Entering Thursday, the Baltimore Orioles have a 5.5-game “lead” on the Kansas City Royals for the top pick in the 2019 MLB First-Year Player Draft. After being swept in Kansas City last weekend and with only 22 games to go until the end of the season, the odds certainly are in favor of Baltimore securing the top choice.
Literally, almost nothing has been positive for the Orioles in 2018. But fingers should be crossed across Birdland that this will be one thing to go their way. In that spirit, let’s look back at the last 40 MLB number one draft picks, since 1979, and discuss some numbers that stand out.