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1978 Major League Baseball draft

1978 Major League Baseball draft
Overview
First selectionBob Horner
Atlanta Braves
First round selections26
Hall of Famers
2
← 1977
1979 →

The 1978 Major League Baseball draft was held June 6–8, 1978, consisting of 48 rounds, during which a total of 779 players were selected by 26 Major League Baseball (MLB) organizations.[1] The first overall selection was Bob Horner, drafted by the Atlanta Braves.

Four of the selected players made their professional debuts in MLB without first playing in Minor League Baseball: third baseman Horner from Arizona State University, Oakland High School pitchers Tim Conroy and Mike Morgan, and catcher Brian Milner from Southwest High School in Fort Worth, Texas.

In addition to Horner, the Braves also selected future major-leaguer players Matt Sinatro (2nd round), Steve Bedrosian (3rd round), Rick Behenna (4th round), Jose Alvarez (8th round) and Gerald Perry (11th round).

Others notable players drafted included Lloyd Moseby and Dave Stieb (Toronto), Mike Marshall and Steve Sax (Los Angeles), Cal Ripken Jr. and Mike Boddicker (Baltimore), Kirk Gibson (Detroit), Kent Hrbek (Minnesota) and Hubie Brooks (New York Mets).[2]

First round selections

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The following are the first round picks in the 1978 Major League Baseball draft.[3]

= All-Star = Baseball Hall of Fame
Pick Player Team Position School
1 Bob Horner Atlanta Braves 3B Arizona State
2 Lloyd Moseby Toronto Blue Jays 1B Oakland High School (Oakland, California)
3 Hubie Brooks New York Mets SS Arizona State
4 Mike Morgan Oakland Athletics RHP Valley High School (Las Vegas, Nevada)
5 Andy Hawkins San Diego Padres RHP Midway High School (Hewitt, Texas)
6 Tito Nanni Seattle Mariners OF Chestnut Hill Academy High School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
7 Bob Cummings San Francisco Giants C Brother Rice High School (Chicago, Illinois)
8 Nick Hernandez Milwaukee Brewers C Hialeah High School (Hialeah, Florida)
9 Glenn Franklin Montreal Expos SS Chipola Junior College
10 Phil Lansford Cleveland Indians SS Wilcox High School (Santa Clara, California)
11 Rod Boxberger Houston Astros RHP University of Southern California
12 Kirk Gibson Detroit Tigers OF Michigan State University
13 Bill Hayes Chicago Cubs C Indiana State University
14 Tom Brunansky California Angels OF West Covina High School (West Covina, California)
15 Robert Hicks St. Louis Cardinals 1B Tate High School (Pensacola, Florida)
16 Lenny Faedo Minnesota Twins SS Jefferson High School (Tampa, Florida)
17 Nick Esasky Cincinnati Reds SS Carol City High School (Carol City, Florida)
18 Rex Hudler New York Yankees[Compensation 1] SS Bullard High School (Fresno, California)
19 Brad Garnett Pittsburgh Pirates 1B DeSoto High School (DeSoto, Texas)
20 Tim Conroy Oakland Athletics[Compensation 2] LHP Gateway High School (Monroeville, Pennsylvania)
21 Gerry Aubin Pittsburgh Pirates[Compensation 3] OF Dougherty Comprehensive High School (Albany, Georgia)
22 Robert Boyce Baltimore Orioles 3B Deer Park High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)
23 Rip Rollins Philadelphia Phillies 1B/RHP Allegheny High School (Sparta, North Carolina)
24 Matt Winters New York Yankees[Compensation 4] OF Williamsville High School (Williamsville, New York)
25 Buddy Biancalana Kansas City Royals SS Redwood High School (Greenbrae, California)
26 Brian Ryder New York Yankees RHP Shrewsbury High School (Shrewsbury, Massachusetts)

Compensation picks

[edit]
  1. ^ Pick from Chicago White Sox as compensation for signing of free agent Ron Blomberg
  2. ^ Pick from Texas Rangers as compensation for signing of free agent Mike Jorgensen
  3. ^ Pick from Los Angeles Dodgers as compensation for signing of free agent Terry Forster
  4. ^ Pick from Boston Red Sox as compensation for signing of free agent Mike Torrez

Other notable players

[edit]
= All-Star = Baseball Hall of Famer

[4]

Round Pick Player Team Position
2 37 Danny Heep Houston Astros OF
39 Mel Hall Chicago Cubs
48 Cal Ripken Jr. Baltimore Orioles 3B
52 Steve Balboni New York Yankees 1B
3 53 Steve Bedrosian Atlanta Braves RHP
70 Britt Burns Chicago White Sox LHP
74 Bobby Bonner Baltimore Orioles SS
4 85 Rob Deer San Francisco Giants OF
92 Mike Witt California Angels RHP
5 106 Dave Stieb Toronto Blue Jays OF
6 151 Mike Marshall Los Angeles Dodgers 1B
152 Mike Boddicker Baltimore Orioles RHP
8 196 Tim Wallach* California Angels 1B
9 229 Steve Sax Los Angeles Dodgers SS
15 377 Mark Langston* Chicago Cubs LHP
381 Gary Redus Cincinnati Reds SS
16 415 Frank Viola* Kansas City Royals LHP
17 432 Kent Hrbek Minnesota Twins 1B
18 447 Eric Show San Diego Padres RHP
460 John Stuper Pittsburgh Pirates
19 475 Kevin McReynolds* Milwaukee Brewers OF
20 511 Ryne Sandberg Philadelphia Phillies IF
21 531 Dave Dravecky Pittsburgh Pirates LHP
23 577 Howard Johnson* New York Yankees RHP
24 594 Rick Leach Philadelphia Phillies 1B
39 758 Vance Law Pittsburgh Pirates SS
47 778 Ron Reeves Cleveland Indians RHP

* Did not sign

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Henderson, Joe (June 9, 1978). "2 Tampa Pitchers Picked; Draft Ends". The Tampa Tribune. p. 6-C. Retrieved August 26, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Background on the 1978 MLB Draft". Archived from the original on June 21, 2008. Retrieved August 3, 2008.
  3. ^ "MLB First Round Draft Picks - 1978". Retrieved August 3, 2008.
  4. ^ "1978 Baseball Draft by Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
[edit]
Preceded by 1st Overall Picks
Bob Horner 		Succeeded by