While the 2024 season fell way short of expectations for the Toronto Blue Jays, the team's 74-88 record has it within a stone's throw of landing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.
The Blue Jays will have the fifth-best odds — 7.48 per cent — at securing the top selection when MLB hosts the draft lottery in December.
Toronto has never held the No. 1 pick, but has picked second on three separate occasions — in 1978, 1980 and 1982.
The draft lottery was introduced ahead of the 2023 season and determines the top six selections between the 18 clubs that don't make the post-season. The remaining picks are sorted by winning percentage.
Despite finishing with two of the five worst recorded in MLB, the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics won't be eligible for the draft lottery and can not pick higher than 10th thanks to MLB's rule preventing teams who are not a part of the revenue-sharing system from receiving a lottery selection in consecutive drafts.
Here is a closer look at the odds for the top pick in this year's lottery, according to Tankathon:
1. Colorado Rockies, 22.45 per cent
2. Miami Marlins, 22.45 per cent
3. Los Angeles Angels, 18.03 per cent
4. Washington Nationals, 10.20 per cent
5. Toronto Blue Jays, 7.48 per cent
6. Pittsburgh Pirates, 5.31 per cent
7. Cincinnati Reds, 3.67 per cent
8. Texas Rangers, 2.45 per cent
9. San Francisco Giants, 1.90 per cent
10. Chicago White Sox, ineligible
11. Oakland Athletics, ineligible
12. Tampa Bay Rays, 1.50 per cent
13. Boston Red Sox, 1.22 per cent
14. Minnesota Twins, 1.03 per cent
15. St. Louis Cardinals, 0.84 per cent
16. Chicago Cubs, 0.65 per cent
17. Seattle Mariners, 0.49 per cent
18. New York Mets/Atlanta Braves/Arizona Diamondbacks, 0.31 per cent
The Cleveland Guardians won the second-ever draft lottery with just a two per cent shot at the top pick. They used the selection on Oregon State infielder Travis Bazzana, who has slashed .238/.369/.396 since making his pro debut in high-A.
The 2025 draft is expected to be a strong class and is headlined by MLB-pedigree infielder Ethan Holliday, Texas A&M standout Jace Laviolette and Clemson star Cam Cannarella.
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