2009 Draft Order

By Jim Callis
February 5, 2009

The 2009 draft will feature a record number of first-round selections, though the total hasn't been finalized. There will be at least 32 choices, as the Nationals (Aaron Crow) and Yankees (Gerrit Cole) get compensated for failing to sign their top picks from 2008. The total rises to 33 if the Mariners don't come to terms with last year's first-rounder, former Georgia reliever Joshua Fields. The 1997 draft included 31 first-rounders after MLB granted the Athletics a bonus choice for the loss of service-time free agent.

With the free-agent market moving at a crawl this offseason, eight players who would yield draft-pick compensation had yet to sign as Baseball America went to press on Feb. 5. Orlando Cabrera (White Sox), Juan Cruz (Diamondbacks), Orlando Hudson (Diamondbacks), Manny Ramirez (Dodgers) and Ben Sheets (Brewers) are all Type A free agents (ranked in the top 20 percent at their position), and their former clubs would receive a supplemental first-rounder plus a draft choice from the signing club if they change addresses. Paul Byrd (Red Sox), Mark Grudzielanek (Royals) and Dennys Reyes (Twins) are Type B free agents (ranked in the 21-40 percent group) who would command a sandwich pick.

The Nationals will exercise two picks faster than any team in draft history, picking No. 1 overall and again at No. 10 with their compensation choice for Crow. If they don't sign Fields, the Mariners will have three first-round picks, in addition to a supplemental first-rounder. The Angels currently have the most choices before the second round, two first-rounders and three sandwich picks.

BASIC DRAFT ORDER
1. Nationals	11. Royals	21. Twins
2. Mariners	12. Athletics	22. White Sox
3. Padres	13. Rangers	23. Mets
4. Pirates	14. Indians	24. Yankees
5. Orioles	15. Diamondbacks	25. Brewers
6. Giants	16. Dodgers	26. Phillies
7. Braves	17. Marlins	27. Red Sox
8. Reds	18. Cardinals	28. Rays
9. Tigers	19. Blue Jays	29. Cubs
10. Rockies	20. Astros	30. Angels
FIRST-ROUND CHANGES
9a. Nationals (for failure to sign 2008 first-rounder Aaron Crow)
20a. Mariners (if they fail to sign 2008 first-rounder Joshua Fields)
25. Angels (from Mets for Francisco Rodriguez, Type A)
26. Angels (from Yankees for Mark Teixeira, Type A)
28. Mariners (from Phillies for Raul Ibanez, Type A)
28a. Yankees (for failure to sign 2008 first-rounder Gerrit Cole)
33. Rockies (from Angels for Brian Fuentes, Type A)
SUPPLEMENTAL FIRST-ROUND PICKS
34. Mariners (for Ibanez)
35. Rockies (for Fuentes)
36. Dodgers (for Derek Lowe, Type A, to Braves)
37. Blue Jays (for A.J. Burnett, Type A, to Yankees)
38. Brewers (for C.C. Sabathia, Type A, to Yankees)
39. Angels (for Teixeira)
40. Angels (for Rodriguez)
41. Reds (for Jeremy Affeldt, Type B, to Giants)
42. Rangers (for Milton Bradley, Type B, to Cubs)
43. Diamondbacks (for Brandon Lyon, Type B, to Tigers)
44. Brewers (for Brian Shouse, Type B, to Rays)
45. Angels (for Jon Garland, Type B, to Diamondbacks)
SECOND-ROUND CHANGES
48a. Pirates (for failure to sign 2008 second-rounder Tanner Scheppers)
53. Dodgers (from Braves for Lowe)
70. Brewers (from Yankees for Sabathia)
THIRD-ROUND CHANGES
75a. Yankees (for failure to sign 2008 second-rounder Scott Bittle)
101. Blue Jays (from Yankees for Burnett)
SUPPLEMENTAL THIRD-ROUND PICKS
108. Astros (for failure to sign 2008 third-rounder Chase Davidson)