2005 MLB Draft Revisited: 5 Biggest Losers
4. Toronto Blue Jays
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Blue Jays’ 2005 draft can’t be considered a total disappointment, but it was pretty bad outside of their first round pick. Outside of Ricky Romero, only two other of the 48 players drafted by Toronto reached the majors.
RHP Robbie Ray was taken in the seventh round. He appeared in seven games for the Jays in 2009 and 2010, last pitching in Triple-A for the Marlins’ affiliate in 2012.
Infielder Brett Wallace was traded at the 2010 trade deadline for OF Anthony Gose. In 971 at-bats over four seasons with the Houston Astros, Wallace his .242 with 29 home runs and 102 runs batted in. He was released by the Astros in spring training of last year and currently is a member of the San Diego Padres’ farm system.
Back now to Toronto’s sixth overall pick. Romero was a LHP for Cal State Fullerton who made his first MLB appearance in 2009. He managed fairly well as a rookie, going 13-9 over 29 starts with a 4.30 ERA. In 2010, Romero improved some, knocking his ERA down to 3.73 and his FIP to 3.64. But control issues began to foreshadow a sign of things to come that year, as he led the league with 18 wild pitches.
Before self-imploding, Romero managed a career year in 2011. Placing 10th in AL Cy Young balloting amidst a dangerous AL East schedule, Romero posted a 2.92 ERA. He went 15-11 across 32 starts and 225 IP, but he was still averaging over three walks per nine innings pitched and had a FIP of 4.20, suggesting luck was more often on his side than not in 2011.
In 2012, Romero was still a mainstay in the Blue Jays’ rotation but he posted a 5.77 ERA and led the league in walks. He was a shell of his former self. He made two starts and four total appearances for the Jays in 2013, accumulating an treacherous ERA of 11.05. Playing only in the minors in 2014, Romero has a long road back to playing big league baseball again. At 30-years old, he’s is set to be a free agent after 2016.
In total, all of the Jays’ 49 draft picks from 2005 have a combined WAR of 9.2 at the MLB level.