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Non-prospect that had the best MLB career?

chopsx9

By chopsx9,
in General Baseball Talk

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chopsx9

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This popped into my head today? So not low draft pick, but the player who had a relatively pedestrian minor league career but ended up with the best MLB career. Was Zobrist rated highly in the minors?

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jersey cubs fan GOAT

jersey cubs fan

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This popped into my head today? So not low draft pick, but the player who had a relatively pedestrian minor league career but ended up with the best MLB career. Was Zobrist rated highly in the minors?

Mike piazza had was drafted late and had 2 pedestrian years before one breakout year and hall of fame career.

Wasn't too 100 until after MLB debut

chopsx9 Draft Eligible

chopsx9

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Mark Grace was a 24th round pick.

 

I feel like the best answer is probably Piazza.

 

Yes, but Grace was considered a highish prospect, I believe, a few years before he made the Cubs. I was thinking of someone who may have flown under the radar throughout their minor league career - which I guess is tough because you have to play well enough to get called up. It may well be Piazza -I know he was drafted last but I'd assumed he'd made a bigger splash in the minors.

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CoolHandLuke

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Among the WAR top ten leaderboard from 2013 (arbitrary) to present is Josh Donaldson, Jose Altuve, Paul Goldschmidt, and Matt Carpenter, and none of them made it onto a BP top 101 list.
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champaignchris

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Josh Donaldson was the first name to come to my mind.

 

He was the 48th pick of the draft. But he had a pedestrian minor league career, was never a top 100 ranked prospect, was a deadline deal throw-in with three other guys as an A-baller, and didn’t become a Major League regular until age 26.

CubinNY MVP

CubinNY

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Mark Grace was a 24th round pick.

 

I feel like the best answer is probably Piazza.

 

Yes, but Grace was considered a highish prospect, I believe, a few years before he made the Cubs. I was thinking of someone who may have flown under the radar throughout their minor league career - which I guess is tough because you have to play well enough to get called up. It may well be Piazza -I know he was drafted last but I'd assumed he'd made a bigger splash in the minors.

Big Papi, but he wasn’t drafted.

UMFan83 GOAT

UMFan83

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There was a recent BA article on how they scouted this years all stars when they were prospects. Altuve was never rated higher than the Astros #28 prospect and was highlighted for his defense only in the scouting report.
imb MVP

imb

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Josh Donaldson was the first name to come to my mind.

 

He was the 48th pick of the draft. But he had a pedestrian minor league career, was never a top 100 ranked prospect, was a deadline deal throw-in with three other guys as an A-baller, and didn’t become a Major League regular until age 26.

 

Lotta people liked Donaldson's bat even when he was catching actually, just didn't seem to have a position and wouldn't find one until his mid-20s.

 

---

 

Tim Hudson for pitchers? 35th round pick, shorter RHSP...

 

tim hudson seems like exactly the kinda pitcher you would obsess over and drive everyone nuts about

Clem Fandango All-Star

Clem Fandango

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I should enjoy Jose Ramirez and his rise to elite status as a fan of baseball, but I kinda hate how good he is. Lindor being great is fine, that was to be expected. But to have Ramirez come out of nowhere and be putting up results that are making Trout look human is horsefeathering annoying as horsefeathers.
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