Editor’s note: The Major League Baseball draft is this week, starting Thursday and running through Saturday. NESN.com is revisiting the top drafts of the last 10 years and redrafting those drafts.
There was no shortage of eventual starpower in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft.
The stars didn’t all go early in the first round — although some did — but the 2007 draft is looked back on as one of the best in recent memory, thanks to the emergence of legitimate franchise players.
In a sport where drafting at the top of the first round doesn’t always guarantee you’ll find your next stud, six of the first 15 players drafted in the first round went on to be All-Stars, including three of the top five — David Price, Mike Moustakas and Matt Wieters. The No. 10 pick, Madison Bumgarner, is a three-time World Series winner and a World Series MVP, and is considered one of the most clutch pitchers of his generation.
But there were plenty of diamonds in the rough, too. Future MVP Josh Donaldson didn’t come off the board until the 48th pick. Giancarlo Stanton is one of baseball’s most feared hitters, but he wasn’t drafted until the end of the second round. Corey Kluber, a Cy Young winner, was a fourth-round pick. Slugger Anthony Rizzo went in the sixth round. And on and on.
So what would happen if these teams got a second chance at the 2007 draft? NESN.com’s Mike Cole and Ricky Doyle looked back and redrafted the first round to decide the player each team would take if given another chance today.
They alternated picks, with Mike going first after winning the coin toss. Here’s how they picked.
1. Tampa Bay Rays — David Price, P
This was a tough decision to make, especially when looking to take a pitcher with the top pick. It came down to Price and Madison Bumgarner, but knowing what we know now about Price’s ability to pitch in the American League East, it wasn’t worth straying from the Rays’ pick the first time. -MC
Actual pick: David Price
2. Kansas City Royals — Giancarlo Stanton, OF
A couple of front-line starters were strongly considered here, but Stanton at his peak — if we’ve even seen it yet — is about as fascinating as it gets. His upside, particularly in the power department, was too much to pass up, even if the selection represents a calculated risk. -RD
Actual pick: Mike Moustakas
3. Chicago Cubs — Madison Bumgarner, P
Wanna know why the Cubs haven’t won a World Series in more than 100 years? Because they did things like draft Josh Vitters over someone like Madison Bumgarner, one of the best pitchers in baseball and a proven stud in the playoffs — exactly the guy who can help you break a “curse.” -MC
Actual pick: Josh Vitters
4. Pittsburgh Pirates — Jake Arrieta, P
Arrieta is a late bloomer, but he’s been as good as any pitcher in baseball over the last two seasons. All he does is win, which is a good quality to have in an ace. -RD
Actual pick: Daniel Moskos
5. Baltimore Orioles — Jason Heyward, OF
Heyward is just a solid baseball player who can do everything well. He has posted a WAR of 5.8 or better in four of his six seasons, speaking to his all-around play. -MC
Actual pick: Matt Wieters
6. Washington Nationals — Josh Donaldson, 3B
Donaldson has been one of the league’s most underrated players since the beginning of 2013, so it was nice to see him finally get the recognition he deserved amid a monstrous 2015 season with the Toronto Blue Jays. We also love his competitive demeanor. -RD
Actual pick: Ross Detwiler
7. Milwaukee Brewers — Anthony Rizzo, 1B
Drafting Rizzo would have given the small-market Brewers a perfect chance to move on from Prince Fielder and not really lose a beat on the offensive side of things. And in a roundabout way, it would have kept the first baseman from the NL Central rival Cubs. -MC
Actual pick: Matt LaPorta
8. Colorado Rockies — Jordan Zimmermann, P
Zimmermann gets the job done. He’s not quite as electric as some of MLB’s other premier hurlers, but the results speak for themselves. He gets the nod over Corey Kluber here, based on his longer track record of consistency. -RD
Actual pick: Casey Weathers
9. Arizona Diamondbacks — Freddie Freeman, 1B
There’s a downtown in power across baseball, which makes the opportunity to grab a player like Freeman even more tempting. It’s interesting to think about how this might have affected Paul Goldschmidt’s career, as he was drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2009. -MC
Actual pick: Jarrod Parker
10. San Francisco Giants — Corey Kluber, P
San Francisco nailed this pick in 2007 by selecting its next ace in Bumgarner. Unfortunately for the Giants, Bumgarner didn’t slip in this redraft. But fortunately, they still have a viable plan B in Kluber. -RD
Actual pick: Madison Bumgarner
11. Seattle Mariners — Mike Moustakas, 1B
Moustakas’ career has been a weird one, flashing power with a lot of strikeouts early, a couple of rough seasons in between and a breakout season in 2015 before a season-ending knee injury in 2016. But on the whole, there’s enough to like there. -MC
Actual pick: Philippe Aumont
12. Florida Marlins — Jonathan Lucroy, C
Lucroy carries a lot of offensive upside at a shallow position. He’s worth taking here to become the Marlins’ next field general. -RD
Actual pick: Matt Dominguez
13. Cleveland Indians — Zack Cozart, SS
Cozart flashed power potential — 87 extra-base hits in his first two seasons — but injuries and inconsistency caused those numbers to drop. But his bounce-back 2016 means a productive Cozart probably is the player he’s going to be when healthy. -MC
Actual pick: Beau Mills
14. Atlanta Braves — Todd Frazier, 1B/3B
Frazier has a whole bunch of power. The Braves might prefer to select their original pick (Jason Heyward) or even their current first baseman (Freddie Freeman), but both already are off the board.
Actual pick: Jason Heyward
15. Cincinnati Reds — Matt Wieters, C
Even if you knew in 2007 that Wieters eventually would need Tommy John surgery, he still seems like a steal here at No. 15. All-Star campaigns in 2011 and 2012 showcased Wieters’ potential, especially at catcher, a position of scarcity. -MC
Actual pick: Devin Mesoraco
16. Toronto Blue Jays (compensation for Frank Catalanotto) — Rick Porcello, P
A lock for around 30 starts per year, Porcello is the best starter left on the board, even when you take into account his shaky 2015 with the Boston Red Sox. This is a low-ceiling, high-floor pick. -RD
Actual pick: Kevin Ahrens
17. Texas Rangers (compensation pick for Carlos Lee) — Travis d’Arnaud, C
Again, this feels like a good spot to jump on an available catcher, especially considering it has been a revolving door behind the plate for Texas over the last five or six years. In d’Arnaud, the Rangers get a backstop with a pretty high ceiling and a very respectable floor. -MC
Actual pick: Blake Beavan
18. St. Louis Cardinals — Greg Holland, P
Holland was dominant as the Kansas City Royals’ closer in 2014 and 2015, racking up 93 saves between the two campaigns. He regressed a bit in 2015 before requiring Tommy John surgery that ended his season, but he’s the best reliever available here and one of the best in baseball when healthy. -RD
Actual pick: Pete Kozma
19. Philadelphia Phillies — Ben Revere, OF
After seeing Revere still available at No. 19, the Phillies would race to make the pick. He’s not an ideal defensive player, but Revere has averaged 182 hits per 162 games in his big league career and eventually would provide the Phillies with a nice leadoff option. -MC
Actual pick: Joe Savery
20. Los Angeles Dodgers (compensation for Julio Lugo) — Lucas Duda, 1B
Duda strikes out a fair amount and doesn’t hit for average, but he has some pop in his bat, evidenced by his 30-homer, 92-RBI season in 2014. With the number of impact bats available dwindling, he’s worth taking over some of the decent relief pitchers still out there. -RD
Actual pick: Chris Withrow
21. Toronto Blue Jays — Brett Cecil, P
When it’s all said and done, the Blue Jays would stick with Cecil, although they would take him 17 picks earlier this time. He never panned out as a starter, but at his best, Cecil is one of the best left-handed relievers in baseball. -MC
Actual pick: Chris Withrow
22. San Francisco Giants (compensation for Jason Schmidt) — Sean Doolittle, P
Doolittle is a very reliable reliever who can throw gas. Sign us up. -RD
Actual pick: J.P. Arencibia
23. San Diego Padres — Mitch Moreland, 1B
Given all the offensive issues the Padres have had in recent years, it makes sense for them to grab a guy who has averaged a home run every 23.6 at-bats for his career. Then again, hitting in Arlington, Texas, in the middle of the summer is a little different than hitting at Petco Park. -MC
Actual pick: Nick Schmidt
24. Texas Rangers (compensation pick for Gary Mathews Jr.) — Steve Cishek
Cishek has carved out a respectable career as a sidearm sinkerballer. His ability to keep the ball on the ground would be welcomed in Texas, especially as the weather heats up and the ballpark becomes even more hitter-friendly. His closing experience is a plus, too. -RD
Actual pick: Michael Main
25. Chicago White Sox — Matt Moore, P
Moore’s career path has been a weird one. He’s had one really good season (2013), and the rest of his career has been OK, at best, with injuries at least temporarily derailing his career. Maybe with Don Cooper, considered one of the best pitching coaches in the game, Moore would find some success. -MC
Actual pick: Aaron Poreda
26. Oakland Athletics — Stephen Vogt, C
Primarily a catcher, Vogt also can play first base and the outfield if need be. That versatility has been an asset in Oakland, which would love to have him back in the organization with this late pick. -RD
Actual pick: James Simmons
27. Detroit Tigers —Â Devin Mesoraco, C
Here’s another difficult one. We’ve seen Mesoraco at his best, when he posted a 4.8 WAR in 2014 and was named an All-Star. Injuries, however, have caused him almost all of 2015 and now the rest of 2016. Maybe getting creative and giving him a new position, getting him out from behind the plate, would save his career. -MC
Actual pick: Rick Porcello
28. Minnesota Twins — Dillon Gee, P
This isn’t a sexy pick by any means. But with limited starting pitchers available, Gee is a worthwhile investment, as there’s at least a chance he’d provide some quality innings. -RD
Actual pick: Ben Revere
29. San Francisco Giants (compensation for Moises Alou) —Â Daniel Descalso, IF
He’s never going to be an All-Star. He’s not even a particularly “good” player, but Descalso plays all over the place and can be a valuable bench player on a good team — like the Giants. -MC
Actual pick: Wendell Fairley
30. New York Yankees — Matt Dominguez, 3B
Dominguez shouldn’t receive 589 or 607 plate appearances like he did with the Houston Astros in 2013 and 2014, respectively. But he can jump into one every now and then, as his 37 home runs between those two seasons suggest, so he could be a nice option off the bench under the right circumstances. -RD
Actual pick: Andrew Brackman
Thumbnail photos via Jesse Johnson, Cary Edmodson, Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports Images
