1966 Major League Baseball draft

First round selections

= All-Star = Baseball Hall of Famer

The following are the first round picks in the 1966 Major League Baseball draft.[1]

Pick Player Team Position Hometown/School
1 Steve Chilcott New York Mets C Lancaster, California
2 Reggie Jackson Kansas City Athletics OF Arizona State
3 Wayne Twitchell Houston Astros RHP Portland, Oregon
4 Ken Brett Boston Red Sox LHP El Segundo, California
5 Dean Burk Chicago Cubs RHP Highland, Illinois
6 Tom Grieve Washington Senators OF Pittsfield, Massachusetts
7 Leron Lee St. Louis Cardinals OF Sacramento, California
8 Jim DeNeff California Angels SS Indiana University
9 Mike Biko Philadelphia Phillies RHP Dallas, Texas
10 Jim Lyttle New York Yankees OF Florida State
11 Al Santorini Milwaukee Braves RHP Union, New Jersey
12 * John Curtis Cleveland Indians LHP Smithtown, New York
13 Gary Nolan Cincinnati Reds RHP Oroville, California
14 * Rick Konik Detroit Tigers 1B Detroit, Michigan
15 Richie Hebner Pittsburgh Pirates SS Norwood, Massachusetts
16 Ted Parks Baltimore Orioles SS University of California
17 Bob Reynolds San Francisco Giants RHP Seattle, WA
18 Carlos May Chicago White Sox OF Birmingham, AL
19 Larry Hutton Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Greenfield, Indiana
20 Bob Jones Minnesota Twins 3B Dawson, Georgia

* Did not sign

Background

A January free agent amateur draft was added for the first time in 1966. Ninety-five prospects were selected in the regular phase and 102 in the secondary phase of the January draft, which featured only players previously drafted who did not sign. With the number one pick in the regular phase of the June draft, the New York Mets passed on Arizona State slugger Reggie Jackson and instead chose high school catcher Steve Chilcott. He spent six seasons in the minors before injuries ended his career.

Although the Mets will be remembered for choosing Chilcott over Jackson, many forget they landed Tom Seaver that year. Seaver, who was declared ineligible by the NCAA to play college baseball and who also was ineligible to be selected in the winter draft, was signed by the Mets for $50,000 in a special draft.

The Yankees tabbed left-handed pitcher Ken Stabler in the 10th round. Stabler went on to star in the NFL as a quarterback during the Oakland Raiders' championship years. Steve Garvey was the one who got away in 1966. Selected by the Minnesota Twins, Garvey elected to enroll at Michigan State.[2]

Other notable players

Notes

  1. "MLB First Round Draft Picks – 1966". Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  2. "Background on the 1966 MLB Draft". Archived from the original on June 14, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2008.

External links

References

Preceded by
Rick Monday
1st Overall Picks
Steve Chilcott
Succeeded by
Ron Blomberg
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