MLB’s first draft lottery was broadcast live from the winter meetings in San Diego by MLB Network on Tuesday night. As in the weighted lottery systems used in professional basketball and hockey, teams with the worst records from the previous season had the highest probability of getting high picks.
The top six spots in the first round have been determined. It’s the most of any major sport. The NBA lottery covers four spots, while the NHL covers two. The NFL does not hold a draft lottery, so the team with the worst record always picks first.
In other words, the team with the worst record in MLB could end up picking up to seventh place in the first round of next year’s draft.
Odds ranged from 16.5% for the teams with the three worst records (Nationals, A’s, Pirates) to 0.2% for the team with the best record among non-playoff clubs. The numbers in parentheses indicate where the teams ranked in the lottery odds.
Baseball America’s JJ Cooper was the designated pool reporter in the room during the drawing process.
Here are the full results:
1. Pirates (T-1)
2. Nationals (T-1)
3. Tigers (6)
4. Rangers (7)
5. Twins (13)
6.A (T-1)
7. Reds (4)
8. Royals (5)
9. Rockies (8)
10. Marlins (9)
11. Angels (10)
12. D-back (11)
13. Cubs (12)
14.Red Sox (14)
15. White Sox (15)
16. Giants (16)
17. Orioles (17)
18. Brewers (18)
