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MLB has awarded competitive balance picks for the 2019 draft, with the Royals landing the first pick in “Round B”, or the 71st pick in the draft as it stands right now. That position will likely change as teams are awarded compensation for losing free agents. The Royals were awarded a pick in “Round A” last year, meaning they had to be in “Round B” this year.
The competitive balance round is meant to help smaller market teams by giving them an extra pick. Teams are allotted into either Round A or Round B and alternate each year, with draft order determined by the reverse order of the standings. Here are the complete competitive balance rounds.
Round A
34. Miami Marlins
35. Tampa Bay Rays
36. Cincinnati Reds
37. Pittsburgh Pirates*
38. Oakland A’s
39. Milwaukee Brewers
40. Minnesota Twins
* Compensation for not signing Gunnar Hoglund in 2018
Round B
71. Kansas City Royals
72. Baltimore Orioles
73. Pittsburgh Pirates
74. San Diego Padres
75. Arizona Diamondbacks
76. Colorado Rockies
77. Cleveland Indians
78. St. Louis Cardinals
The Royals will also have the second-overall pick in the draft, behind the Baltimore Orioles, and will choose second in each subsequent round. They did not make a Qualifying Offer to any free agents and will not receive compensation picks for anyone.
Six players declined Qualifying Offers, allowing their former teams to receive draft picks - Dallas Keuchel, Patrick Corbin, A.J. Pollock, Yasmani Grandal, Bryce Harper, and Craig Kimbrel. Only the Diamondbacks can get a pick after Round A if Corbin and/or Pollock signs a contract worth at least $50 million or more, otherwise they get a pick after Round B. The Astros and Dodgers can each get a pick after Round B for losing Keuchel and Grandal, respectively. The Red Sox and Nationals won’t get a pick until after the fourth-round for losing Kimbrel or Harper, due to being over the luxury tax threshold.
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