On Tuesday night, the order at the top of the Draft will be determined by a lottery rather than by winning percentage for the first time. All 18 non-playoff clubs are eligible for the No. 1 overall choice, with odds ranging from 16.5 percent for the Nationals, Athletics and Pirates to 0.2 percent for the Brewers.
This got me to wondering which team had the highest winning percentage yet claimed the No. 1 pick. From 1965-2004, the picks alternated by league, so the absolute worst record didn't necessarily earn the top selection. After that, the order was determined strictly by winning percentage with no regard to leagues.
Only 13 times in the first 58 Drafts did a club own the No. 1 choice after winning as many as 40 percent of its games the season before. The best record among those teams belongs to the Yankees, who went 70-89 (.440) in 1966 and took Ron Blomberg to start the 1967 Draft. The last time this happened was when the 2007 Devil Rays went 66-96 (.407) and popped Tim Beckham with the first selection in 2008.
Here's the list of all .400 or better clubs who grabbed the No. 1 selection and whom they wound up taking:
1966 Yankees, 70-89 (.440) -- Ron Blomberg
2000 Twins, 69-94 (.426) -- Joe Mauer
1974 Angels, 68-94 (.420) -- Danny Goodwin
1983 Mets, 68-94 (.420) -- Shawn Abner
1997 Phillies, 68-94 (.420) -- Pat Burrell
1984 Brewers, 67-94 (.416) -- B.J. Surhoff
1986 Mariners, 67-95 (.414) -- Ken Griffey Jr.
1990 Yankees, 67-95 (.414) -- Brien Taylor
2007 Devil Rays, 66-96 (.407) -- Tim Beckham
1994 Angels, 47-68 (.409) -- Darin Erstad
1995 Pirates, 58-86 (.403) -- Kris Benson
1988 Padres, 65-97 (.401) -- Andy Benes
1991 Astros, 65-97 (.401) -- Phil Nevin