Dave Parker

In the June draft‚ the Padres select high school catcher Mike Ivie as the number-one pick and sign him in 3 days to a $100‚000 contract

ByThis Day in Baseball

1970 – In the June draft‚ the Padres select high school catcher Mike Ivie as the number-one pick and sign him in 3 days to a $100‚000 contract. He’ll play in the major leagues 11 years but catch only 9 games in the Bigs because of a phobia about throwing the ball back to the pitcher. Choosing next‚ the Indians take Stanford P Steve Dunning‚ who will debut in the majors in 10 days. He’s just the second player drafted who will skip the minors. Catchers Barry Foote (Expos) and Darrell Porter (Brewers) go next.

Washington Senators select Bill Madlock in the 5th round of the 1970 amateur draft

Washington Senators select Bill Madlock in the 5th round of the 1970 amateur draft

ByThis Day in Baseball

  January 17, 1970: The Washington Senators select Bill Madlock in the 5th round of the 1970 amateur draft. As a September call-up in 1973, he bats .351 in 21 games for the Texas Rangers. In the offseason he is dealt to Chicago Cubs for legendary pitcher Ferguson Jenkins. He wins batting titles for the…

Major league teams select a record 357 players in the January phase of the annual free agent draft, Chris Chambliss, Chris Speier and Fred Lynn,

Major league teams select a record 357 players in the January phase of the annual free agent draft, Chris Chambliss, Chris Speier and Fred Lynn,

ByTom

Major league teams select a record 357 players in the January phase of the annual free agent draft, including top pick Chris Chambliss, by Cleveland, and Chris Speier. Fred Lynn, drafted by the Yankees in the first round, will not sign.

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Joe Morgan goes 4-for-4, including a home run and four runs scored, to pace the Astros past St. Louis, 11-6, at the Astrodome. Dooley Womack, the last of six Houston pitchers, gets the victory. Houston wins off the field too, choosing pitcher James Rodney Richard of Ruston, LA with the second overall pick in the draft, behind Jeff Burroughs. Richard has a 21-0 mark in his three years at Ruston High School.

ByThis Day in Baseball

1969 – Joe Morgan goes 4-for-4, including a home run and four runs scored, to pace the Astros past St. Louis, 11-6, at the Astrodome. Dooley Womack, the last of six Houston pitchers, gets the victory. Houston wins off the field too, choosing pitcher James Rodney Richard of Ruston, LA with the second overall pick in the draft, behind Jeff Burroughs. Richard has a 21-0 mark in his three years at Ruston High School.

Thurman Munson 1976 MVP

Houston pass on Thurman Munson and select catcher Martin Cott of Buffalo, NY in the first round of the June draft

ByThis Day in Baseball

1968 – Houston selects catcher Martin Cott of Buffalo, NY in the first round of the June draft, passing on a catcher from Canton, OH named Thurman Munson whom the Yankees grab with the next pick. Cott never reaches the big leagues. It’s not a good day on the field either as Cardinal ace Bob Gibson blanks Houston, 4-0. 

ron bloomberg

 Ron Blomberg selected number one by Yankees

ByTom

The last-place New York Yankees have the first pick in the free-agent draft and use it to take Ron Blomberg. Blomberg will be the first designated hitter in major league history. In the secondary phase, the Orioles select pitcher Mike Adamson, who will leap directly to the big leagues, debuting on July 1, becoming the first player in draft history to bypass the minors.

New York Mets bypass Arizona State star and future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson

New York Mets bypass Arizona State star and future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson

ByThis Day in Baseball

On June 7, 1966, the New York Mets bypass Arizona State star and future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson with the first pick of the free agent draft and instead select catcher Steve Chilcott. The Mets will regret the decision, as Chilcott will retire after six years in the minor leagues and never appear in…

monday-rick_hollowell

Rick Monday is the first, first round pick of amateur free agent draft

ByThis Day in Baseball

On June 8, 1965, the Kansas City A’s select collegiate star Rick Monday with the initial pick of the first-ever amateur free agent draft. Picking second, the Mets take pitcher Les Rohr. Future Hall of Famer Johnny Bench is taken by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round. Another Hall of Famer, Nolan Ryan, is…