Revisiting the 2016 amateur draft … and wincing
Casual fans look back at the 2016 amateur draft and claim it to be devoid of talent.
For proof, they point to the first two picks of the draft – a California high school outfielder named Mickey Moniak, who the Philadelphia Phillies nine years ago today select first overall, and University of Tennessee third baseman Nick Senzel, the second pick who goes to the Cincinnati Reds.
Moniak’s career in the major leagues mostly is one of disappointment with a .229 batting average over parts of six seasons beginning in 2020.
Mickey Moniak with the Phillies
Meanwhile, Senzel puts together a .229 batting average over six injury-filled seasons in the majors.
Moniak now is with the Colorado Rockies; Senzel with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Class AAA team in Oklahoma City.
Critics, though, miss the rest of the 2016 amateur draft, where plenty of prizes are found beyond the headliners – starting with the Dodgers grabbing future All-Star catcher Will Smith out of the University of Louisville with the 32nd overall pick.
Other future All-Stars follow in the second round with the San Francisco Giants selecting Vanderbilt University outfielder Bryan Reynolds at No. 59 with the New York Mets taking University of Florida first baseman Pete Alonso at No. 64 and the Toronto Blue Jays following at 66 with Florida high school shortstop Bo Bichette.
Bryan Reynolds with the Pirates
But wait, wait, there’s more.
Three more future All-Stars go in the third round with the Oakland A’s picking catcher Sean Murphy from Wright State University at No. 83; the Baltimore Orioles taking Jacksonville University outfielder Austin Hayes at 91 and the St. Louis Cardinals opting for University of North Carolina pitcher Zac Gallen at 106.
The fourth round sees the Milwaukee Brewers using pick No. 111 on future Cy Young Award winning in pitcher Corbin Burnes from California’s St. Mary’s College with the Cleveland Indians selecting UC-Santa Barbara pitcher Shane Bieber at 122.
In the ninth round, the Dodgers use their pick at No. 281 on pitcher Tony Gonsolin out of Saint Mary’s College of California.
Then there is David Bednar, who the San Diego Padres pluck from Lafayette College in the 35th round with the 1,044th pick overall.
Of course, an Oregon high school catcher named Adley Rutschman goes in the 40th and final round – and 1,197th overall – to the Seattle Mariners.
Adley Rutschman with the Orioles
Rutschman says, um, really, no thanks to the Mariners, and ends up at the Oregon State.
Three years later, he goes No. 1 overall in the 2019 draft to the Baltimore Orioles and signs for $8.1 million.
Three years earlier in 2016, the cost for the Phillies to sign Moniak is $6.1 million, which is $100,000 less than what the Reds pay Stenzel.
Truly staggering when considering the signing bonuses for the 11 future All-Stars to follow Moniak and Stenzel – the aforementioned group of Smith, Reynolds, Alonso, Bichette, Murphy, Hays, Gallen, Burnes, Bieber, Gonsolin and Bednar – come to $8.1 million.
Total.