Royals awarded the 71st pick in the 2019 draft for competitive balance round

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.

You can see the preliminary draft order here.