2024 Draft - Part 12 - The History of Our 2024 Draft Slots - Draft Slots #36, #48 and #84

 As we continue to move towards the 2024 draft, I wanted to look back at the history of each of the 21 slots the Guardians will draft at this year.  Although it would be obvious to start with their 1st pick at 1-1, I am going, instead, to finish with that pick and start with the Guardians' second pick of the 2024 draft, at slot 36 and included information on slots #48 and #84, as well. 

While I recognize that who is picked at each slot in the draft is a complex mixture of teams drafting for need, drafting to save money, drafting to spend excess money and, of course, the ubiquitous 'teams like who they like', I think it is a good look back into the history of these draft slots, if nothing else  

Note that while I have done research on all 59 of the previous drafts, I am only including the players who have made the majors who were drafted BEFORE 2020, as those drafted since then are still writing their own stories.

So let's dive into the draft history of these three slots as we approach the 60th year of the MLB June draft:

SLOT 36

• 34 out of 55 picks at this slot (through 2019) have spent time in the majors
• Johny Bench was the inaugural (1965) pick
• While it would be hard to beat Bench's success as a #36 pick, Randy Johnson was also drafted at that slot
• Cleveland has twice drafted at #36, with the first time being Chris Bando in 1978, likely the worst June draft in Cleveland history.  The next time they had that slot was in 2020 when they drafted Tanner Burns, who seems to be establishing his worth as a relief pitching prospect for the Guardians.

Slot 48

• 26 out of 55 picks at this slot (through 2019) have spent time in the majors
• Cal Ripken and Josh Donaldson are the two most notable players who were picked at this slot.
• The Guardians have twice selected at #48, picking Pete Carganilla in 1984 and Javi Herrera in 2003.  Neither made it to the majors with the latter being overdrafted with the thought that they could take a great defensive catcher and turn his sub-par hitting around, which history will tell us did not happen.  Keep that in mind, Guardians, when you are drafting this year.

Slot 84

• 14 of 55 picks at this slot (through 2019) have made the majors
• The most notable of the players selected in this slot through 2019 were David West and Jeremy Guthrie, although the latter did not sign and was drafted in the first round (slot 22) the following year by Cleveland.
• Cleveland has NEVER drafted at this slot although Chris Valaika (2006) and Owen Miller (2018) were drafted at #84 and both have spent time with the Guardians as a hitting coach and utility player acquired in the Mike Clevinger trade, respectively.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Next time we will look at slots #113, #146 and #175.