The Most Iconic BA Draft Covers Of The Past 25 Years

2019 DRAFT PREVIEW: Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman is the best draft prospect since Bryce Harper in 2010. "Most scouts believe Rutschman has all-star potential as an impact bat who brings plenty of defensive value," we wrote. "He has all the intangibles teams like to see from backstops."

2018 DRAFT PREVIEW: Auburn righthander Casey Mize has rocketed to Double-A after the Tigers drafted him No. 1 overall. "While Mize has a four-pitch mix, the variations on his splitter and slider give him six different offerings," we wrote. "Each grades as a plus offering for most scouts, headlined by his plus-plus splitter."

2017 DRAFT PREVIEW: Sherman Oaks, Calif., high school righthander Hunter Greene and Louisville lefthander/first baseman Brendan McKay shared the cover. Both prospects showed promise on the mound and in the batter's box, but how they develop as pitchers will ultimately determine their worth.

2016 DRAFT PREVIEW: Louisville outfielder Corey Ray showed power-speed potential in college and also in pro ball after the Brewers made him the No. 5 overall pick. He won MVP honors in the Double-A Southern League last year but had struggled at Triple-A this season.

2016 DRAFT RECAP: The Phillies drafted San Diego area high school outfielder Mickey Moniak with the No. 1 overall pick. While he has reached Double-A, Moniak has not consistently shown the plus hitting ability that was forecasted by scouts.

2015 DRAFT PREVIEW: Lake Mary (Fla.) High shortstop Brendan Rodgers and UC Santa Barbara righthander Dillon Tate share the cover in one of the worst draft classes ever for pitchers--until this year. Rodgers recently made his major league debut with the Rockies, who chose him No. 3 overall.

2015 DRAFT RECAP: Pitchers were in short supply in 2015, but a trio of shortstops have lived up to expectations. Vanderbilt's Dansby Swanson, Louisiana State's Alex Bregman and Florida prep Brendan Rodgers were drafted first, second and third overall. All three are in the big leagues.

2014 DRAFT PREVIEW: Shepherd (Texas) High righthander Tyler Kolek regularly hit triple digits in his draft year, when the Marlins snagged him at No. 2 overall. His career has been in neutral since having Tommy John surgery in 2016 and he did not make a full-season team this year.

2014 DRAFT RECAP: North Carolina State lefthander Carlos Rodon fell to the White Sox at No. 3 overall, and while he has not lived up to expectations, he has far outpaced the top two picks, high school pitchers Brady Aiken and Tyler Kolek.

2013 DRAFT PREVIEW: Loganville (Ga.) High outfielder Clint Frazier won the BA High School Player of the Year and was drafted fifth overall by the Indians. Cleveland traded him to the Yankees in 2016 in the Andrew Miller trade, and Frazier is only now establishing himself in the major leagues.

2012 DRAFT PREVIEW: Baxley, Ga., high school outfielder Byron Buxton pulled down the highest bonus in the draft ($6 million) as the No. 2 overall pick by the Twins. Buxton has won a Gold Glove and flashed both power and speed, but fellow prep first-rounders Carlos Correa, Corey Seager and Addison Russell have outproduced him.

2012 DRAFT RECAP: Puerto Rico high school shortstop Carlos Correa went first overall to the Astros in the first draft to feature the bonus pool system. Houston signed Correa to an under-slot bonus, using the savings to go over-slot to sign supplemental first-rounder Lance McCullers Jr. and others. Correa won the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year and a World Series ring with the 2017 Astros.

2011 DRAFT PREVIEW: In one of the best draft classes ever, we divvied up the cover between Virginia lefthander Danny Hultzen; Montverde (Fla.) Academy shortstop Francisco Lindor; UCLA righthander Gerrit Cole; and Gardner, Kan., high school outfielder Bubba Starling.

2011 DRAFT RECAP: UCLA righthanders Gerrit Cole (right) and Trevor Bauer were drafted first and third overall, respectively. They had a rocky relationship in college but today are two of the top starters in the AL, having both finished top 10 in Cy Young Award voting in 2018.

2010 DRAFT PREVIEW: JC of Southern Nevada outfielder Bryce Harper went No. 1 overall to the Nationals as expected. He reached the majors in 2012, when he won NL Rookie of the Year, and later claimed an MVP trophy in 2015. Harper signed a $330 million contact with the Phillies last offseason.

2010 DRAFT RECAP: Miami high school shortstop Manny Machado warranted his own Draft Preview cover but was part of the same draft class as Bryce Harper. The Orioles snagged Machado with the third overall pick. "Machado is of Dominican descent and is a tall, lanky shortstop in South Florida, attracting inevitable Alex Rodriguez comparisons," we wrote.

2009 DRAFT PREVIEW: Southern California shortstop Grant Green; North Carolina first baseman Dustin Ackley; Mission Viejo, Calif., high school lefthander Tyler Matzek; and Cartersville (Ga.) High outfielder Donavan Tate share a crowded--and ultimately underwhelming--cover.

2009 DRAFT RECAP: San Diego State righthander Stephen Strasburg was the No. 1 overall pick and could have graced the Draft Preview cover. "Strasburg's combination of stuff, pitching savvy and command make him a once-in-a-generation phenomenon," we wrote. "Not since Tim Lincecum has one hurler had both the best fastball and the best curve in the same draft."

2008 DRAFT PREVIEW: Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez went No. 2 overall to the Pirates and reached the majors in 2010. While Alvarez led the NL with 36 home runs in 2013, his low batting average, low on-base percentage and shaky defense made him one-dimensional.

2007 DRAFT PREVIEW: Vanderbilt lefthander David Price was drafted first overall by the Devil Rays and reached the majors at the end of the 2008 season. He helped fuel Tampa Bay's run to the AL pennant that season and in 2012 won the AL Cy Young Award. Price claimed his first World Series ring as a key starter for the 2018 Red Sox.

2006 DRAFT PREVIEW: Teams were wary of Washington righthander Tim Lincecum because of his size, but he delivered for the Giants after falling to No. 10 overall. He produced two NL Cy Young Award seasons and helped San Francisco win the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

2005 DRAFT PREVIEW: Chesapeake, Va., high school shortstop Justin Upton had been regarded as the top prospect in his draft class since he was a freshman. He paced an epic first round when the Diamondbacks chose him No. 1 overall. Upton hit his way to the majors late in 2007 and helped Arizona win the NL West. He has 286 career home runs and counting.

2004 DRAFT PREVIEW: Long Beach state righthander Jered Weaver slipped all the way to the Angels at No. 12 overall because of bonus demands. He and Florida State shortstop Stephen Drew signed for $4 million, the highest bonus amount in the draft class. Weaver was worth it. He reached the majors in 2006 and stayed there for 12 seasons, amassing 150 wins and three times finishing among the top five in AL Cy Young Award voting.

2003 DRAFT PREVIEW: Camarillo (Calif.) High outfielder Delmon Young was drafted No. 1 overall by the Devil Rays and shot to Triple-A by the end of 2005. He finished runner-up in AL Rookie of the Year balloting to Dustin Pedroia in 2007 and 10th in AL MVP voting in 2010, but Young never quite lived up to expectations set by his decorated prospect pedigree.

2002 DRAFT PREVIEW: Surrey, B.C., high school lefthander Adam Loewen and University of British Columbia lefthander Jeff Francis made draft history for Canada when they were drafted fourth and ninth overall, respectively. Francis had the more notable career--he pitched for the NL pennant-winning 2007 Rockies--though Loewen notably reached the majors as both a pitcher and later an outfielder.

2001 DRAFT PREVIEW: Southern California righthander Mark Prior was drafted No. 2 overall by the Cubs after the Twins kicked off the draft by taking hometown hero Joe Mauer. Prior zoomed to Chicago in 2002 and turned in a Cy Young Award-caliber season a year later, but a series of injuries beginning in 2004 cut short one of the great what-if careers.

2000 DRAFT PREVIEW: Palmdale (Calif.) High righthander Matt Harrington was the BA High School Player of the Year in a wide-open draft class. The Rockies selected him seventh overall, but the two sides failed to agree to terms in a contentious negotiation. Harrington was drafted four more times but never signed an affiliated contract.

1999 DRAFT PREVIEW: Raleigh, N.C., high school outfielder Josh Hamilton was drafted first overall by the Devil Rays and lived up to his potential--eventually. After missing the entire 2003 through 2005 seasons following a drug suspension, Hamilton got his career back on track with the Rangers, making five straight all-star teams and winning the AL MVP in 2010.

1998 DRAFT PREVIEW: Miami third baseman Pat Burrell went first overall to the Phillies and bashed 292 home runs in a 12-year big league career spent in left field. He won World Series rings with the 2008 Phillies and 2010 Giants.

1997 DRAFT PREVIEW: Florida State outfielder J.D. Drew was drafted No. 2 overall by the Phillies but didn't sign, opting to suit up in the independent Northern League instead. Drew re-entered the 1998 draft and was selected fifth overall by the Cardinals, for whom he embarked on a successful 14-year major league career for four teams.

1996 DRAFT PREVIEW: Clemson righthander Kris Benson was drafted first overall by the Pirates and reached Pittsburgh in 1999. He spent 10 years in the major leagues as a league-average starter, losing the 2001 season to Tommy John surgery.

1995 DRAFT PREVIEW: Nebraska outfielder Darin Erstad went No. 1 overall to the Angels, for whom he spent his first 11 big league seasons. He was a key member of the 2002 World Series champions and is one of two players ever to win Gold Gloves at multiple positions (center field and first base). Placido Polanco is the other.

1994 DRAFT PREVIEW: Florida State righthander Paul Wilson went No. 1 overall to the Mets as the cover predicted. He reached the majors in 1996 but his career unraveled after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder following his rookie season.