The 2023 MLB Draft will be the first one in the history of the sport to decide a few spots via the lottery.
After the new 2022-2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was negotiated, it was determined that the first six selections will be set via the lottery.
The picks belonging to the remaining lottery participants (18 teams will participate in the lottery, so 12 will remain) will be set in reverse order of regular season winning percentage.
The 12 playoff teams will complete the first round, picking in an order that combines postseason finish, revenue sharing status, and reverse order of winning percentage.
The system was put in place to discourage tanking somewhat, as finishing with the league’s worst record is no longer a guarantee of getting the first pick.
Here are the complete lottery odds:
“Odds for No. 1 pick in 2023 #MLBDraft: A’s/Nationals/Pirates 16.5%; Reds 13.2%; Royals 10.0%; Tigers 7.5%; Rangers 5.5%; Rockies 3.9%; Marlins 2.7%; Angels 1.8%; D-backs 1.4%; Cubs 1.1%; Twins .9%; Red Sox .8%; White Sox .6%; Giants .5%; Orioles .4%; Brewers .2%,” MLB Pipeline tweeted.
Odds for No. 1 pick in 2023 #MLBDraft:
A's/Nationals/Pirates 16.5%
Reds 13.2%
Royals 10.0%
Tigers 7.5%
Rangers 5.5%
Rockies 3.9%
Marlins 2.7%
Angels 1.8%
D-backs 1.4%
Cubs 1.1%
Twins .9%
Red Sox .8%
White Sox .6%
Giants .5%
Orioles .4%
Brewers .2%More: https://t.co/0h23aX2kHC
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 8, 2022
The A’s, Nationals, And Pirates Have Better Odds Of Securing The First Pick
So, to sum up, even though the Baltimore Orioles, for example, finished with an 83-79 record, they still have a minimal chance of securing the top pick of the draft.
It’s tiny, but it exists.
Naturally, the teams with the worst records, namely the Oakland Athletics, the Washington Nationals, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, have the highest odds.
On Monday, the league announced that the lottery will take place at the Winter Meetings in San Diego.
MLB Network will exclusively reveal the results on air during a half-hour show starting at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 6.
In a little less than a month, we will know who is going to land the first pick of the upcoming draft and we will all experience a new format.
NEXT: MLB Fans Can Prepare For The Inaugural Draft Lottery