff retired with 493 home runs and a .284 batting average and had an absolute Hall of Fame career – despite that fact that he inexplicably was never elected. He did all that and more as a 9th round selection.

16. Kenny Lofton (Round 17, Overall: 428th)

Next up, it was the 1988 MLB Draft and the Houston Astros, with the 428th overall pick, took Kenny Lofton. Only 2 other players in the 7th round made the big leagues and their combined WAR is -2. Lofton was a basketball player for the Arizona Wildcats and played in the Final Four in 1988. It wasn’t until his junior year that he decided to go try out for the baseball team. Although he made the team for his speed and athleticism, he played in just five games and got one at bat. An Astros scout, however, noticed his speed and thought he was worth a shot in the later rounds even though he wasn’t really a baseball player yet. He wasn’t great in his first minor league year with a .214 average but it was a lot better than any one expected, and he stole 26 bases, so they let him play a second season. Everything clicked – Lofton hit .292 and stole 40 bases. The next year, in Double-A, he hit .331 with 62 steals. He was not only showing the incredible speed he was drafted for, he was also a natural with the bat, rarely striking out, putting the ball in play, getting on base and wreaking havoc for the opponent. The Astros decided that since they needed a catcher and already had Steve Finley in centerfield, they would trade Lofton. He was sent to Cleveland for catcher Eddie Taubensee and pitcher Willie Blair. In 1992, Taubensee hit .222 for the Astros and Lofton became a superstar for the Indians. He made 6 straight All Star Teams, led the league in steals for 5 straight years and went on to help the San Francisco Giants win the NL Pennant in 2002. He also won 4 Gold Gloves and even hit 130 home runs. As a non-baseball player who had one college at bat, he is perhaps the most unlikely draft-pick to go on to have what can be considered by many to be a Hall-of-Fame worthy career, although to this day he still hasn’t been elected.

15. Mark Grace (Round 24, Overall: 622nd)

Coming in at #15 is first baseman Mark Grace, who was originally drafted in the 15th round by the Twins, but did not sign. He played at San Diego State University in 1985, hitting .395 with 2 home runs, not showing much power, but an incredibly smooth swing and a solid reliable glove. Apparently, this wasn’t impressive enough for most teams as Grace was passed on round after round after round in the 1985 MLB Draft. Finally, in the 24th round, after the Red Sox took Erik Laseke, it was the Chicago Cubs who selected Mark Grace. He instantly tore up the minor leagues with a .342 average in A ball with an impressive 15 round-trippers. The next year, in Double A, he hit .333 with 17 bombs. The Cubs made him a regular in 1988 and he impressed, hitting .296 and finishing 2nd in the Rookie of the Year voting to Chris Sabo. Grace went on to be a constant producer for the Cubs, consistently hitting well above .300 with moderate power and elite defense. He made 3 all star teams and won 4 gold gloves. In 2001, he signed with the Diamondbacks and helped them their first World Series. Grace hit .329 in his postseason career and retired with .303 batting average and 2445 hits. He led an entire decade in hits and is the only player other than Pete Rose to do so who is not in the Hall of Fame. Not bad for a guy picked in the 15th then 24th round.

14. Orel Hershiser (Round 17, Overall: 440th)

The original scouting report for Orel Hershiser, a relief pitcher for Bowling Green, said that he was rattled easily, had questionable makeup, a weak fastball and a curveball that he didn’t even know how to properly throw. It’s no surprise that it took a team until the 17th round to take him – and that team was the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was taken between Raymond Alonzo and Rob Teegarden – who both made it to Double A and no higher. The only other notable pick in Hershiser’s round was a decent steal himself, current Rockies manager Bud Black. Hershiser worked his way through the minors and looked halfway decent, but nothing extraordinary. He struggled in the big leagues and after one particular rough appearance, manager Tommy Lasorda gave him a scolding he would never forget, telling him he was too nice on the mound and needed to be a bulldog. The nickname stuck and the Bulldog went on to go 19-3 in 1985, finishing 3rd for the Cy Young. In 1988, he was even better, winning the Cy Young and going 23-8 while leading the Dodgers to a World Series Title. He threw a mind-blowing 59 consecutive scoreless innings, an MLB record. Later, with the Indians, he went 16-6 and led the team to their first postseason appearance in 41 years. He also pitched for the Giants and Mets before returning to the Dodgers for his last season. Hershiser won 204 games, a Cy Young, Gold Glove, ALCS MVP, NLCS MVP, World Series MVP and Silver Slugger. So much for a 17th round pick with questionable makeup. Unfortunately, Hershiser has yet to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

13. Ozzie Smith (Round 7, Overall 146th)

Ozzie Smith

Next up, we have a 7th round pick who has made it into Cooperstown, and it is the Wizard, Ozzie Smith, the 146th overall pick in the 1976 draft. Smith was a big baseball fan as a kid and played both basketball and baseball in High School. He attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for college and walked on to the baseball team as a backup infielder. When the regular shortstop broke his leg, Smith took over and impressed with amazing defense, blazing speed and a solid bat. After his junior year, the Tigers took him in the 7th round but they couldn’t agree on a bonus. The Tigers missed out on Ozzie Smith over $1,500. The next year, the Padres drafted him again in the 7th and he signed. He dazzled in the minors with the glove and the bat and was quickly promoted, where he established himself as one of the best defenders in the game. Just 10 games into his career, he made one of the most spectacular plays ever caught on video with a dive on a ball going up the middle that took a bad hop. Smith somehow snagged it with his bare hand and threw the runner out. Later, because of some animosity between the Padres and Smith’s agent, San Diego dealt Smith to the Cardinals for Garry Templeton, who the Cardinals were all too ready to get rid of due to fans booing him for his lackadaisical style of play and body language. The rest is history of course as Smith became a Cardinals legend, winning 13 gold gloves and making 15 total All Star games, one of which was with the Padres in 1981. He was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first ballot.

12. Wade Boggs (Round 7, Overall 166th)

Amazingly, that 1976 7th round also produced another Hall of Famer, Wade Boggs. He is higher on this list, however as he was taken as the 166th pick, 22 picks after Ozzie. Boggs was an All-State football player in High School and earned a scholarship to the University of South Carolina. He also played baseball, but was exactly a hot name in the draft. It was likely no MLB team would take him if not for a scout named George Digby who fought hard for the Red Sox to draft this kid, who he said had an incredibly smooth swing. The Red Sox front office didn’t think he had MLB talent, but what the heck – it was the 7th round, so they took Digby’s advice. As a prospect that the Red Sox didn’t consider a future big leaguer, they were slow to move him up the minor league ladder. However, they couldn't ignore his stats – .332 batting average in A ball, .325 in Double-A, .335 in Triple-A. This guy was absolute hitting machine, but could he did at the big league level? We all know the answer. Boggs hit .349 in his rookie year and followed it up by leading the league with a .361 average and .444 on-base percentage. He never stopped hitting. Boggs led the league in batting average 5 out of 6 seasons at one point and made 12 All Star Teams. He also played solid defense, taking home 2 gold gloves. He finished his career with over 3,000 hits, a .328 average and even smashed 24 home runs in 1987. He was a first ballot shoe-in Hall of Famer and is one of the best pure hitters to ever play the game. He did it all as a 7th round pick.

11. Jim Thome (Round 13, Overall: 333rd)

Next up, the biggest steal in Part 1 of this list, is Jim Thome, a Hall-of-Famer who was taken in the 13th round and 333rd overall. Only 1 other player, Mike Oquist, made the big leagues from this round. In High School, Thome was considered underweight and lacking in potential. No team drafted him. Then, at a community college, he showed a bit more promise and, as basically an afterthought, the Indians drafted him in the 13th round. No one would have batted an eye if he washed out of the minor leagues after one or two seasons. Instead, he hit .340 in A ball with 16 home runs. Then, the next season, between double A and Triple A, he hit .319 and drove in 73 runs. The Indians took serious notice at this point and brought him to the big leagues, where he hit .255 in his first 27 games. He still wasn’t considered a massive prospect and bounced back and forth from Triple A to MLB for a few years until he smashed 20 home runs in 1994 and earned a permanent spot in the lineup. By 1997, he was a superstar, with 40 bombs that year and an OPS over 1.000. He led the league with 120 RBIs and didn’t slow down from there, driving in over 100 runs for 7 of the next 9 years. In 2003 with Philadelphia, he hit a career high 47 home runs and retired with an astonishing 612, becoming the 8th player of the 600 home-run club. He received 89.8% of the vote in his first year on the ballot. Jim Thome went from a skinny undrafted High School kid to a 13th round minor league roster filler to a no doubt first ballot Hall of Famer.

10. Andre Dawson (Round 11, Overall: 250th)

Andre Dawson with the Expos

Just cracking the top 10 is a Hall-of-Famer who scouts had absolutely no interest in during his High School days. He went on to take out some student loans so he could go to college, attending Florida A&M University. Dawson tried out for the baseball team and made it, eventually becoming a regular who showed definite talent. It was enough talent that the Expos took notice and drafted Dawson in the 11th round, 250th overall. He took the minor leagues by storm with a .330 batting average and 13 homers in just 72 games in rookie ball. He was sent to Double-A the next year and crushed everything. So, he was moved up to Triple-A. He tore up both leagues with a .352 average and 28 home runs in 1976. The Expos had a winning lotto ticket and they knew what to do with it. From 1977 onward, Dawson would be in the Expos lineup every day. He hit .282 that year with 19 home runs and won the Rookie of the Year Award. He started making All Star teams, winning gold gloves and becoming an absolute superstar. He eventually signed with the Cubs to get away from the artificial turf in Montreal and crushed 49 home runs in 1987, winning the MVP. He also played for the Red Sox and Marlins, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2010 wearing a Montreal Expos cap on the plaque. He was also the first Marlins player elected to the Hall of Fame. It’s a good thing Dawson decided to go to college and walk on to the Florida A&M baseball squad.

9. Jeff Kent (Round 20, Overall: 523rd)

a young Jeff Kent

The next draft steal is Jeff Kent, who was taken in the 20th round of the 1989 MLB Draft. Kent was a college player at U.C. Berkley who had a great year in 1987 with a .349 average but showed a huge decline the next year, hitting just .193 in 1988 with 4 home runs. His 8 career college home runs didn’t spark much interest in him as a power hitter, but there was enough there that the Blue Jays took a waiver on him in the 20th round. He ended up being a decent minor league hitter, moving up slowly through the system and making his big league debut in 1992. He hit .239 with 11 home runs. With a reputation as a decent hitting infielder with at least a little pop, the Jays traded him to the Mets for David Cone. His power started really coming around in 1993 when he hit 21 home runs. He proved that he was a real big leaguer in New York. Later, he was traded to the Indians. However, it was in San Francisco where his career really took off. I know this from experience – Giants fans were not happy with the trade that brought Jeff Kent to the bay area, as it resulted in the loss of Matt Williams. However, we got it over it quickly as Kent hit 29 home runs in 1997, then 31 in 1998, finishing in the Top 10 for MVP both years. In 2000, he had a phenomenal season, beating out his teammate Barry Bonds for the MVP by hitting 33 bombs while batting .334. He was also, or at least we thought so at the time, a great fielder as well despite the advanced stats not agreeing with that. Kent went on to hit more home runs than any second baseman in the history of the game. He should have a plaque in Cooperstown, but as of now, it hasn’t happened. Kent, as a 20th round and 523rd overall pick, comes at #9 in my list of the Top MLB Draft Steals of all time.

8. Andy Pettite (Round 22, Overall: 577th)

Coming in at #8 is Andy Pettite, who was taken even lower – in the 22nd round and 577th overall. His fastball clocked in at about 85 MPH in High School and he wasn’t expected to do much, but teams have to fill their minor league rosters, so the Yankees took him right after the Dodgers snagged Mike Rocobaldo. Pettite’s fastball must’ve hit puberty right before his pro career began as he struck out 83 batters in 69 innings in his first minor league season. He continued to dominate the next year with a 2.2 ERA in A Ball. The Yankees moved him through the system slowly, noticing that he continued to dominate at each level. In 1995, after allowing zero runs in 2 Triple-A starts, they brought him up and put him in the rotation. He went 12-9 and finished 3rd for the rookie of the year. The next year, he broke through completely with a 21-8 record, finishing second in the Cy Young voting. He would be a mainstay in the Yankees rotation through 2003 when he went to Houston for three years then came back to the Yankees, where he helped them win it all in 2009. Pettite retired with an 19-11 postseason record and 256-153 regular season record. He is a borderline Hall of Fame case, but considering he was picked 577th in the draft and played nearly his entire career for the Bronx Bombers, Andy Pettite is a huge draft steal.

7. Don Mattingly (Round 19, Overall: 493rd)

Amazingly, Andy Pettite isn’t even the Yankees biggest steal on this list. Next up is a 19th round pick named Don Mattingly. However, unlike many of this list, Mattingly was a big name during his High School career and had many MLB teams interested in his services. He hit .463 in High School and set multiple High School records that stand to this day. The only reason he fell all the way to the 19th round is that he accepted a scholarship to play college ball at Indiana State. His father told MLB teams to not bother drafting him, because he was going to honor his commitment. The Yankees were smart to try anyway and they did so with the 493rd pick. Mattingly wanted to play pro ball right away and, despite his father’s wishes, he signed with the Yanks. Mattingly was actually disappointed with his minor league performance in his first year, which resulted in a .349 batting average and .932 OPS. He was a star in the making and eventually became one of the premiere players in Major League Baseball, dominating the mid-to-late eighties. Even his power showed up in a big way when he crushed 35 bombs in 1985. Mattingly made 6 straight All Star teams, won an MVP and played flawless defense at first, winning 9 Gold Gloves. Injuries slowed him down, and he eventually had to retire relatively early, but Donnie Baseball absolutely should be in the Hall of Fame and, I am confident in saying, will be someday. The Yankees had a massive steal by taking a gamble that he would sign by drafting him in the 19th round way back in 1979.

6. Ryne Sandberg (Round 20, Overall: 511th)

Coming in at #6 in my Top 10 MLB Draft Steals of all time is Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg. Like Mattingly, he wasn’t a nobody in High School, in fact, he was a three-sport star and was so good at football, that several Division I colleges tried to recruit him. Sandberg eventually signed a letter of intent to play quarterback at Washington State University, which explains why he didn’t go higher in the MLB Draft. Nevertheless, the Phillies took a shot at him in the 20th round as the 511th overall selection. To their delight, Sandberg decided to forgo college football and signed to play pro baseball with the Phillies organization. Only one of the other 22 players drafted in the 20th round that year ever played major league baseball – and it was a guy named Pat Rooney, who went 0 for 5 with 3 strikeouts in his big league career. Sandberg hit .311 in his first year at rookie ball, then moved through minors at an appropriate pace, playing at each level for one season. In 1981 in Triple A with the Oklahoma City 89ers, he hit .293 but hit just 9 homers – he was never much of a power hitter in the minors. The Phillies brought him up to make his big league debut. He went 1-for-6. Later that offesason, Cubs GM Dallas Green had his eye on Sandberg and convinced them to include him in a trade that primarily involved Larry Bowa and Ivan DeJesus. Sandberg, who was obviously a nice player in the minors but never showed insane potential, was just an extra chip in the trade. He went on to have a Hall of Fame career, winning the MVP in 1984, making 10 All Star teams and winning 9 Gold Gloves. In 1984, he also played in what became known as the “Sandberg Game,” a nationally televised game in which Sandberg hit two dramatic late-game home runs, putting himself on the map as a genuine MLB star. The Phillies never benefited from their amazing draft pick, taking a Hall of Famer in the 20th round.

5. Keith Hernandez (Round 41, Overall: 785th)

At #5 we have a player who I believe should be in the Hall of Fame, and was taken in the 41st round. His name is Keith Hernandez. He was not heavily recruited in High School after he sat out his entire senior year due to behavioral issues and arguments with his coach. He ended up attending a local community college and was surprisingly drafted, albeit very late in the draft. The St. Louis Cardinals took Hernandez as the 785th overall pick, and he was the only player in the 41st round to make the major leagues and the lowest pick in the entire 1971 draft to make the major leagues. He hit just well enough in the minors to stick around for a couple years until 1974 when, in Triple A, he had a breakout year. Hernandez hit .351 with 14 home runs for the Tulsa Oilers, forcing the Cardinals to bring him up. In 14 games at the big league level, he hit .294 with a .415 on-base-percentage. They put him in Triple A the next year and he just continued to tear up minor league pitching, leading the Cards to finally put him the lineup as an everyday player and he didn’t disappoint. In 1978, he won his first gold glove and in 1979, he won the MVP, hitting a league-leading .344 with 48 doubles. He helped his team win the World Series in 1982 and won gold glove after gold glove while hitting like an absolute machine. Eventually, due to arguments with the Cardinals management, he was traded to the Mets, where he continuously hit over .300 while playing flawless defense. He also helped them win a championship in the famous 1986 season. All told, Hernandez won 11 gold gloves, an MVP, 2 world series and retired with a .296 batting average and 426 doubles. His absence from the hall of fame is, in my opinion, an absolute travesty. He did it all as a 41st round draft pick.

4. John Smoltz (Round 22, Overall: 574th)

He was the last pick in the 22nd round of 1985 and the only pick of the round to do anything significant in the big leagues – John Smoltz. The team that gets credit for the pick is the Tigers, the team Smoltz rooted for as a kid from Detroit. Smoltz was an All-State player in High School but apparently not good enough for most MLB teams. With the Tigers organization in A ball, he showed some talent but nothing special, going 7-8 with a 3.56 ERA. The next year between Double-A and Triple-A, he went 4-11 with a 5.73 ERA. His strikeout stuff was nothing spectacular and The Tigers, who needed immediate starting pitching help, shipped him to Atlanta for Doyle Alexander. If I had a youtube channel at the time, I would’ve probably said the Tigers won that deal, picking up a veteran starter to help them while the Braves get this terrible minor leaguer who will wash out of pro ball within a year. I would’ve been wrong. Credit goes to Braves scout John Hagemann, who convinced the Braves to trade for Smoltz and told Bobby Cox that Smoltz had the best right handed arm he had ever seen. Smoltz went 10-5 for the Richmond Braves Triple-A team with a 2.79 ERA and was promoted to the big leagues. The next year, he was an All Star, going 12-11 with a 2.94 ERA. He went on to show the world what he could do, standing toe to toe with his childhood hero, Jack Morris, in the 1991 World Series. In 1996, he won the Cy Young after going 24-8. Later, he even became an elite closer, saving 55 games for the Braves in 2002. The 8-time All Star was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 2015.

3. Albert Pujols (Round 13, Overall: 402nd)

A young Alert Pujols

Coming in at #3 is the recently retired, future Hall-of-Famer Albert Pujols. Pujols was born in the Dominican Republican and moved to U.S. in 1996. He was a strong player in High School but went undrafted. He attended Maple Woods Community College in Missouri and hit .461 with 22 home runs as a freshman. Teams were still wary of drafting him, because they weren’t sure of his real age and ideal position. It was the St. Louis Cardinals who decided to take him, but not until the 13th round and 402nd overall pick. 401 times, teams passed on Albert Pujols. The Cardinals themselves were slow to take him, as their picks from the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th rounds never made the big leagues. But at least they finally made the move and it paid off immediately. Pujols blasted through all levels of the minors in one season, then made the Opening Day roster in 2001. He was an instant star, hitting 37 home runs with 130 RBIs, taking home the Rookie of the Year award and a Silver Slugger. He made the All Star team in his first big league season. From there, he became one of the best sluggers in the game, routinely topping 40 home runs and leading the league in multiple offensive categories. Pujols helped the Cardinals win two World Series before signing with the Angels, where he started to decline a bit but continued to display amazing power including 40 bombs in 2015. He also played for the Dodgers in 2021 before returning to the Cards for one last year in 2022 when he .270 with 24 bombs, topping 700 career home runs and cementing himself as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. The Cardinals not only had an amazing steal in 13th round, but they took full advantage of it as well as Pujols will undoubtedly wear a Cardinals hat on his plaque in the Hall of Fame.

2. Nolan Ryan (Round 12, Overall: 226th)

Nolan Ryan as a young pitcher

Coming in at #2 as the 2nd biggest steal of all time in the MLB Draft is the Ryan Express – Nolan Ryan. He was a feared arm in High School, 19-3 including one 7-inning game when every single out of the game was recorded via the strikeout. Hitters would refuse to even bat against him for fear of being struck by the awesome fastball that was already likely hitting the mid-to-high 90’s. A New York Mets scout saw Ryan pitch and told the Mets he had the best arm he had seen in his entire life. Still, for whatever reason, teams didn’t draft him. Even the Mets avoided him all the way up until the final pick of the 12th round. Ryan was taken as the 226th overall pick and of the 20 players picked in the 12th round, he was the only one to make the big leagues. In 1966, he went 17-4 with a 2.36 ERA between Single and Double A, but the stat that was most impressive was 307 strikeouts in 202 innings. At this time, this kind of strikeout rate was unheard of. Ryan was promoted and had mixed success in the big leagues at first, although he showed signs of greatness, such as tying a Mets record with 15 strikeouts in a game. After he was shipped to the Angels in 1971 offseason, Ryan’s career really took off as he started winning around 20 games per season with ridiculous strikeout rates. He started throwing no-hitters, making All Star teams, and became a superstar. Later, he also pitched for the Astros and Rangers. He ended up with a major league record 5,714 strikeouts and 7 no-hitters. Nolan Ryan is an absolute legend and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999, receiving over 98% of the vote. What an amazing steal by the Mets as the 226th overall pick.

1. Mike Piazza (Round 62, Overall: 1,390th)

Mike Pizza had is breakout year with the Bakersfield Dodgers

But my #1 Draft Steal of all time has to go to the lowest pick in this entire video series – he was taken with the 1,390th pick of the 1988 MLB Draft – Mike Piazza. No one else in the 62nd round – nor any one in 61st round for that matter, ever touched the big leagues. Piazza was a community college player who had some connections with his father, who knew Tommy Lasorda. His father asked Tommy, as a favor, if he could get the Dodgers to draft Piazza. They did so in the 62nd round and Lasorda asked Piazza to switch positions from first base to catcher to help him have a better chance to maybe reach the majors someday. In his first year in Low A, he hit .268 with 8 homers, good enough to stick around for another year. In High A, he hit .250 with 6 homers. Still not too bad, and the Dodgers gave him another season in High A ball in 1991, where, with the Bakersfield Dodgers, he broke through. Piazza opened eyes with 29 home runs and a .277 average. The next year, between Double A and Triple A, he kept raking and the Dodgers promoted him. In 1993, Piazza won the Rookie of the Year Award and crushed 35 home runs with a .318 batting average. They had a bonafide superstar on their hands. He made 10 consecutive All Star teams and became the best hitting catcher in baseball. In 1998, he was traded to the Marlins, who quickly sent him to the Mets, where he hit one of the most memorable home runs in recent memory with a game winning bomb in the first game played after 9/11. He later played for the Padres and A’s and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016. Piazza gets #1 on this not because he was the greatest player but because he was a Hall-of-Famer who was taken lower than any one else on the list – 1,390th overall and even then, because of a favor requested by his dad.

And that does it for the Top 20 MLB Draft Steals of all time, an absolutely amazing list and one of the biggest reasons I’m always excited for the MLB Draft regardless of how low my favorite team is picking. You never know who will make an impact or even who will become an absolute superstar and maybe even a Hall of Famer. Have a wonderful day ladies and gentlemen and make sure to comment below any other great players who were picked very low in the draft who may have not made my Top 20.