High and Low Draft Roads Lead to Cooperstown

When the 2016 MLB Draft wraps up this weekend, chances are a future Hall of Famer will be among the 1,200 or so players selected.

But the likelihood of a repeat of the Hall of Fame Class of 2016 – when a No. 1-overall pick will be inducted with a player picked after more than 1,300 other players were selected – seems remote indeed.

Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza each set new standards for drafted Hall of Famers in 2016. Griffey became the first No. 1-overall selection to earn Hall of Fame election, while Piazza – drafted in the 62nd round in the 1988 MLB Draft – became the lowest draft pick ever elected.

Griffey’s record could be tied in upcoming years, but it will never be broken. And with the draft now capped at 40 rounds, the possibility of another 62nd-round pick reaching Cooperstown appears unlikely.

Of the tens of thousands of players drafted since MLB’s amateur draft began 51 years ago in 1965, 32 players who were signed by the team that drafted them have gone on to earn a place in the Hall of Fame. The first was Johnny Bench, drafted by the Reds in the second round in 1965 and elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989. Ten years later, Nolan Ryan – taken in the 12th round of the 1965 draft by the Mets – joined Bench in Cooperstown.

The two newest members of that club, Griffey and Piazza, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame July 24 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown.

Griffey is the 11th former first-round pick to earn Hall of Fame election. On average over the last 20-plus years, about one Hall of Fame electee per year is a former draft choice.

The 1971 draft class, the 1973 draft class and the 1985 draft class each produced three Hall of Famers apiece, the most ever in one draft. Jim Rice, George Brett and Mike Schmidt were drafted in 1971, Robin Yount, Dave Winfield and Eddie Murray were chosen in 1973 and Barry Larkin, Randy Johnson and John Smoltz were drafted in 1985.

A list of drafted players who eventually were elected to the Hall of Fame, in chronological order of their draft selection:

• Johnny Bench – Drafted by Reds in June 1965 with second-round pick
• Nolan Ryan – Drafted by the Mets in June 1965 with 12th-round pick
• Reggie Jackson – Drafted by the A’s in June 1966 with first-round pick (No. 2 overall)
• Carlton Fisk – Drafted by the Red Sox in Jan. 1967 with first-round pick (No. 4 overall)
• Bert Blyleven – Drafted by the Twins in June 1969 with third-round pick
• Goose Gossage – Drafted by the White Sox in June 1970 with ninth-round pick
• Jim Rice – Drafted by the Red Sox in June 1971 with first-round pick (No. 15 overall)
• George Brett – Drafted by the Royals in June 1971 with second-round pick (No. 29 overall)
• Mike Schmidt – Drafted by the Phillies in June 1971 with second-round pick (No. 30 overall)
• Dennis Eckersley – Drafted by the Indians in June 1972 with third-round pick (No. 50 overall)
• Gary Carter – Drafted by the Expos in June 1972 with third-round pick (No. 53 overall)
• Robin Yount – Drafted by the Brewers in June 1973 with first-round pick (No. 3 overall)
• Dave Winfield – Drafted by the Padres in June 1973 with first-round pick (No. 4 overall)
• Eddie Murray – Drafted by the Orioles in June 1973 with third-round pick
• Andre Dawson – Drafted by the Expos in June 1975 with 11th-round pick
• Rickey Henderson – Drafted by the A’s in June 1976 with fourth-round pick
• Wade Boggs – Drafted by the Red Sox in June 1976 with seventh-round pick
• Paul Molitor – Drafted by the Brewers in June 1977 with first-round pick (No. 3 overall)
• Ozzie Smith – Drafted by the Padres in June 1977 with fourth-round pick
• Cal Ripken Jr. – Drafted by the Orioles in June 1978 with second-round pick
• Ryne Sandberg – Drafted by the Phillies in June 1978 with 20th-round pick
• Tony Gwynn – Drafted by the Padres in June 1981 with third-round pick
• Kirby Puckett – Drafted by the Twins in Jan. 1982 with first-round pick (No. 3 overall)
• Greg Maddux – Drafted by the Cubs in June 1984 with second-round pick (No. 31 overall)
• Tom Glavine – Drafted by the Braves in June 1984 with second-round pick (No. 47 overall)
• Barry Larkin – Drafted by the Reds in June 1985 with first-round pick (No. 4 overall)
• Randy Johnson – Drafted by the Expos in June 1985 with second-round pick (No. 36 overall)
• John Smoltz – Drafted by the Tigers in June 1985 with 22nd-round pick
• Ken Griffey Jr. – Drafted by the Mariners in June 1987 with first-round pick (No. 1 overall)
• Craig Biggio – Drafted by the Astros in June 1987 with first-round pick (No. 22 overall)
• Mike Piazza – Drafted by the Dodgers in June 1988 with 62nd-round pick
• Frank Thomas – Drafted by the White Sox in June 1989 with first-round pick (No. 7 overall)