Where Are They Now?

The #1 overall pick every year in the Amateur Draft has a lot to live up to. If the right player comes along, an entire city's fortune can shift. When drafting at #1, it is critical to select a "can't-miss" type player. In addition to the skills that make scouts salivate, GMs also like to see good work ethic and healthy living habits, to ensure those skills will survive for many years to come. So, let's find out how that has worked out for top picks overall of seasons' past.

Season 1 - SS Lawrence Shelley, drafted by the Boston Beaneaters
The Beaneaters, who have since moved and become the Durham Blue Devils, took Shelley ahead of a trio of impressive SPs due to his impressive discipline at the plate. Though he's still learning the ins and outs of the SS position, he hit .349 in his first full campaign to ensure his playing time. He actually cracked the majors as early as Season 2, in September call-up fashion. Shelley has already proven worthy of the 1st overall pick, but those selected behind him, SP Brady Reed of the New York Monarchs and SP Nomar Johnson of the Ottawa Filibusters, are making their debut this year. So true judgment on his value against the rest of his class can now begin in earnest.

Season 2 - SP Houston Clark, drafted by the Cincinnati Boomers
Clark has not yet reached the Major League, but at just 21, that's no surprise. He is an impenetrable prospect: it is impossible to nitpick any flaw in Clark's golden arm. Beginning this season in AAA, it is rather likely he'll toss some innings for the big club by the time 162 games have gone by. Though SP Trey Marshall of the Helena Caribou Barbies at pick #2 and RF Rick Vander Wal of the Chicago Gangsta' Chimps at #3 were equally impressive, there's no faulting the Boomers' choice in Season 2.

Season 3 - 1B Sherman Seo, drafted by the Cincinnati Boomers
Cincinnati was back for more a year later and got another gem in Seo. Seo provides a powerful bat from the right side of the plate, and even has some speed on the basepaths, though he has never quite gotten the hang of getting good enough jumps to steal bases. Seo is actually 2 years older than Clark, and is on the Opening Day roster for the Boomers this season. Though it's early, Seo has 3 jacks in 4 games, and has his average at .357. Obviously a pace this torrid is unsustainable, but Seo has MVP potential, so atmospheric numbers will not be unfamiliar territory for Seo as his Major League career unfolds. And it's always saying something when a 1B goes before 2 SS's, as did Seo in front of SS Gus Harper of the Oakland Oaks and SS Geronimo Pena of the Jackson Ardillas de Muerte

Season 4 - SP Derrick Mitchell, drafted by the Charlotte Knights
Last year's draft was pretty bizarre. The Richmond Wild Rumpus (who have since moved to Baltimore) actually had the top overall pick, but thought the top of the class was rather lacking in star power. As such, they selected P Alton Estes, who they knew was unsignable, in order to get a compensation pick the following year. So SP Derrick Mitchell became the highest draft pick to sign, and he is currently at the AA level. Mitchell is a finesse pitcher, relying on control and movement rather than gas. Though he can put pitches where he wants to, his offspeed pitches don't appear to have as much bite as scouts would like. After Mitchell, the strange draft continued, as two RP went back to back in RP Vic Chase to the Texas Longhorns and RP Omar Cruz to the Cincinnati Boomers. The thin-at-the-top Season 4 draft class will have a lot to prove as they move forward.

The Toledo Mud Hens will make the historic first selection in this year's upcoming Amateur Draft, and they will be followed by the Baltimore Wild Rumpus and Charlotte Knights. Only time will tell if the Season 5 draft will go down as one that changed the entire landscape of the Double Mendoza Baseball League, or if Season 4 will repeat itself.