Before the 2022 season, MLB and the Players’ Association agreed to use a draft lottery for the first six teams.
It was a way of mitigating (somewhat, at least) tanking efforts by rebuilding teams because finishing last does not guarantee the first overall pick anymore.
The first ever MLB Draft Lottery was conducted last night at the Winter Meetings, and it delivered the first pick to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
There was a team in particular that benefitted handsomely from the lottery.
“The 2023 draft order, as chosen by the first MLB draft lottery: 1. Pittsburgh 2. Washington 3. Detroit 4. Texas 5. Minnesota 6. Oakland 7. Cincinnati 8. Kansas City 9. Colorado 10. Miami Minnesota made a huge move up, from outside of the lottery to the 5th overall pick,” MLB insider Jeff Passan tweeted.
The 2023 draft order, as chosen by the first MLB draft lottery:
1. Pittsburgh
2. Washington
3. Detroit
4. Texas
5. Minnesota
6. Oakland
7. Cincinnati
8. Kansas City
9. Colorado
10. MiamiMinnesota made a huge move up, from outside of the lottery to the 5th overall pick.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 7, 2022
Yes: the Minnesota Twins, who were actually leading the AL Central division in early September, will pick in the top five because of the magic of odds and probabilities.
The Twins Had Some Luck On Tuesday Night
The lottery will benefit some teams and affect others, and that’s the beauty of it.
Now, a team with clear playoff intentions in 2023 will get to add a top prospect to its farm.
That’s the fortune gods smiling at Minnesota fans after the ugly September collapse they had to witness.
If they make good use of that pick, they will be able to add an impactful young player to their minor league system.
They always come in handy.
The team that didn’t have so much luck in the lottery were the Oakland Athletics, owners of the worst record in the American League.
They had the same odds of securing the first pick as the Pirates, but will now choose sixth because of the lottery.
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