Cleveland Indians’ first round draft picks Lonnie Chisnehall and Trevor Crowe have accrued 1.0 and 0.5 Wins Above Replacement (WAR). They are the only Indians’ first round position players that have positive WAR since Manny Ramirez, who was drafted in 1991. Second Round pick Jason Kipnis has 1.0 WAR, the only Indians’ second round position player to have positive WAR since Sean Casey (1995), and Casey accrued his WAR with another team so the legend of David Burba could be told.
Third round draft pick Ryan Garko (2003) put up 1.5 WAR. The last Indians’ third round pick that had positive WAR was the immortal Joe Nunnally (1993), who the Indians lost in the 1994 Rule 5 draft. Before that, we have to go back to 1969 (Alan Ashby) to find a third round position player who produced positive WAR. The Indians have never had a fourth round position player to produce positive WAR.
Ben Francisco (2002) is the only Indians’ position player drafted in the fifth round to have put up positive WAR, while Kevin Kouzmanoff (2003)is the only position player drafted in the six round by the Tribe to have put up positive WAR. The last seventh round position player of the Tribe to put up positive WAR was Russell Branyan (1994). Joe Inglett (2000) was the last 8th round position player to have put up positive WAR.
Luke Scott (2001) was the last ninth round position player taken by the Tribe to put up positive WAR. He never played in the majors for the Indians as he was traded in 2004 for Jeriome Robertson.
Dead Religions 