Between first and second is one way to look at it. “Anywhere else?” That’s simply not the case. Between #1 and the rest of the round is a broader sample size. From 2001-13, 10 times the player with the highest career WAR picked in the first round, was not the one selected first overall.
On 6/24/2018 at 12:16 PM, TonySoprano said:#1 Overall + WAR; Notables +WAR (pick #)
2013 Appel N/A ; Bryant 21.4 (2)
2012 Correa 19.4; Seager 13.7 (18)
2011 Cole 14.5; Lindor 20.2 (18)
2010 Harper 24.2; Sale 39.8 (13), ManNY 29.8 (3)
2009 Strasburg 25.9; Trout 60.7 (25)
2008 Beckham 4.1; Posey 40.3 (5), Hosmer 15.7 (3)
2007 Price 35.1; Heyward 34.4 (14), Bumgarner 32.1 (10)
2006 Hochevar 3.6; Kershaw 61.9 (7), Longoria 50.3 (3), Scherzer 49.3 (11)
2005 Upton 33.3; Tulowitzki 44.1 (7), Gordon 34.2 (2)
2004 Bush 2.3; Verlander 60.9 (2), Weaver 34.4 (12)
2003 Young 2.4; Markakis 32.2 (7), Hill 23.7 (13), Danks 20.3 (9)
2002 Bulington -0.3; Greinke 62.7 (6), Hamels 54.7 (17)
2001 Mauer 54.6; Teixeira 51.8 (5)
Update – For 2014, currently the WAR leader is Aaron Nola, drafted 7th; Brady Aiken was the first overall pick. 2015’s leader is Alex Bregman, selected with the #2 pick; Dansby Swanson, the top pick, is 3rd in WAR behind Bregman and Benitendi. For those keeping score, that’s 12 of 15 where the top value was found after the first pick.
