On their way to this year’s postseason, the Braves tore down and rebuilt, a process that produced the dividends of top-10 selections in the past three MLB drafts.
That won’t end just because the team won the National League East this season. Instead, the Braves own the No. 9 pick in the June 2019 draft.
The Braves held the No. 8 pick in the draft this year and chose Carter Stewart, a high school pitcher from Florida. Stewart and the Braves failed to agree on contract terms before the deadline, so the Braves lost him, but as compensation, the team was given the No. 9 pick.
Because of their record this season, the Braves will own the No. 21 selection. They finished the tied for No. 21 with the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Braves defeated the Rays in three of their four meetings, but the tiebreaker is last season’s standings. In 2017, the Braves finished 72-90 and the Rays 80-82.
The Braves selected in the top 10 in each of the past three drafts, selecting Ian Anderson at No. 3 in 2016, Kyle Wright at No. 5 in 2017 and Stewart this year.
There are 12 first-round picks on the Braves’ 40-man roster. They are Nick Markakis (7th, Orioles, 2003), Charlie Culberson (51st, Giants, 2007), Ryan Flaherty (41st, Cubs, 2008), Mike Foltynewicz (19th, Astros, 2010) Jesse Biddle (27th, Phillies, 2010), Luke Jackson (45th, Rangers, 2010), Kevin Gausman (4th, Orioles, 2012), Max Fried (7th, Padres, 2012), Sean Newcomb (15th, Angels, 2014), Touki Toussaint (16th, Diamondbacks, 2014), Dansby Swanson (1st, Diamondbacks, 2015), Kolby Allard (14th, Braves, 2015) and Wright.
Mike Soroka, who is on the 60-day disabled list and not on the 40-man roster, was a Braves first-round pick in 2015 (28th overall).
The Orioles will pick first. They lost 115 games this season, and only three teams in the modern era (since 1901) lost more.
The 2019 MLB draft first round (with 2018 record):
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 unsigned 2018 first-round pick Carter Stewart)
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 unsigned 2018 first-round pick Matt McLain)
27. Cubs (95-68)
28. Brewers (96-67)
29. Athletics (97-65)
30. Yankees (100-62)
31. Dodgers (compensation for unsigned 2018 first-round pick J.T. Ginn)
32. Astros (103-59)
33. Red Sox (108-54)
