It’s time to start discussing what the future of the franchise might look like.
The MLB First Year Player Draft will be held in two weeks, on July 13-14. Unlike some recent years, there is a bit less to be excited for with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Having just missed the playoffs by a single loss in 2024, the Diamondbacks are picking in the lower half of this season’s draft. Furthermore, they are drafting without any extra cash in the draft pool. That means they’ll be more heavily incentivized to stay in their depth in the first round instead of trying to reach a bit higher than they should. In fact, the team will be entering this season’s draft with substantially less money than they would have had available had they not elected to sign Corbin Burnes, who may not throw a competitive pitch for Arizona again until 2027. That loss of second round draft pool funds means that there will be precious little wiggle room or room for error in this season’s draft.
Bonus pools by team
Mariners: $17,074,400
Rays: $16,699,400
Angels: $16,656,400
Nationals: $16,597,800
Orioles: $16,513,100
Rockies: $15,723,400
Marlins: $15,187,400
Cardinals: $14,238,300
Pirates: $14,088,400
Brewers: $13,138,100
Royals: $12,794,700
Twins: $12,653,000
Red Sox: $12,409,300
White Sox: $12,169,100
Reds: $11,836,800
Rangers: $10,991,300
Tigers: $10,990,800
Diamondbacks: $10,917,800
Athletics: $10,563,500
Blue Jays: $10,314,600
Guardians: $10,198,100
Cubs: $9,636,800
Braves: $9,081,100
Dodgers: $9,031,300
Giants: $8,403,300
Phillies: $7,849,400
Astros: $7,181,500
Padres: $6,569,100
Mets: $5,465,900
Yankees: $5,383,600
To put the Diamondbacks’ draft pool into perspective, last season the Diamondbacks forfeited no draft picks or bonus pool money and were left drafting #29 as a result of being runners-up in the 2023 World Series. That allowed them to drop $3,087,000 on Slade Caldwell. This season, that total would comprise nearly a third of their draft bonus pool, or almost the same as they received for losing Christian Walker. The loss of the second round draft pool money is not an insignificant hit and further exacerbates the troubles caused by Corbin Burnes needing Tommy John surgery.
That does not mean that the draft is entirely irrelevant this year though. Over the next week, the Pit will be examining the draft position of the Diamondbacks and will analyze the different potential approaches that Mike Hazen and his draft team might make to answer some of the needs the organization has.
Today’s coverage is a general introduction to this season’s draft.
First round
The Dodgers, Mets and Yankees receive a 10-pick penalty on their first picks for exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the Competitive Balance Tax.
1. Washington Nationals
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Colorado Rockies
5. St. Louis Cardinals
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
7. Miami Marlins
8. Toronto Blue Jays
9. Cincinnati Reds
10. Chicago White Sox
11. Athletics
12. Texas Rangers
13. San Francisco Giants
14. Tampa Bay Rays
15. Boston Red Sox
16. Minnesota Twins
17. Chicago Cubs
18. Arizona Diamondbacks ($4,581,900)
19. Baltimore Orioles
20. Milwaukee Brewers
21. Houston Astros
22. Atlanta Braves
23. Kansas City Royals
24. Detroit Tigers
25. San Diego Padres
26. Philadelphia Phillies
27. Cleveland Guardians
Prospect Promotion Incentive picks
28. Kansas City Royals
Compensation picks
29. Arizona Diamondbacks ($3,191,100) (for losing Christian Walker after tendering a Qualifying Offer)
30. Baltimore Orioles
31. Baltimore Orioles
32. Milwaukee Brewers
Competitive balance round A
All teams that have either one of the 10 smallest markets or 10 smallest revenue pools receive an additional pick at the end of the first or second round. The groups of teams alternate between the two rounds each year.
Competitive Balance picks may be traded and are not subject to forfeiture. However, Competitive Balance picks acquired by another club in a trade are subject to forfeiture.
The Dodgers, Mets and Yankees each received a 10-pick penalty on their first picks for exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the Competitive Balance Tax, meaning their first picks will occur in Competitive Balance Round A.
33. Boston Red Sox
34. Detroit Tigers (Acquired from the Brewers in the trade for Quinn Priester.)
35. Seattle Mariners
36. Minnesota Twins
37. Tampa Bay Rays
38. New York Mets
39. New York Yankees
40. Los Angeles Dodgers
41. Los Angeles Dodgers (Acquired from the Reds in the trade for Gavin Lux.)
42. Tampa Bay Rays (Acquired from the Athletics in the trade for Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez.)
43. Miami Marlins
Second round
The Astros, Blue Jays, D-backs, Giants, Mets, Padres, Red Sox and Yankees forfeited their second-round selections as a result of signing free agents who had received qualifying offers.
44. Chicago White Sox
45. Colorado Rockies
46. Miami Marlins
47. Los Angeles Angels
48. Athletics
49. Washington Nationals
50. Pittsburgh Pirates
51. Cincinnati Reds
52. Texas Rangers
53. Tampa Bay Rays
54. Minnesota Twins
55. St. Louis Cardinals
56. Chicago Cubs
57. Seattle Mariners
58. Baltimore Orioles
59. Milwaukee Brewers
60. Atlanta Braves
61. Kansas City Royals
62. Detroit Tigers
63. Philadelphia Phillies
64. Cleveland Guardians
65. Los Angeles Dodgers
Competitive balance round B
66. Cleveland Guardians
67. Tampa Bay Rays (Compensation for unsigned 2024 No. 66 overall pick Tyler Bell.)
68. Milwaukee Brewers (Compensation for unsigned 2024 No. 67 overall pick Chris Levonas.)
69. Baltimore Orioles
70. Cleveland Guardians (Acquired from the D-backs in the trade for Josh Naylor.)
71. Kansas City Royals
72. St. Louis Cardinals
73. Pittsburgh Pirates
74. Colorado Rockies
Compensation picks
If a team that loses a qualifying free agent does not receive revenue sharing and did not exceed the luxury-tax salary threshold the previous season, it is awarded a compensatory pick after Competitive Balance Round B.
75. Boston Red Sox (Compensation for Nick Pivetta. The Padres forfeited their second-round pick for signing Pivetta.)
Third round
76. Chicago White Sox
77. Colorado Rockies
78. Miami Marlins
79. Los Angeles Angels
80. Washington Nationals
81. Toronto Blue Jays
82. Pittsburgh Pirates
83. Cincinnati Reds
84. Texas Rangers
85. San Francisco Giants
86. Tampa Bay Rays
87. Boston Red Sox
88. Minnesota Twins
89. St. Louis Cardinals
90. Chicago Cubs
91. Seattle Mariners
92. Arizona Diamondbacks ($839,100)
93. Baltimore Orioles
94. Milwaukee Brewers
95. Houston Astros
96. Atlanta Braves
97. Kansas City Royals
98. Detroit Tigers
99. San Diego Padres
100. Philadelphia Phillies
101. Cleveland Guardians
102. New York Mets
103. New York Yankees
104. Los Angeles Dodgers
Compensation picks
105. Los Angeles Angels
Fourth round
106. Chicago White Sox
107. Colorado Rockies
108. Miami Marlins
109. Los Angeles Angels
110. Athletics
111. Washington Nationals
112. Toronto Blue Jays
113. Pittsburgh Pirates
114. Cincinnati Reds
115. Texas Rangers
116. San Francisco Giants
117. Tampa Bay Rays
118. Boston Red Sox
119. Minnesota Twins
120. St. Louis Cardinals
121. Chicago Cubs
122. Seattle Mariners
123. Arizona Diamondbacks ($611,300)
124. Baltimore Orioles
125. Milwaukee Brewers
126. Houston Astros
127. Atlanta Braves
128. Kansas City Royals
129. Detroit Tigers
130. San Diego Padres
131. Philadelphia Phillies
132. Cleveland Guardians
133. New York Mets
134.New York Yankees
135. Los Angeles Dodgers
Compensation picks
136. Atlanta Braves
Fifth round
137. Chicago White Sox
138. Colorado Rockies
139. Miami Marlins
140. Los Angeles Angels
141. Athletics
142. Washington Nationals
143. Toronto Blue Jays
144. Pittsburgh Pirates
145. Cincinnati Reds
146. Texas Rangers
147. Tampa Bay Rays
148. Boston Red Sox
149. Minnesota Twins
150. St. Louis Cardinals
151. Chicago Cubs
152. Seattle Mariners
153. Arizona Diamondbacks ($456,400)
154. Baltimore Orioles
155. Milwaukee Brewers
156. Houston Astros
157. Atlanta Braves
158. Kansas City Royals
159. Detroit Tigers
160. San Diego Padres
161. Philadelphia Phillies
162. Cleveland Guardians
163. New York Mets
164. New York Yankees
165. Los Angeles Dodgers
Remaining rounds
Chicago White Sox
Los Angeles Angels
Toronto Blue Jays
Texas Rangers
Boston Red Sox
Chicago Cubs
Baltimore Orioles
Atlanta Braves
San Diego Padres
New York Mets
Colorado Rockies
Athletics
Pittsburgh Pirates
San Francisco Giants
Minnesota Twins
Seattle Mariners
Milwaukee Brewers
Kansas City Royals
Philadelphia Phillies
New York Yankees
Miami Marlins
Washington Nationals
Cincinnati Reds
Tampa Bay Rays
St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Diamondbacks
Houston Astros
Detroit Tigers
Cleveland Guardians
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Diamondbacks will pick at the following slots (with associated bonus amounts)
183. $350,200
213. $274,100
243. $243,100
273. $200,800
303. $189,800
In our next installment of this series, we will examine the talent pool of this draft and what it might do for determining Arizona’s draft strategy this season.