Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Features a Record Three First-Round Draft Picks

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – In 2019, it’s good to be first – especially if you’re a former MLB Draft pick.

Three of the six members of the Class of 2019 at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum are former first-round selections, the first time in history a Hall of Fame class will feature a trio of No. 1 picks. Harold Baines (No. 1 overall in the 1977 MLB Draft), Mike Mussina (No. 20 overall in 1990) and Roy Halladay (No. 17 overall in 1995) were each taken in the first round of their respective drafts.

Lee Smith is the fourth member of this year’s induction class who was drafted by the team that eventually signed him, having been selected in the second round by the Cubs in 1975. Edgar Martinez and Mariano Rivera, the final two members of the Class of 2019, were signed by the Mariners and Yankees, respectively, as amateur free agents.

The only previous Hall of Fame class to have as many as two first round picks was the Class of 2001 that featured Kirby Puckett, selected No. 3 overall by the Twins in the January 1982 Draft; and Dave Winfield, selected No. 4 overall by the Padres in the June 1973 Draft.

When the 2019 MLB Draft wraps up later this week, chances are that a future Hall of Famer will be among the 1,200-plus players selected. Of the tens of thousands of players drafted since MLB’s amateur draft began 54 years ago in 1965, 43 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.

As a member of the Class of 2019, Baines becomes the third No. 1 overall pick – following Ken Griffey Jr. and Chipper Jones – to be elected to the Hall of Fame. The elections of Baines, Halladay and Mussina bring the total of first-rounders elected to the Hall of Fame to 15.

With Baines’ election, the 1977 MLB Draft has now produced four Hall of Famers – including Paul Molitor, Tim Raines and Ozzie Smith – tied for the top spot among any draft class. The 1976 and 1989 draft classes also produced four future Hall of Famers apiece: Wade Boggs, Rickey Henderson, Jack Morris and Alan Trammell were all drafted in 1976, while Jeff Bagwell, Trevor Hoffman, Frank Thomas and Jim Thome were selected in the 1989 Draft.

On average over the last 20-plus years, about one Hall of Fame electee per year is a former draft choice.

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
- Lee Smith – Drafted by the Cubs in June 1975 with second-round pick (No. 28 overall)
- Andre Dawson – Drafted by the Expos in June 1975 with 11th-round pick
- Alan Trammell – Drafted by the Tigers in June 1976 with second-round pick
- Rickey Henderson – Drafted by the A’s in June 1976 with fourth-round pick
- Jack Morris – Drafted by the Tigers in June 1976 with fifth-round pick
- Wade Boggs – Drafted by the Red Sox in June 1976 with seventh-round pick
- Harold Baines – Drafted by the White Sox in June 1977 with first-round pick (No. 1 overall)
- 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
- Tim Raines – Drafted by the Expos in June 1977 with fifth-round pick
- Cal Ripken Jr. – Drafted by the Orioles in June 1978 with second-round pick (No. 48 overall)
- 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)
- Jeff Bagwell – Drafted by the Red Sox in June 1989 with fourth-round pick
- Trevor Hoffman – Drafted by the Reds in June 1989 with 11th-round pick
- Jim Thome – Drafted by the Indians in June 1989 with 13th-round pick
- Chipper Jones – Drafted by the Braves in June 1990 with first-round pick (No. 1 overall)
- Mike Mussina – Drafted by the Orioles in June 1990 with first-round pick (No. 20 overall)
- Roy Halladay – Drafted by the Blue Jays in June 1995 with first-round pick (No. 17 overall)

For scouting reports on amateur and professional players – including Hall of Famers – check out the Museum’s database at https://collection.baseballhall.org.