Baseball executives have spent decades making draft decisions that have either built dynasties or slowly crushed fans’ souls. One brilliant selection can transform a franchise for a decade, while a string of busts can send an organization spiraling into a rebuild that feels longer than a rain delay in Seattle.
This article ranks the most successful MLB drafts using three metrics: total career WAR, WAR for the drafting team, and WAR over the first six years. Buckle up—it’s time to judge decades-old decisions with the smug certainty that only hindsight can provide!
10. 1978 Baltimore Orioles
Cal Ripken Jr. (95.9 career WAR) revolutionized shortstop by having the audacity to be tall AND hit for power while playing 2,632 consecutive games—a record that makes modern players need a day off just thinking about it. Mike Boddicker (31.4 career WAR) complemented Ripken with a delivery that looked like a man fighting off bees while pitching. Together: 127.3 WAR.
9. 1990 New York Yankees
Andy Pettitte (60.2 career WAR) became a postseason ace with his death stare that made batters feel judged by a disappointed eagle. Jorge Posada (42.8 career WAR) brought offensive firepower while running like he wore concrete boots. Carl Everett (19.1 career WAR) rounded out this draft class’s 122.1 career WAR, despite not believing in dinosaurs.
8. 1999 St. Louis Cardinals
Albert Pujols (99.6 career WAR), taken 402nd overall, became a hitting machine with Swiss watch precision and freight train power. Coco Crisp (29.1 career WAR) developed elsewhere, proving the Cardinals will draft players with breakfast cereal names but not necessarily keep them. Total: 128.7 WAR—like finding a winning lottery ticket in your laundry.
7. 1976 Boston Red Sox
Wade Boggs (91.4 career WAR) perfected hitting singles so consistently that pitchers probably considered just rolling the ball to first to save time. His chicken-before-every-game diet proves that superstition and protein make a winning combo. Bruce Hurst (27.0 career WAR) added 118.4 combined WAR—almost enough to offset decades of pre-2004 heartbreak.
6. 1976 Detroit Tigers
Alan Trammell (70.7 career WAR) anchored shortstop for 20 seasons, showing loyalty that in today’s market seems as quaint as rotary phones. Jack Morris (43.6 career WAR) pitched with a sledgehammer’s subtlety and a mustache deserving its own locker. Their 114.3 WAR powered the Tigers’ 1984 championship.
5. 1983 Boston Red Sox
Roger Clemens (139.2 career WAR) became baseball’s most intimidating pitcher this side of a machine set to “beanball.” Seven Cy Young Awards later, he had enough hardware to open a trophy shop. While his later career became more controversial than a Hall of Fame ballot, his 4,672 strikeouts and 354 wins make this draft class a grand slam.
4. 1965 Kansas City Athletics
Sal Bando (61.5 career WAR) captained Oakland’s dynasty with the quiet authority of a library bouncer. Gene Tenace (46.8 career WAR) turned walking into an art form decades before “moneyball” made patience trendy. Rick Monday (33.1 career WAR) saved the American flag during a field invasion, becoming the most patriotic outfielder in history. Total: 141.4 WAR.
3. 1989 Cleveland Indians
Jim Thome (72.9 career WAR) swung with a stance that looked like hailing a taxi in a hurricane, yet launched 612 homers effortlessly. Brian Giles (51.0 career WAR) turned plate discipline into philosophy, walking so often they needed to re-sod the path to first. Combined: 123.9 WAR—deeper than most philosophy majors’ late-night conversations.
2. 1984 Chicago Cubs
Greg Maddux (106.6 career WAR) dominated with a fastball barely breaking school zone speed limits, yet left hitters swatting flies with chopsticks. Jamie Moyer (50.4 career WAR) pitched until AARP membership, winning 269 games with a fastball that got pulled over for going too slow. Their 157.0 WAR proves finesse is just violence in slow motion.
1. 1985 Pittsburgh Pirates
Barry Bonds (162.7 career WAR) developed into a player so dominant that video games had to nerf his stats for realism. He holds records for most career homers (762), single-season homers (73), and intentional walks by suddenly “wild” pitchers. While his legacy debate continues with Thanksgiving dinner intensity, his statistical impact remains undeniable—like winning enough lottery money to buy the lottery itself.
