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MLB draft competitive balance picks have a mixed history

By Benjamin Chase

DENVER, CO - JULY 27: Sean Manaea #55 of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning during interleague play at Coors Field on July 27, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JULY 27: Sean Manaea #55 of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning during interleague play at Coors Field on July 27, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OH – AUGUST 29: Michael Lorenzen #21 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park on August 29, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

With competitive balance selections in the 2019 MLB draft becoming an important negotiating piece in the 2018/2019 offseason, it’s fitting to look at how those picks have been used since they came into fruition.

Recent changes to Major League Baseball’s Collective Bargaining Agreement has changed the MLB draft. One of the most notable changes was the addition of competitive balance selections that began in 2013 after the signing of the 2012 CBA. This offseason, those picks have been mentioned often, so let’s take a look at what they are, and how they’ve been used in the past few years of the MLB draft.

What are competitive balance picks?

The MLB CBA signed in 2012 initiated competitive balance picks, but they’ve evolved a lot since!

The initial intention of the competitive balance picks was to allow the teams in small markets or low revenue streams to get an extra bonus to hopefully help to balance things out better across the league. The selections come during the annual June MLB draft, also known as the Rule 4 draft.

The 10 lowest-revenue clubs, as well as the teams from the 10 smallest markets, are eligible to receive selections. Typically, that means that less than 20 teams end up eligible as teams will overlap into both groups. In the initial iteration of the picks, those teams were entered into a lottery to receive picks. Rather than a lottery, teams now rotate their selections between rounds.

The selections awarded are deemed either round A or round B. Round A occurs after the first round and compensatory picks that follow the first round, but before the second round. Round B occurs between the second round and second round compensatory picks.

One big part of the selections that make them different when compared to any other MLB draft selection is that these picks can be traded (just once, but they can be moved). This offseason has seen three competitive balance selections traded already – the Texas Rangers have acquired the #39 pick in round A from the Brewers, the Seattle Mariners have acquired the #77 pick in round B from the Indians, and the Arizona Diamondbacks have received the #78 pick in round B from the Cardinals.

Overall, the 2019 competitive balance rounds are as follows:

  • Round A
  • 34. Miami Marlins
  • 35. Tampa Bay Rays
  • 36. Cincinnati Reds
  • 37. Pittsburgh Pirates (compensation for not signing #36 pick in 2018)
  • 38. Oakland Athletics
  • 39. Texas Rangers (from Brewers in trade)
  • 40. Minnesota Twins
  • Round B
  • 71. Kansas City Royals
  • 72. Baltimore Orioles
  • 73. Pittsburgh Pirates
  • 74. San Diego Padres
  • 75. Arizona Diamondbacks
  • 76. Colorado Rockies
  • 77. Seattle Mariners (from Indians in trade)
  • 78. Arizona Diamondbacks (from Cardinals in trade)

Let’s take a look at each year’s selections, starting with the first year:

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