Number 2: 2018 Draft Class
Notable Names: 1) Nolan Gorman; 2) Luken Baker; 3) Brendan Donovan; 4) Lars Nootbaar
The year of the hidden gem. Nolan Gorman headlines this class (more on him in a bit) but 7th-rounder Brendan Donovan and 8th-rounder Lars Nootbaar help cement this class as a success. Donovan, who may make Tommy Edman expendable this year, finished third in Rookie of the Year voting and took home the first-ever Gold Glove for a utility player. His patient approach at the plate continues to pay dividends.
Nootbaar, meanwhile, was everybody’s pick as a breakout player this year. While that hasn’t worked out exactly as planned, his future remains bright and he is still a global sensation. His next few years could push this class to the top spot.
The ultimate place of this class, though, may depend on Gorman’s ceiling. An inconsistent year has dulled the hype after his strong 2023 start, but he still could slot in as this team’s third slugger after Arenado and Goldschmidt. Improvement at every level in the minors leaves reason to believe he’ll eventually get there in the big leagues, too.