Teams with most Top 15 picks past 30 years

[Carp4Cy]

As the draft approaches, the Cardinals' search for an elite or even top-tier starting pitcher comes to mind. There's always complaints about the Cards' lack of drafting and developing such a starter, but this chart helps explain why. A great majority of the top SPs over the past 15 years have been from the top 15 draft picks.

The Cards have had the third fewest of those picks that greatly help find these studs.

It's amazing how the Royals and Pirates have had so many and yet only had three top starting pitchers from that group = Pirates with Skenes, Cole, and Kris Benson and the Royals only Greinke.

Screenshot 2025-06-19 at 9.32.28 AM.png

Amazing how we're fed the line about refitting or tanking or whatever you want to call it when all evidence points to the fact that it doesn't work.

agree with this. You win by spending on the right talent and building a balanced and talented (and motivated team). That means a mix of FAs, wise trades, developing what you can from the draft and Intl markets. But you aren't going to succeed by losing for several years on a shoestring budget and trying to build a completely homegrown roster all making minimum salary and then not even extending the better talents you do develop. You instead just chase the fans away to the point where revenue is too low to support the fantasy of spending on top FAs once you do develop a minimum threshold of cheap internal talent. Once you go cheap for very long, its next to impossible to come back from.

[Carp4Cy]

I've mentioned this before, but these SPs have all been top-15. This does not include international free agents like Castillo, Peralta, Alcantara, Valdez, etc.

Cole (1 overall)
Strasburg (1)
Price (1)
Skenes (1)
Verlander (2),
Rodon (3),
Gore (3)
Gausman (4)
Wheeler (6)
Greinke (6)
Kershaw (7)
Fried (7)
Scherzer (11)
Bumgarner(10)
Sale (13)
Crochet (11)
Hamels (17).
(DeGrom and Saberhagen were both converted from shortstop so they were late-round picks!)
These guys don’t fall to the Cards.
Matt Morris was one of the most successful Cardinals draftees, but again, he was drafted #13.
Lately, some guys have come along who were later-round picks like Hunter Brown (5th rd) and Tarik Skubal (9th rd), but it’s not the norm.

Meanwhile the Dodgers have drafted:
Kershaw
Bueler
Miller

And the Braves:
Wainwright
Minor
Kimbrel (twice)
Strider
Morton
Wright

[Ike Hammett]

As the draft approaches, the Cardinals' search for an elite or even top-tier starting pitcher comes to mind. There's always complaints about the Cards' lack of drafting and developing such a starter, but this chart helps explain why. A great majority of the top SPs over the past 15 years have been from the top 15 draft picks.

The Cards have had the third fewest of those picks that greatly help find these studs.

It's amazing how the Royals and Pirates have had so many and yet only had three top starting pitchers from that group = Pirates with Skenes, Cole, and Kris Benson and the Royals only Greinke.

Screenshot 2025-06-19 at 9.32.28 AM.png

St. Louis has the 3rd best record in the MLB since 2000. Only behind the Yanks and Dodgers. Same since 2007 when Mr. Mo became GM.

BOYCOTT! UNTIL IT GETS FIXED. They need more fwar from younger players. Whoever claimed Cards fans as the best and knowledgeable is ridiculous.

[Catfish4U]

As the draft approaches, the Cardinals' search for an elite or even top-tier starting pitcher comes to mind. There's always complaints about the Cards' lack of drafting and developing such a starter, but this chart helps explain why. A great majority of the top SPs over the past 15 years have been from the top 15 draft picks.

The Cards have had the third fewest of those picks that greatly help find these studs.

It's amazing how the Royals and Pirates have had so many and yet only had three top starting pitchers from that group = Pirates with Skenes, Cole, and Kris Benson and the Royals only Greinke.

Screenshot 2025-06-19 at 9.32.28 AM.png

St. Louis has the 3rd best record in the MLB since 2000. Only behind the Yanks and Dodgers. Same since 2007 when Mr. Mo became GM.

BOYCOTT! UNTIL IT GETS FIXED. They need more fwar from younger players. Whoever claimed Cards fans as the best and knowledgeable is ridiculous.

In the past 55 years the Cardinals have 3 World Series titles? That is not great! Prior to that the Cardinals had a great track record!

[ClassicO]

As the draft approaches, the Cardinals' search for an elite or even top-tier starting pitcher comes to mind. There's always complaints about the Cards' lack of drafting and developing such a starter, but this chart helps explain why. A great majority of the top SPs over the past 15 years have been from the top 15 draft picks.

The Cards have had the third fewest of those picks that greatly help find these studs.

It's amazing how the Royals and Pirates have had so many and yet only had three top starting pitchers from that group = Pirates with Skenes, Cole, and Kris Benson and the Royals only Greinke.

Screenshot 2025-06-19 at 9.32.28 AM.png

St. Louis has the 3rd best record in the MLB since 2000. Only behind the Yanks and Dodgers. Same since 2007 when Mr. Mo became GM.

BOYCOTT! UNTIL IT GETS FIXED. They need more fwar from younger players. Whoever claimed Cards fans as the best and knowledgeable is ridiculous.

What’s your point? I was emphasizing how teams that do the best don’t get top 15 picks, and those with them don’t always succeed without great management.

[Ike Hammett]

As the draft approaches, the Cardinals' search for an elite or even top-tier starting pitcher comes to mind. There's always complaints about the Cards' lack of drafting and developing such a starter, but this chart helps explain why. A great majority of the top SPs over the past 15 years have been from the top 15 draft picks.

The Cards have had the third fewest of those picks that greatly help find these studs.

It's amazing how the Royals and Pirates have had so many and yet only had three top starting pitchers from that group = Pirates with Skenes, Cole, and Kris Benson and the Royals only Greinke.

Screenshot 2025-06-19 at 9.32.28 AM.png

St. Louis has the 3rd best record in the MLB since 2000. Only behind the Yanks and Dodgers. Same since 2007 when Mr. Mo became GM.

BOYCOTT! UNTIL IT GETS FIXED. They need more fwar from younger players. Whoever claimed Cards fans as the best and knowledgeable is ridiculous.

What’s your point? I was emphasizing how teams that do the best don’t get top 15 picks, and those with them don’t always succeed without great management.

Obviously my point was to talk smack to Cards haters and front office haters that want to wreck the model and kill Cards baseball. That spoiled brats should put into perspective the negativity of their comments.

I understood the point of your post, but most here don't get it.

[ClassicO]

As the draft approaches, the Cardinals' search for an elite or even top-tier starting pitcher comes to mind. There's always complaints about the Cards' lack of drafting and developing such a starter, but this chart helps explain why. A great majority of the top SPs over the past 15 years have been from the top 15 draft picks.

The Cards have had the third fewest of those picks that greatly help find these studs.

It's amazing how the Royals and Pirates have had so many and yet only had three top starting pitchers from that group = Pirates with Skenes, Cole, and Kris Benson and the Royals only Greinke.

Screenshot 2025-06-19 at 9.32.28 AM.png

St. Louis has the 3rd best record in the MLB since 2000. Only behind the Yanks and Dodgers. Same since 2007 when Mr. Mo became GM.

BOYCOTT! UNTIL IT GETS FIXED. They need more fwar from younger players. Whoever claimed Cards fans as the best and knowledgeable is ridiculous.

In the past 55 years the Cardinals have 3 World Series titles? That is not great! Prior to that the Cardinals had a great track record!

In the past 61 years they’ve won 5 World Series (tied for 2nd most with Dodgers - both behind Yankees) - and lost 5 others. You left off 6 years! Maybe you cherry picked the dates?
And in those 55 years, they’re tied for 3rd with Bosox, Reds, Giants and As.

It’s been a bad drought since 2011, no doubt. But when your organization has the second most WS titles ever - and in the past 61 years - maybe you’re being harsh. Even the Dodgers went 32 years - from 1988-2020, for a WS win.

[Catfish4U]

As the draft approaches, the Cardinals' search for an elite or even top-tier starting pitcher comes to mind. There's always complaints about the Cards' lack of drafting and developing such a starter, but this chart helps explain why. A great majority of the top SPs over the past 15 years have been from the top 15 draft picks.

The Cards have had the third fewest of those picks that greatly help find these studs.

It's amazing how the Royals and Pirates have had so many and yet only had three top starting pitchers from that group = Pirates with Skenes, Cole, and Kris Benson and the Royals only Greinke.

Screenshot 2025-06-19 at 9.32.28 AM.png

St. Louis has the 3rd best record in the MLB since 2000. Only behind the Yanks and Dodgers. Same since 2007 when Mr. Mo became GM.

BOYCOTT! UNTIL IT GETS FIXED. They need more fwar from younger players. Whoever claimed Cards fans as the best and knowledgeable is ridiculous.

In the past 55 years the Cardinals have 3 World Series titles? That is not great! Prior to that the Cardinals had a great track record!

In the past 61 years they’ve won 5 World Series (tied for 2nd most with Dodgers - both behind Yankees) - and lost 5 others. You left off 6 years! Maybe you cherry picked the dates?
And in those 55 years, they’re tied for 3rd with Bosox, Reds, Giants and As.

It’s been a bad drought since 2011, no doubt.........

True, but it was an even worse drought from 1983-2005 and the 14 seasons prior to 1982.

[ClassicO]

As the draft approaches, the Cardinals' search for an elite or even top-tier starting pitcher comes to mind. There's always complaints about the Cards' lack of drafting and developing such a starter, but this chart helps explain why. A great majority of the top SPs over the past 15 years have been from the top 15 draft picks.

The Cards have had the third fewest of those picks that greatly help find these studs.

It's amazing how the Royals and Pirates have had so many and yet only had three top starting pitchers from that group = Pirates with Skenes, Cole, and Kris Benson and the Royals only Greinke.

Screenshot 2025-06-19 at 9.32.28 AM.png

St. Louis has the 3rd best record in the MLB since 2000. Only behind the Yanks and Dodgers. Same since 2007 when Mr. Mo became GM.

BOYCOTT! UNTIL IT GETS FIXED. They need more fwar from younger players. Whoever claimed Cards fans as the best and knowledgeable is ridiculous.

In the past 55 years the Cardinals have 3 World Series titles? That is not great! Prior to that the Cardinals had a great track record!

In the past 61 years they’ve won 5 World Series (tied for 2nd most with Dodgers - both behind Yankees) - and lost 5 others. You left off 6 years! Maybe you cherry picked the dates?
And in those 55 years, they’re tied for 3rd with Bosox, Reds, Giants and As.

It’s been a bad drought since 2011, no doubt.........

True, but it was an even worse drought from 1983-2005 and the 14 seasons prior to 1982.

Many teams from 1983 - 2005 had some stars and weren’t horrible to watch. 1994-1999 were tough.
The teams from 1969 to 1980 were simply awful - with five of those years having records under .500, including a .426 year in 1978. (1981 was strike shortened but they won the division and lost out on dumb rule.)

[CCard]

As the draft approaches, the Cardinals' search for an elite or even top-tier starting pitcher comes to mind. There's always complaints about the Cards' lack of drafting and developing such a starter, but this chart helps explain why. A great majority of the top SPs over the past 15 years have been from the top 15 draft picks.

The Cards have had the third fewest of those picks that greatly help find these studs.

It's amazing how the Royals and Pirates have had so many and yet only had three top starting pitchers from that group = Pirates with Skenes, Cole, and Kris Benson and the Royals only Greinke.

Screenshot 2025-06-19 at 9.32.28 AM.png

This is why MLB needs relegation. Send teams like the Pirates, WS, Reds, Rockies etc to the minors for a few years and everyone else gets to move up in the draft order.

How would that help? Then the big dogs would get all the best players. I think a hard salary cap and a minimum salary would go a long way to fixing it.

Not in the draft they wouldn’t. If we reduced MLB to 18 or 20 teams like it was decades ago did more of the elite talent would flow to the teams that actually try like the Cardinals instead of the perennial losers like the Pirates.

18 teams would mean that 80% of the league gets to pick a top 15 talent every year. And we would still have the same number of college and high school prospects in the draft pipeline. Just less talent dilution.

It should also prevent us from having to watch so much bad baseball like these dreadful White Sox and Rockies series that are basically played against minor leaguers. Those games are double Jeopardy because if you beat them, you don’t get ahead because the Cubs also swept them, but if you somehow play down to their level and lose, then you lose ground on the Cubs.

Maybe, but more likely there will be expansion rather than contraction. Money talks.

[JDW]

MLB draft is such a c r a p shoot especially when it comes to pitchers

Which makes me wonder if you're better off taking a position player instead.
Guess the next question would be if drafting a position player with a top 10 pick is any more consistent on hitting big.

[rockondlouie]

MLB draft is such a c r a p shoot especially when it comes to pitchers

Which makes me wonder if you're better off taking a position player instead.
Guess the next question would be if drafting a position player with a top 10 pick is any more consistent on hitting big.

I get drafting the pitchers but I've thought the same thing JDW.

I don't know the answer either, like I said above the MLB draft is such a c r a p shoot.