Revisiting the 2016 draft … and wincing
Mickey Moniak in 2019 (Cliff Welch photo)
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 eight 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 .221 batting average over parts of five seasons beginning in 2020.
Meanwhile, Senzel puts together a .239 batting average over six injury-filled seasons.
Nick Senzel with the Reds (Kareem Elgazzar photo)
Moniak now is with the Los Angeles Angels, Senzel with the Washington Nationals.
Critics, though, miss the rest of the 2016 amateur draft, where plenty of prizes are found beyond the headliners – starting with the Los Angeles 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 Toronto Blue Jays selecting Florida high school shortstop Bo Bichette at No. 64 overall and the New York Mets taking University of Florida first baseman Pete Alonso two picks later at 66.
But wait, wait, there’s more.
Two 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 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 pitcher Corbin Burnes from California’s St. Mary’s College with the Cleveland Indians selecting UC-Santa Barbara pitcher Shane Bieber at 122.
David Bednar at Lafayette College
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 round – and 1,197th overall – to the Seattle Mariners.
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 numbers when considering the signing bonuses for the eight future All-Stars to follow Moniak and Stenzel – the aforementioned octet of Smith, Bichette, Alonso, Murphy, Gallen, Burnes, Bieber and Bednar – come to $6.05 million.
Total.