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10 MLB Top Prospects Turned Biggest MLB Draft Busts Ever

Unfortunately MLB top prospects turning into the biggest MLB draft busts is always going to be part of the game. More often than not, it leads to major setbacks for a team in terms of competitiveness. 

MLB Top Prospects Turned Biggest MLB Draft Busts

It can be notoriously difficult to predict how the MLB top prospects are going to turn out. Let’s take a look at the top 10 biggest MLB draft busts ever.

10. Mark Appel (Houston Astros)

Selected with the first pick of the 2013 MLB Draft, Mark Appel was one of the biggest MLB top prospects. In the 2012 MLB Draft, he was selected 8th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates however elected to go back to Stanford for his senior year. 

Fresh out of leading Stanford to the College World Series in 2012, Appel was then selected first overall by the Houston Astros in the 2013 MLB Draft. The pitcher left college as one of the intimidating prospects standing at 6-foot-5, and weighing in at 215 pounds.

He began his career with the Houston Astros’ Class A affiliate, and reached Triple-A level but retired in 2018, underachieving because of injuries, inconsistent performances and flawed pitching mechanics.

Amazingly it It took until 2022 for Appel to make his MLB debut, the oldest first overall pick in history at 30 years and 349 days.

9. David Clyde (Texas Rangers)

Left-handed pitcher David Clyde was drafted by his home city with the Texas Rangers selecting him with the first overall pick in the 1973 MLB draft directly out of Westchester High School. They had high hopes that he could boost attendances for the struggling franchise, a team that is still yet to win a World Series.

He absolutely dominated high school with a fastball that could already reach 95 miles an hour. In his senior year he had an 18-0 record and an ERA of 0.18. He was without a doubt one of the biggest MLB top prospects.

8. Bryan Bullington (Pittsburgh Pirates)

Bryan Bullington was a right-handed pitcher who was selected with the first pick of the 2002 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had impressive command and control while at Ball State University and was one of the best MLB prospects at the time. 

He would make his league debut in 2005 but struggled his way to an ERA of 5.11 through 11 starts. After bouncing between the minor leagues and majors, he finished his career with an ERA of 5.62 and a 1-9 record. 

Bullington is one of the biggest MLB draft busts of all time, struggling with shoulder and elbow injuries which limited his ability in his throwing arm. He struggled mightily with finding any consistency and was overhyped from his high school days. 

7. Shawn Abner (San Diego Padres)

Selected by the Padres with the first pick of the 1984 MLB Draft Shawn Abner was a standout with Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School dominating in his senior year. He led his school to the state championship, hit at an average of .533, scored 10 runs and 36 RBIs.

He could also pitch, finishing with a record of 9-0, a 0.79 ERA and 122 strikeouts from 62 innings. His performances earned him the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year award in 1986.

Unfortunately Abner became one of the biggest MLB draft busts. After a few seasons in the minor leagues he made his debut in 1987. He however struggled with plate discipline and had a lowly average of .227. He would never play in the major leagues again after the 1991 season.

6. Danny Goodwin (California Angels)

Catcher Danny Goodwin was outstanding in college earning All-American honors multiple times. The Chicago White Sox drafted him straight out of high school in the 1971 MLB Draft but he decided to take the college route.

The California Angels drafted him in 1975 and Goodwin had only one hit in his first ten at bats in his MLB debut season. He would float between the minors and majors and would play in patches across 10 years. 

Arriving already somewhat undersized at six-foot, 195 pounds, Goodwin finished with a batting average of .236 and 13 home runs. His career was impacted by multiple injuries to his throwing arm and it impacted him in the field as well as his power hitting game. 

5. Al Chambers (Seattle Mariners)

All-American honors and MVP performances in college had Al Chambers as one of the most hyped and biggest MLB top prospects. The Seattle Mariners picked him first in the 1979 MLB Draft.

He had a reputation for his power hitting game. He had great plate discipline and was able to make contact consistently. He also had speed and athleticism and was considered to be a very good defensive outfielder, able to cover a lot of ground quickly.

Chambers would make his Major League Baseball debut in 1983 but he’d turn into one of the biggest MLB drafts of all time. He finished his career with only two home runs and a batting average of .208.

4. Steve Chilcott (New York Mets)

Selected with the first pick of the 1966 MLB Draft, Steve Chilcott was one of the biggest MLB top prospects. Playing as a catcher he had a strong arm behind the plate, had a quick release and an ability to block balls in the dirt.

Recurring knee injuries, shoulder, and back issues plagued his career and he was never able to show his full potential as a player. Released by the Mets in 1981 the Yankees signed him but he never played higher than Triple-A level.

Chilcott goes down as one of the biggest MLB draft busts. He never played a Major League Baseball game and even worse is the fact that he was drafted before Reggie Jackson who went on to have a Hall of Fame career.

3. Greg Reynolds (Colorado Rockies)

Greg Reynolds was a right-handed pitcher who was drafted second overall by the Colorado Rockies in the 2006 MLB Draft. He was simply outstanding in college leading Stanford Cardinal to the College World Series in his sophomore and junior years. 

The Rockies were hoping that he would continue with his powerful fastball, excellent control and his ability to pitch deep into games and setting his team up for wins.

Despite all the hype he turned out to be one of the biggest MLB draft busts. Reynolds struggled with shoulder and elbow issues which contributed to inefficiencies in the major leagues. He finished with a 6-11 record and a 7.01 ERA.

2. Matt Bush (San Diego Padres)

Matt Bush was selected first overall by the San Diego Padres in the 2004 MLB Draft. He arrived straight out of high school and was the first high school shortstop to ever be picked first.

Considered the best two-way player in the draft, he was hyped from his college performances as both a hitter and fielder thanks to hitting a national record 18 home runs in a single season, and recording a 0.44 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 63 innings pitched

Bush struggled with injuries and off-field problems such as DUI arrests and assault charges. He would play in the minor leagues before being traded by the Padres in 2009. Still unable to crack the major leagues, he was arrested in 2012 for a DUI hit-and-run incident which occurred whilst on a suspended license.

After spending three years in prison he was given a lifeline by the Texas Rangers and he made his MLB debut in 2016.

1. Brien Taylor (New York Yankees)

Brien Taylor is the biggest MLB draft bust of all time. The left-handed pitcher was drafted first overall by the New York Yankees in the 1991 MLB Draft. He was one of the biggest MLB top prospects at the time and was drafted straight out of high school.

While at East Carteret High School in North Carolina he dominated by routinely throwing in the mid-90s and had a breaking ball that was unplayable. He finished with an impressive ERA of 1.25 and striking out 213 hitters in 88 innings pitched. 

Taylor was sent to the minor leagues as one of the biggest MLB top prospects in some time but in 1993, he was involved in a bar fight in which he suffered a torn labrum and rotator cuff. It was so severe he lost eight miles off his fastball following his recovery and he couldn’t throw a curveball anymore. 

He retired in 2000 having never reached the major leagues, and in 2012 he was found guilty of cocaine trafficking and was released after three years imprisonment.

Matt Ieriko

Matt Ieriko is a freelance writer who’s evolved his lifelong passion for sport into the creation of WolfgangSport.com in 2020 – an American sports blog covering the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS and more. As an Australian, he’s always been fascinated with the cultural differences and global significance of sports in America.

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