List of Los Angeles Dodgers first-round draft picks

A man in a red warmup with gray pants stands arguing with a man in a black baseball jersey and dark gray pants.
Mike Scioscia (1976) won championships with the Dodgers in 1981 and 1988.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the National League West division. Since the institution of MLB's Rule 4 Draft, the Dodgers have selected 67 players in the first round. Officially known as the "First-Year Player Draft",[1] the Rule 4 Draft is MLB's primary mechanism for assigning players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur clubs to its franchises. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with the team possessing the worst record receiving the first pick.[1] In addition, teams which lost free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded compensatory or supplementary picks.[2]

Of the 67 players picked in the first round by Los Angeles, 37 have been pitchers, the most of any position; 24 of these were right-handed, while 12 were left-handed. Nine players at shortstop and nine in the outfield were selected, while five catchers, three first basemen, and three third basemen were taken as well. The team also selected two players at second base.[3] Seven of the players came from high schools or universities in the state of Texas, while California follows with six players.

Nine Dodgers first-round picks have won a World Series championship with the team. Pitchers Bob Welch (1977) and Steve Howe (1979) played with the 1981 championship team.[4][5] Shortstop Dave Anderson (1981) and first baseman Franklin Stubbs (1982) were a part of the 1988 championship team.[6][7] Catcher Mike Scioscia (1976) won championships with both teams.[8] Pitchers Clayton Kershaw (2006) and Walker Buehler (2015), shortstop Corey Seager (2012), and catcher Will Smith (2016) all played with the 2020 championship team.[9][10][11][12] Welch was also on the Oakland Athletics' 1988 team which lost to the Dodgers in the 1988 Series.[4] Howe, Seager, and Rick Sutcliffe (1974) each won the MLB Rookie of the Year award.[5][11][13]

The Dodgers have made 11 selections in the supplemental round of the draft and have never made the first overall selection.[3][14] They have also had 16 compensatory picks since the institution of the First-Year Player Draft in 1965.[3] These additional picks are provided when a team loses a particularly valuable free agent in the prior off-season,[2][15][V] or, more recently, if a team fails to sign a draft pick from the previous year.[16] The Dodgers have failed to sign one of their first-round picks, Luke Hochevar (2005), but received no compensation pick.[17][18]

  1. ^ a b "First-Year Player Draft Rules". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  2. ^ a b McCalvy, Adam. "Brewers offer three arbitration". Brewers.MLB.com. Milwaukee Brewers. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c "Amateur Draft: Los Angeles Dodgers 1st Round Picks in the MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 20, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Bob Welch Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 4, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Steve Howe Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  6. ^ "Dave Anderson Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  7. ^ "Franklin Stubbs Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 4, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  8. ^ "Mike Scioscia Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on October 8, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  9. ^ "Clayton Kershaw Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 16, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  10. ^ "Walker Buehler Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 11, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Corey Seager Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 30, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  12. ^ "Will Smith Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  13. ^ "Rick Sutcliffe Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  14. ^ "Amateur Draft: First overall picks in the MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 14, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2009.
  15. ^ "First-Year Player Draft FAQ". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2009.
  16. ^ "MLB, MLBPA reach five-year labor accord". MLB.com. Major League Baseball Players Association. October 24, 2006. Archived from the original on June 21, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  17. ^ "Draft Report: 2000s". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on April 2, 2008. Retrieved December 12, 2009.
  18. ^ "1st Round of the 2005 June Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2010.