Wikipedia

1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft

The 1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft was held on November 17, 1992, in New York City. The expansion draft allowed two expansion teams in Major League Baseball (MLB)—the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins[b]—to build their rosters prior to their inaugural seasons.

1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft
Teal and purple bats and flags with the Marlins and Rockies logos
The logo for the 1992 MLB expansion draft
General information
SportBaseball
DateNovember 17, 1992
LocationNew York City
NetworkESPN
Overview
72 total selections
LeagueMajor League Baseball[a]
Expansion teamsColorado Rockies
Florida Marlins
Expansion season1993
First selectionDavid Nied (Colorado Rockies)
← 1976
1997 →

The 1990 collective bargaining agreement between MLB owners and the MLB Players Association allowed the National League (NL) to expand by two members—from 12 to 14—to match the size of the American League (AL). In June 1991, MLB accepted bids of groups from Miami, Florida, and Denver, Colorado, with debuts set for the 1993 season. The Rockies were placed in the NL West division and the Marlins were placed in the NL East division.

This was the first major-league expansion draft that allowed expansion teams to select players from either league. The Marlins and Rockies used the draft to build their teams using different strategies. As the Rockies had a smaller operating budget than the Marlins, the Rockies targeted prospects with low salaries, while the Marlins selected older players intended to provide more immediate impact.[2] All three rounds of the draft were televised by ESPN.

Background

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1993 MLB expansion teams

Major League Baseball (MLB) team owners and the MLB Players Association agreed to expand the National League (NL) by two teams in the 1990 collective bargaining agreement.[3] Prior to expansion, the NL had 12 teams while the American League had 14.[4]

In June 1991, MLB accepted two bids for expansion franchises: one for Miami, Florida, and the other for Denver, Colorado. Both teams were set to debut in 1993.[5][6] Expansion was approved unanimously by all teams in July 1991.[7] The Denver group chose to call their franchise the Colorado Rockies, the same name used as the National Hockey League franchise that played in Denver from 1976 to 1982. The Miami group chose to call themselves the Florida Marlins to broaden their fanbase to the entire state,[7] while reviving the nickname of the Miami Marlins, a defunct Minor League Baseball team.[8] An expansion draft to stock both franchises was set for November 1992.[7]

Procedure

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In contrast to previous expansion drafts, players from both the American League (AL) and National League (NL) were available to the expansion clubs.[2] Each existing club could protect 15 players on their 40-man roster from being drafted and only one player could be drafted from each team in each round. At the end of each round, NL teams could protect an additional three players and AL teams could protect an additional four. To further protect the AL teams, a maximum of eight AL teams could have three players chosen.[9]

All unprotected MLB and minor league players were eligible except those chosen in the amateur drafts of 1991 or 1992 and players who were 18 or younger when signed in 1990.[9] Players who were free agents after the 1992 season were not eligible for selection in the draft.[2] The Rockies and Marlins, however, were not restricted in offering contracts to free agents. The Rockies signed their first free agent, Andrés Galarraga, to a one-year contract the day before the expansion draft.[10]

The draft order was determined by a coin toss, the winner of which could choose either: (a) the first overall pick in the expansion draft and the 28th, and last, pick in the first round of the 1993 MLB amateur draft; or (b) allow the other team to pick first and receive both the second and third overall expansion draft picks, the right to pick first in the subsequent rounds of the expansion draft, and the 27th, and next-to-last, overall pick in the 1993 MLB amateur draft. Colorado won the toss and chose to pick first overall.[2][9] The three rounds of the draft were televised by ESPN.[2]

Results

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With the first pick, the Rockies chose David Nied, who had a 3–0 win–loss record with a 1.17 earned run average in six MLB appearances with the Atlanta Braves.[11] The Marlins' first selection, Nigel Wilson, spent the 1992 season with the Double-A Knoxville Smokies of the Toronto Blue Jays organization, and had no MLB experience.[12]

In total, the Rockies and Marlins chose 41 pitchers with their combined 72 selections.[13] Of the 72 players chosen, 11 were All-Stars during their careers. Jack Armstrong,[14] Bryan Harvey,[15] and Danny Jackson[16] had been All-Stars before the expansion draft, while Andy Ashby,[17] Brad Ausmus,[18] Vinny Castilla,[19] Jeff Conine,[20] Carl Everett,[21] Joe Girardi,[22] Harvey,[15] Trevor Hoffman,[23] Jackson,[16] and Eric Young[24] became All-Stars later on in their careers. Hoffman would also be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Key
‡
 All-Star
†
 Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
A man in a white baseball uniform in his pitching motion.
Trevor Hoffman, the one-time career leader in saves,[25] was selected with the 7th pick overall.
A man in a red baseball uniform stands and looks towards his left.
Brad Ausmus never played for the Rockies, but had an 18-year MLB career.[18]
A man in a blue jacket with the word "Indians" written across the chest
Eric Wedge managed the Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners after his playing career.[26]
A man in a navy blue baseball uniform with the word "New York" written across the front
Joe Girardi played for the Rockies (1993–1995) and managed the Marlins (2006).[22][27]
Round Pick Player Position Selected from Selected by
11 David Nied Right-handed pitcherAtlanta BravesColorado Rockies
12 Nigel Wilson OutfielderToronto Blue JaysFlorida Marlins
13 Charlie Hayes Third basemanNew York YankeesColorado Rockies
14 José Martínez Right-handed pitcherNew York MetsFlorida Marlins
15 Darren Holmes Right-handed pitcherMilwaukee BrewersColorado Rockies
16 Bret Barberie ShortstopMontreal ExposFlorida Marlins
17 Jerald Clark OutfielderSan Diego PadresColorado Rockies
18 Trevor Hoffman† Right-handed pitcherCincinnati RedsFlorida Marlins
19 Kevin Reimer OutfielderTexas RangersColorado Rockies
110 Pat Rapp Right-handed pitcherSan Francisco GiantsFlorida Marlins
111 Eric Young Sr.‡ Second basemanLos Angeles DodgersColorado Rockies
112 Greg Hibbard Left-handed pitcherChicago White SoxFlorida Marlins
113 Jody Reed Second basemanBoston Red SoxColorado Rockies
114 Chuck Carr OutfielderSt. Louis CardinalsFlorida Marlins
115 Scott Aldred Left-handed pitcherDetroit TigersColorado Rockies
116 Darrell Whitmore OutfielderCleveland IndiansFlorida Marlins
117 Alex Cole OutfielderPittsburgh PiratesColorado Rockies
118 Eric Helfand CatcherOakland AthleticsFlorida Marlins
119 Joe Girardi‡ CatcherChicago CubsColorado Rockies
120 Bryan Harvey‡ Right-handed pitcherCalifornia AngelsFlorida Marlins
121 Willie Blair Right-handed pitcherHouston AstrosColorado Rockies
122 Jeff Conine‡ First baseman/OutfielderKansas City RoyalsFlorida Marlins
123 Jay Owens CatcherMinnesota TwinsColorado Rockies
124 Kip Yaughn Right-handed pitcherBaltimore OriolesFlorida Marlins
125 Andy Ashby‡ Right-handed pitcherPhiladelphia PhilliesColorado Rockies
126 Jesús Tavárez OutfielderSeattle MarinersFlorida Marlins
227 Freddie Benavides ShortstopCincinnati RedsColorado Rockies
228 Carl Everett‡ OutfielderNew York YankeesFlorida Marlins
229 Roberto Mejia Second basemanLos Angeles DodgersColorado Rockies
230 David Weathers Right-handed pitcherToronto Blue JaysFlorida Marlins
231 Doug Bochtler Right-handed pitcherMontreal ExposColorado Rockies
232 John Johnstone Right-handed pitcherNew York MetsFlorida Marlins
233 Lance Painter Left-handed pitcherSan Diego PadresColorado Rockies
234 Ramón Martínez ShortstopPittsburgh PiratesFlorida Marlins
235 Butch Henry Left-handed pitcherHouston AstrosColorado Rockies
236 Steve Decker CatcherSan Francisco GiantsFlorida Marlins
237 Ryan Hawblitzel Right-handed pitcherChicago CubsColorado Rockies
238 Cris Carpenter Right-handed pitcherSt. Louis CardinalsFlorida Marlins
239 Vinny Castilla‡ ShortstopAtlanta BravesColorado Rockies
240 Jack Armstrong‡ Right-handed pitcherCleveland IndiansFlorida Marlins
241 Brett Merriman Right-handed pitcherCalifornia AngelsColorado Rockies
242 Scott Chiamparino Right-handed pitcherTexas RangersFlorida Marlins
243 Jim Tatum Third basemanMilwaukee BrewersColorado Rockies
244 Tom Edens Right-handed pitcherMinnesota TwinsFlorida Marlins
245 Kevin Ritz Right-handed pitcherDetroit TigersColorado Rockies
246 Andrés Berumen Right-handed pitcherKansas City RoyalsFlorida Marlins
247 Eric Wedge CatcherBoston Red SoxColorado Rockies
248 Robert Person Right-handed pitcherChicago White SoxFlorida Marlins
249 Keith Shepherd Right-handed pitcherPhiladelphia PhilliesColorado Rockies
250 Jim Corsi Right-handed pitcherOakland AthleticsFlorida Marlins
251 Calvin Jones Right-handed pitcherSeattle MarinersColorado Rockies
252 Richie Lewis Right-handed pitcherBaltimore OriolesFlorida Marlins
353 Brad Ausmus‡ CatcherNew York YankeesColorado Rockies
354 Danny Jackson‡ Left-handed pitcherPittsburgh PiratesFlorida Marlins
355 Marcus Moore Right-handed pitcherToronto Blue JaysColorado Rockies
356 Jamie McAndrew Right-handed pitcherLos Angeles DodgersFlorida Marlins
357 Armando Reynoso Right-handed pitcherAtlanta BravesColorado Rockies
358 Bob Natal CatcherMontreal ExposFlorida Marlins
359 Steve Reed Right-handed pitcherSan Francisco GiantsColorado Rockies
360 Junior Félix OutfielderCalifornia AngelsFlorida Marlins
361 Mo Sanford Right-handed pitcherCincinnati RedsColorado Rockies
362 Kerwin Moore OutfielderKansas City RoyalsFlorida Marlins
363 Pedro Castellano Third basemanChicago CubsColorado Rockies
364 Ryan Bowen Right-handed pitcherHouston AstrosFlorida Marlins
365 Curtis Leskanic Right-handed pitcherMinnesota TwinsColorado Rockies
366 Scott Baker Left-handed pitcherSt. Louis CardinalsFlorida Marlins
367 Scott Fredrickson Right-handed pitcherSan Diego PadresColorado Rockies
368 Chris Donnels Third basemanNew York MetsFlorida Marlins
369 Braulio Castillo OutfielderPhiladelphia PhilliesColorado Rockies
370 Monty Fariss OutfielderTexas RangersFlorida Marlins
371 Denis Boucher Left-handed pitcherCleveland IndiansColorado Rockies
372 Jeff Tabaka Left-handed pitcherMilwaukee BrewersFlorida Marlins

Draft-day trades

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The following trades were announced at the conclusion of the expansion draft:[28]

Aftermath

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Several older star players who were left unprotected, including Danny Tartabull, Jack Morris, and Shawon Dunston, were not selected due to their high salaries and advanced age.[29] Based on the results of the expansion draft, the Marlins were projected to have a higher payroll in 1993 than the Rockies.[30] The Rockies' payroll appeared to be $4 million, less than what the Marlins would pay Bryan Harvey.[29]

The New York Yankees challenged the validity of the draft on the basis that the Marlins did not compensate the Yankees for the loss of territory in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where the Yankees had a minor league team. They attempted to revoke the assignment of Hayes and Ausmus to the Rockies and Everett to the Marlins. Invoking the "best interests of baseball" clause, Commissioner Bud Selig and the major league executive council affirmed the draft results.[31]

In the 1993 Major League Baseball season, the Marlins and Rockies both finished sixth out of seven teams in their respective divisions.[32] The Rockies were the first team to reach the playoffs, using the roster they developed through the expansion draft to win the wild card in 1995, a record for the shortest amount of time for an expansion baseball team to make the playoffs at the time.[33] (The Arizona Diamondbacks would go on to break the record by reaching the playoffs in 1999, their second year of existence.)[34] Ritz and Painter, both selected in the expansion draft, started Games 1 and 2 of the 1995 National League Division Series for the Rockies.[33] The Rockies added free agent acquisition Larry Walker to a lineup of power hitters in Galarraga, Bichette, and Castilla, known collectively as the "Blake Street Bombers".[35]

Meanwhile, the Marlins kept fewer players they selected in the expansion draft than the Rockies. In 1996, the Rockies retained 13 players from the draft, while the Marlins had six.[36] Jeff Conine, nicknamed "Mr. Marlin", was the only player selected in the expansion draft on the Marlins' 1997 World Series championship roster.[37] However, the Marlins used the players selected in the expansion draft to craft their 1997 roster. The Marlins traded three players selected in the draft, Hoffman, Martínez and Berumen, to the San Diego Padres for Gary Sheffield,[38] a key member of the 1997 Florida Marlins.[39] However, other key players to the Marlins' World Series championship were signed as free agents.[40] The 1997 Marlins set records by reaching and winning the World Series in the team's fifth year[41] (these records were broken by the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, who won the World Series in their fourth year of existence)[34] and were the first wild card team to win the World Series.[42]

Notes

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  1. ↑ While the National League and American League are commonly referred to collectively as Major League Baseball, across many decades, Major League Baseball has only existed as a legal entity since 2000.[1]
  2. ↑ The Florida Marlins were renamed as the Miami Marlins prior to the 2012 season.

Sources

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References

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  1. ↑ Nowlin, Bill. "Did MLB Exist Before the Year 2000?". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 DeMarco, Tony (November 17, 1992). "Win now or later: Marlins, Rockies must decide today". The News. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  3. ↑ Topkin, Marc; Romano, John (June 16, 1989). "NL will grow by 2, but first . . . // 1. Players, owners must agree on labor contract ; the current pact expires Dec. 31. // 2. Within three months of a labor agreement, commissioner will announce timetable". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1.C. Retrieved October 28, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)(subscription required)
  4. ↑ "Giamatti Refuses to Agree to Further MLB Expansion". The Daily Review. Morgan City, Louisiana. Associated Press. August 3, 1989. p. 12. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Chass, Murray (June 11, 1991). "Baseball Ready to Add Miami and Denver Teams". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  6. ↑ Newhan, Ross (June 13, 1991). "Owners' Group Approves Denver, Miami Baseball: Final hurdle is vote by all owners. AL executives still angry with Vincent's solution on expansion money". Los Angeles Times. p. 2. Retrieved October 28, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  7. 1 2 3 Chass, Murray (July 6, 1991). "BASEBALL; The Marlins? The Rockies? Get Used to It. It's Official". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  8. ↑ Reaves, Joey (November 7, 1992). "More than just Barnum on the bill for expansion Marlins". Chicago Tribune. p. 3. Retrieved October 28, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  9. 1 2 3 "Major League Baseball 1992 Expansion Draft". The Telegraph-Herald. November 16, 1992. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Galarraga signs with Rockies". USA Today. November 18, 1992. p. 1.B. Retrieved October 17, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)(subscription required)
  11. ↑ Beaton, Rod (November 18, 1992). "Prospects are first to go // Braves' Nied has promise". USA Today. p. 4.C. Retrieved October 26, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)(subscription required)
  12. ↑ "Marlins make Wilson's dream a reality". Bangor Daily News. Associated Press. November 18, 2011. p. 17. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Trade flurry follows expansion draft". Bangor Daily News. Associated Press. November 18, 2011. pp. 13, 17. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Jack Armstrong Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  15. 1 2 "Bryan Harvey Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  16. 1 2 "Danny Jackson Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Andy Ashby Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  18. 1 2 "Brad Ausmus Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Vinny Castilla Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Jeff Conine Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Carl Everett Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  22. 1 2 "Joe Girardi Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  23. ↑ "Trevor Hoffman Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  24. ↑ "Eric Young Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  25. ↑ Bloom, Barry (September 24, 2006). "'Trevor Time' reaches immortality". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
  26. ↑ "Eric Wedge Managerial Record". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  27. ↑ "Joe Girardi Managerial Record". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  28. ↑ "Rockies draft for the present, Marlins plan for the future". The Rochester Sentinel. Associated Press. November 18, 1992. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  29. 1 2 Blum, Ronald (November 19, 1992). "Marlins, Rockies ignored unprotected star players". The Dispatch. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  30. ↑ Ringolsby, Tracy (November 22, 1992). "Marlins' Projected Payroll More Than Double The $5.3 Million Of The Rockies". The Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2011.(subscription required)
  31. ↑ Chass, Murray (November 25, 1992). "Baseball; Expansion Draft Will Stand, Yankees Are Told by Council". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2009.
  32. ↑ "1993 National League Standings". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on November 22, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
  33. 1 2 Pinsonnault, Jay (October 3, 1995). "Baseball makes history as playoffs start". Kingman Daily Miner. p. 7. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  34. 1 2 "Timeline". dbacks.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  35. ↑ Beaton, Rod (August 23, 1995). "Blake Street's big bash: Rockies reach the rare air of playoff race". USA Today. p. 1.C. Retrieved October 26, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) (subscription required)
  36. ↑ Moss, Irv (May 10, 1996). "Rockies clearly had the better expansion draft". Denver Post. p. D–05. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2011.(subscription required)
  37. ↑ Edes, Gordon (October 26, 1997). "For Conine, it's time to revel in here, now". Boston Globe. p. F.11. Retrieved October 26, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)(subscription required)
  38. ↑ Edes, Gordon (July 11, 1993). "Marlins develop more than a following: The expansion club has several high marks on its own growth chart as it heads into the All-Star break". Orlando Sentinel. p. C.5. Retrieved October 26, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)(subscription required)
  39. ↑ Olney, Buster (October 22, 1997). "'97 World Series; Finally in Series Spotlight, Sheffield Is Slugging Away". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  40. ↑ Holtzman, Jerome (November 13, 1997). "Expansion Draft No Joke Anymore". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on June 17, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  41. ↑ "1997 World Series". MLB.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  42. ↑ "The Road to the 1997 World Series". marlins.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2014.

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