MLB Draft: The Top Number One Picks All-Time
By Ron Juckett
The first pick of the 1995 draft, the California Angels took Darin Erstad from the University of Nebraska. A mainstay in Anaheim for nearly a decade, he made the difficult seem routine.
Spending 11 years with the Halos, he won three Gold Gloves and made two All-Star squads. In 2000, he led the AL with 240 hits. A major part of the Angels 2002 championship team, Erstad hit .421 in their four game victory over the New York Yankees in the ALDS, .364 against the Minnesota Twins in the ALCS and .300 in the World Series against the San Francisco Giants. His solo shot off Tim Worrell leading off the eighth inning of Game 6 was part of a six-run rally late extending the Series to a dramatic seventh game.
Better known for his ability to rob home runs and snare fly balls, Erstad’s defense was his calling card. In 540 games as a centerfielder, he turned 26 assists and made five errors. As an outfielder, he was part of 13 double plays.
Nagging injuries turned him into a first baseman by 2004. Never a great hitter with a career Adjusted OPS+ of 93, Erstad played 14 seasons and 1654 games. Blessed with speed, stealing 179 bases, and the ability to hit doubles (316), his career WAR of 32.3 is tenth best for the top pick in the draft.
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