But for all the focus on Ryan’s brilliant trades, you hardly ever hear people talk about how he does in the draft. I’m sure this is partly because the draft is the product of dozens of people – scouts working all over the country – rather than just the efforts of the GM. But as GM, Ryan was and is ultimately responsible for the players the Twins select. And next summer he’ll have a big job ahead of him, since the Twins have the second overall pick and up to three more in the top 50.

So let’s look back at all the players Ryan has chosen in the first and supplemental rounds. Obviously, there are many rounds to a draft, and Ryan dug up some gems in those later rounds over the years. But it’s the first round we’ll all be watching the closest next summer, so we’ll focus on that here.

1995: Mark Redman P, #13.

Not a terrible start. Redman was a competent #4 type starting pitcher. His best year came in 2003, after the Twins traded him to the Tigers and the Tigers dealt him to the Marlins. Still, I bet Ryan would like to have this one back; Roy Halladay was drafted just four picks later!

1996: Travis Lee 1B, #2.

This one was a disaster. Lee made it to the Majors, and he had several almost good seasons, but not with the Twins. In fact, the Twins never even managed to offer Lee a contract, and he bolted to the Diamondbacks. (more…)