MLB Draft Review: NL East
January 13, 2021
Continuing with the NL East, here's a look at how the 2015-2018 draft classes are shaping up using WAR (WAR Defined). So far the NL East has produced the smallest range of interdivisional Return on Investment with the Mets currently setting the pace at No. 9 overall in MLB and the Marlins last in the division and No. 21 overall. However, the Braves (currently No. 12) are a good bet to eventually overtake the Mets, while the Marlins look likely to remain as cellar dwellers.
NOTES: All references to a prospect’s overall MLB ranking is per MLB Pipeline. Negative WAR is not used to calculate total WAR. For any WAR value less than zero, 0.0 is used to calculate a team’s total WAR.
ATLANTA BRAVES (Scouting Director Brian Bridges 2015-18)
2015: 1st Round 14th Overall Kolby Allard. Career WAR: -0.1
28th Overall Mike Soroka. Career WAR: 5.7
Individual Career WAR Leader: Soroka
2015 Draft Totals: WAR: 7.3
MLers to Date: 6 (Allard, Soroka, Austin Riley, A.J. Minter, Patrick Weigel, Evan Phillips)
Signing Bonuses: $12.66M
2016: 1st Round 3rd Overall. Ian Anderson. Career WAR 1.3
Individual Career WAR Leader: Anderson
2016 Draft Totals: WAR: 1.5*
MLers to Date: 4 (Anderson, Bryse Wilson, Jeremy Walker, Tucker Davidson)
Signing Bonuses: $15.52M
2017: 1st Round 5th Overall. Kyle Wright. Career WAR: -0.3
Individual Career WAR Leader: Bruce Zimmerman, 5th Round. WAR: -0.1
2017 Draft Totals: WAR: 0.0*
MLers to Date: 2 (Wright, Zimmerman)
Signing Bonuses: $11.50M
2018: 1st Round 5th Overall. Carter Stewart. Did Not Sign
Individual Career WAR Leader: N/A
2018 Draft Totals: WAR: 0.0
MLers to Date: 0
Signing Bonuses: $5.82M
2015-18 TOTALS WAR: 8.8 MLers: 12 BONUSES: $45.49M
RETURN ON INVESTMENT: $5.17M per 1.0 WAR (ranks 12 of 30 overall)
SUMMARY: At $45M plus some change, the Braves spent...