2019 MLB Draft Order Set

UPDATE: Competitive Balance round picks set.

With the National League Central and West division tie-breaker games completed, the 2019 MLB Draft order is largely set, though the Orioles secured their first overall pick since 1989 with a league-worst, 47-115 regular season record.

With the draft order determined by the inverse of the regular season rankings, the first round order is as follows:

1. Orioles (47-115)
2. Royals (58-104)
3. White Sox (62-100)
4. Marlins (63-98)
5. Tigers (64-98)
6. Padres (66-96)
7. Reds (67-95)
8. Rangers (67-95)
9. Braves (compensation for not signing Carter Stewart with the No. 8 pick in 2018)
10. Giants (73-89)
11. Blue Jays (73-89)
12. Mets (77-85)
13. Twins (78-84)
14. Phillies (80-82)
15. Angels (80-82)
16. D-backs (82-80)
17. Nationals (82-80)
18. Pirates (82-79)
19. Cardinals (88-74)
20. Mariners (89-73)
21. Braves (90-72)
22. Rays (90-72)
23. Rockies (91-72)
24. Indians (91-71)
25. Dodgers (92-71)
26. D-backs (compensation for not signing Matt McLain with the No. 25 pick in 2018)
27. Cubs (95-68)
28. Brewers (96-67)
29. Athletics (97-65)
30. Yankees (100-62)
31. Dodgers (compensation for not signing J.T. Ginn with the No. 30 pick in 2018)
32. Astros (103-59)
33. Red Sox (108-54)

Supplemental 1st Round

34. Marlins
35. Rays
36. Reds
37. Pirates (Compensation for not signing Gunnar Hoglund with the No. 36 pick in 2018)
38. Athletics
39. Brewers
40. Twins

Supplemental 2nd Round

71. Royals
72. Orioles
73. Pirates
74. Padres
75. Diamondbacks
76. Rockies
77. Indians
78. Cardinals

The last time the Orioles had the No. 1 overall pick, the team selected righthander Ben McDonald, who went on to a nine-year MLB career with a 3.98 ERA. Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman and Colleyville (Texas) High shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. are two of the favorites to become the first overall of the 2019 draft at the current moment. Whoever Baltimore decides on next June will become a pivotal prospect as the Orioles attempt to rebuild their entire organization after trading away former No. 3 overall pick and franchise player Manny Machado this season.

The Royals get the second overall pick after finishing with a .558 winning percentage. Kansas City opted to draft heavily in the college pitching demographic last year, with their selecting pitchers from four-year universities with eight of their first 10 selections, including four among the first 40 picks. The 2019 class doesn’t appear to be as deep on the mound as a loaded 2018 class, but college southpaws Graeme Stinson (Duke) and Zack Thompson (Kentucky), could be intriguing options, as could prep righthanders Brennan Malone (IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.) and Daniel Espino (Bulloch Academy, Statesboro, Ga.) if the team wanted to return to a previously unsuccessful prep pitching strategy.

The White Sox round out the top three and will pick within the top 12 for the fifth time in the last six years. Chicago has leaned towards college hitters with their first pick in recent years, selecting Oregon State 2B Nick Madrigal with the fourth overall selection in 2018, Missouri State 3B Jake Burger at No. 11 in 2017 and Miami C Zack Collins at No. 10 in 2016. There should be a number of intriguing college bats to choose from here outside of Rutschman, including Baylor C Shea Langeliers, California 1B Andrew Vaughn, Texas Tech 3B Josh Jung and Auburn SS Will Holland.

The Braves, D-backs and Dodgers each have multiple first-round picks after failing to sign their first round selections during the 2018 draft. In these scenarios, teams are given a pick in the following draft one spot behind the selection where they failed to come to terms with a player—i.e. the Braves failed to sign prep RHP Carter Stewart with the eighth pick of the 2018 draft and are given the ninth pick of the 2019 draft.