First round selections

= All-Star

= Baseball Hall of Famer

The following are the first round picks in the 1966 Major League Baseball draft.




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Pick	Player	Team	Position	Hometown/School
1	Steve Chilcott Steve Chilcott Steven Lynn Chilcott is a former baseball catcher from Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California, who was drafted by the New York Mets as the first overall pick in the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft, a spot ahead of Reggie Jackson...	New York Mets New York Mets The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...	C Catcher Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...	Lancaster, CA
2	Reggie Jackson Reggie Jackson Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...	Oakland Athletics Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....	OF Outfielder Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...	Arizona State
3	Wayne Twitchell Wayne Twitchell Wayne Lee Twitchell was an American right-handed pitcher who spent ten seasons in Major League Baseball with the Milwaukee Brewers , Philadelphia Phillies , Montreal Expos , New York Mets and Seattle Mariners .Twitchell was an All-Star in 1973 for the last place Phillies when he had a...	Houston Astros Houston Astros The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...	RHP Pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...	Portland, OR
4	Ken Brett Ken Brett Kenneth Alven Brett was a Major League Baseball pitcher and the second of four Brett brothers who played professional baseball, the most notable being the youngest, George Brett.Ken played for 10 teams in his 14-year MLB career.Born in Brooklyn, Ken Brett grew up in southern California and was an...	Boston Red Sox Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...	LHP	El Segundo, CA
5	Dean Burk Dean Burk Dean Burk was an American biochemist: a co-discoverer of biotin, medical researcher, and a cancer researcher at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute and the National Cancer Institute...	Chicago Cubs Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...	RHP	Highland, IL
6	Tom Grieve Tom Grieve Thomas Alan Grieve was a Major League Baseball player from 1970-1979 for the Washington Senators, Texas Rangers, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals...	Washington Senators	OF	Pittsfield, MA
7	Leron Lee Leron Lee Leron Lee is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played 8 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres....	St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...	OF	Sacramento, CA
8	Jim DeNeff	California Angels Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...	SS Shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...	Indiana University
9	Mike Biko	Philadelphia Phillies Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...	RHP	Dallas, TX
10	Jim Lyttle Jim Lyttle James Lawrence Lyttle Jr. is a former major league baseball player from Hamilton, Ohio. He played as an outfielder for the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Montreal Expos, and Los Angeles Dodgers...	New York Yankees New York Yankees The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...	OF	Florida State
11	Al Santorini Al Santorini Alan Joel Santorini is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of six seasons in the majors, from until , for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals.-External links:...	Milwaukee Braves Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....	RHP	Union, NJ
12	* John Curtis John Curtis (baseball) John Duffield Curtis is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was originally drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft out of Smithtown High School in Smithtown, New York, but did not sign, choosing instead to attend Clemson University...	Cleveland Indians Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...	LHP	Smithtown, NY
13	Gary Nolan	Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....	RHP	Oroville, CA
14	* Rick Konik	Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...	1B First baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...	Detroit, MI
15	Richie Hebner Richie Hebner Richard Joseph Hebner is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played from 1968 to 1985 in Major League Baseball. He played with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs, all of the National League, and the Detroit Tigers of the American...	Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...	SS	Norwood, MA
16	Ted Parks	Baltimore Orioles Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...	SS	University of California
17	Bob Reynolds Bob Reynolds (baseball) Robert Allen Reynolds is a former middle-relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball between and . He batted and threw right-handed....	San Francisco Giants San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....	RHP	Seattle, WA
18	Carlos May Carlos May Carlos May is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago White Sox through most of his career, and also the New York Yankees and California Angels. He also played four seasons in Japan, from until , for the Nankai Hawks. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...	Chicago White Sox Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...	OF	Birmingham, AL
19	Larry Hutton	Los Angeles Dodgers Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...	RHP	Greenfield, IN
20	Bob Jones	Minnesota Twins Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...	3B Third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...	Dawson, GA

* Did not sign

Background

A January free agent amateur draft was added for the first time in 1966. Ninety-five prospects were selected in the regular phase and 102 in the secondary phase of the January draft, which featured only players previously drafted who did not sign. With the number one pick in the regular phase of the June draft, the New York Mets passed on Arizona State slugger Reggie Jackson and instead chose high school catcher Steve Chilcott. He spent six seasons in the minors before injuries ended his career.

Although the Mets will be remembered for choosing Chilcott over Jackson, many forget they landed Tom Seaver

Tom Seaver

George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...

 that year. Seaver, who was declared ineligible by the NCAA to play college baseball and who also was ineligible to be selected in the winter draft, was signed by the Mets for $50,000 in a special draft.

The Yankees tabbed left-handed pitcher Ken Stabler

Ken Stabler

Kenneth "Kenny" Michael Stabler , is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders , the Houston Oilers , and the New Orleans Saints...

 in the 10th round. Stabler went on to star in the NFL as a quarterback during the Oakland Raiders' championship years. Steve Garvey

Steve Garvey

Steven Patrick Garvey , nicknamed "Mr. Clean" because of the squeaky clean image he held throughout his career in baseball, is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current Southern California businessman...

 was the one who got away in 1966. Selected by the Minnesota Twins, Garvey elected to enroll at Michigan State.

Other notable players

• Johnny Oates
  Johnny Oates
  Johnny Lane Oates was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees from 1970 to 1981...
  
  , 2nd round, 38th overall
• Charlie Hough
  Charlie Hough
  Charles Oliver Hough is a former Major League Baseball knuckleball pitcher. He is currently a senior adviser of player development for the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Playing career:...
  
  , 8th round, 159th overall
• Ron Cey
  Ron Cey
  Ronald Charles Cey |Washington]]) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics . Cey batted and threw right-handed...
  
  , 19th round, 361st overall

External links

• Complete draft list from The Baseball Cube database