Plenty of top players were drafted after the fifth round

This year’s baseball draft has been shortened to five rounds, meaning the number of players picked will be significantly smaller than usual. That could leave several potential contributors among the large group of undrafted players.

Although expectations are higher for prospects taken in the first couple of rounds, players drafted much later can and do become major league standouts. Here’s an All-Star team of sorts, comprised only of players taken after the fifth round.

(The career wins above replacement figures listed are from Baseball-Reference.com. Players are put at positions where they flourished as major leaguers — not necessarily the positions they played at the time they were drafted.)

CATCHER: Mike Piazza, Dodgers (62nd round, 1988, 59.6 WAR)

Only seven teams were still making selections by the 62nd round of the 1988 draft, when the Dodgers took Piazza. His father was a friend of manager Tommy Lasorda. Piazza went on to become one of the game’s top hitters, and he is the lowest-drafted player elected to the Hall of Fame.

Others of note: Jorge Posada (24th round, 1990), Russell Martin (17th round, 2002)

FIRST BASE: Albert Pujols, Cardinals (13th round, 1999, 100.8 WAR)

It didn’t take Pujols long to prove himself. He was in the majors by 2001, when he won Rookie of the Year honors and drove in 130 runs. Three MVP awards later, Pujols is closing in on the end of his career — with 656 home runs and counting.

Others of note: Jim Thome (13th round, 1989), Keith Hernandez (42nd round, 1971), Fred McGriff (ninth round, 1981), Don Mattingly (19th round, 1979), Paul Goldschmidt (eighth round, 2009)

SECOND BASE: Ryne Sandberg, Phillies (20th round, 1978, 68 WAR)

Sandberg was originally drafted by Philadelphia but played only 13 games for the Phillies before...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Plenty-of-top-players-were-drafted-after-the-15324758.php