1979 Major League Baseball Draft
Encyclopedia
The 1979
1979 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles ; Willie Stargell, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None.*National League Championship Series MVP: Willie Stargell...

 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft
was held on June 5-7, 1979, via conference call.

First round selections

= All-Star = Baseball Hall of Famer

The following are the first round picks in the 1979 Major League Baseball draft.
Pick Player Team Position Hometown/School
1 Al Chambers
Al Chambers
Albert Eugene Chambers is a former Major League Baseball player from to for the Seattle Mariners. Chambers was the first pick overall in the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft out of high school by the Mariners, but proved a disappointment, as he only appeared in fifty-seven games in his...

Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...

OF Harrisburg, PA
2 Tim Leary 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...

RHP UCLA
UCLA Bruins baseball
UCLA Bruins baseball team represents the University of California, Los Angeles in the NCAA baseball competition. Having started playing in 1920, the team is a member of the Pacific-10 Conference and plays its home games at Jackie Robinson Stadium. It has produced many Major and Minor League...

3 Jay Schroeder
Jay Schroeder
Jay Brian Schroeder is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Los Angeles Raiders , Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals .He attended Palisades High School and was a high school football teammate of actor...

Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....

C Pacific Palisades, CA
4 Brad Komminsk
Brad Komminsk
Brad Komminsk , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Despite a sterling record in the minor leagues, he never played well in the majors...

Atlanta 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....

OF Lima, OH
5 Juan Bustabad
Juan Bustabad
Juan Bustabad is a minor league baseball player and manager, who currently manages the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the California League.-Playing career:...

 *
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....

SS Hialeah, FL
6 Andy Van Slyke
Andy Van Slyke
Andrew James Van Slyke is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and former first base coach for the Detroit Tigers.-Career:...

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 New Hartford, NY
New Hartford (town), New York
.New Hartford is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 21,172. The name of New Hartford was provided by a settler family from Hartford, Connecticut....

7 Jon Bohnet 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 Vallejo, CA
8 John Mizerock
John Mizerock
John Joseph Mizerock was a backup catcher for the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves. He was the eighth overall pick in the 1979 draft.Since retiring as a player he has served as an interim manager and coach for the Kansas City Royals, and as a manager in the minor leagues.Mizerock managed...

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...

C Punxsutawney, PA
9 Steve Buechele
Steve Buechele
Steven Bernard Buechele is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. Buechele played from to for the Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Chicago Cubs. He joined the Rangers in after he was named the Tom Grieve Minor League Player of the Year...

 *
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...

SS Fullerton, CA
10 Tim Wallach
Tim Wallach
Timothy Charles Wallach , nicknamed "Eli" in reference to actor Eli Wallach, is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played from to for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, and California Angels. He won three Gold Glove awards for defensive excellence and 2 Silver Slugger...

Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...

1B Cal State Fullerton
Cal State Fullerton Titans baseball
The Cal State Fullerton Titans baseball team represents California State University, Fullerton in NCAA Division I college baseball. In 35 years of Division I play, the Titans have never had a losing season. They are supplied by DeMarini....

11 Kevin Brandt 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...

OF Nekoosa, WI
12 Jon Perlman
Jon Perlman
Jonathan Samuel Perlman is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for three seasons. He played for the Chicago Cubs in 1985, the San Francisco Giants in 1987, and the Cleveland Indians in 1988. He is Jewish....

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 Baylor University
Baylor Bears baseball
The Baylor Bears baseball team represents Baylor University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team belongs to the Big 12 Conference and plays home games at Baylor Ballpark. The Bears are currently led by head coach Steve Smith. The 2010 season marked Steve Smith's 16th year at the rule of...

13 Rick Leach 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...

OF University of Michigan
Michigan Wolverines baseball
The Michigan Wolverines baseball team represents the University of Michigan in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Michigan athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Big Ten Conference...

14 Joe Lansford San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...

1B San Jose, CA
15 Scott Garrelts
Scott Garrelts
Scott William Garrelts , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the San Francisco Giants from 1982 to 1991...

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 Buckley, IL
16 Steve Howe 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...

LHP University of Michigan
17 Jerry Don Gleaton
Jerry Don Gleaton
Jerry Don Gleaton was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1979 to 1992 for the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Became an All-American at the University of Texas and the Most Valuable Player of the Southwest Conference...

Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...

LHP University of Texas at Austin
Texas Longhorns baseball
The Texas Longhorns baseball team represents The University of Texas at Austin and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.The Texas Longhorns are the winningest program in college baseball history in terms of win percentage with .740 and ranks second all-time in total wins to the...

18 Rick Luecken
Rick Luecken
Richard Fred Luecken is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for two seasons. He pitched in 19 games for the Kansas City Royals in 1989, 36 games for the Atlanta Braves in 1990, and one game for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1990. He was drafted out of Texas A&M in 1983...

 *
San Francisco Giants RHP Houston, TX
19 Rick Seilheimer 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...

C Brenham, TX
20 Dan Lamar 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....

C Houston, TX
21 Atlee Hammaker
Atlee Hammaker
Charlton Atlee Hammaker is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher who played the majority of his career for the San Francisco Giants from 1982 to 1990. He also played for the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox...

Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...

LHP East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University is an accredited American university located in Johnson City, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system of colleges and universities, the nation's sixth largest system of public education, and is the fourth largest university in the state...

22 Mike Sullivan Cincinnati Reds RHP Clemson University
Clemson Tigers baseball
The Clemson baseball team represents Clemson University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers are currently coached by head coach Jack Leggett and play their home games in Doug Kingsmore Stadium...

23 Chris Baker Detroit Tigers OF Dearborn Heights, MI
24 Bob Geren
Bob Geren
Robert Peter Geren is a former Major League Baseball catcher and manager. During a 5-year playing career, he played for the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres . He managed the Oakland Athletics from 2007 through 2011...

San Diego Padres C San Diego, CA
25 Steve Perry Los Angeles Dodgers RHP University of Michigan
26 Mike Stenhouse
Mike Stenhouse
Michael Steven Stenhouse is a former outfielder, first baseman, and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Montreal Expos from -, the Minnesota Twins in , and the Boston Red Sox in . Listed at 6'1", 195 lb., Stenhouse batted left-handed and threw right-handed...

 *
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 Harvard University
Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson are the athletic teams of Harvard University. The school's teams compete in NCAA Division I. As of 2006, there were 41 Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams for women and men at Harvard, more than at any other NCAA Division I college in the country...


* Did not sign

Background

Later rounds of the draft included the following notable players:
  • Marty Barrett (Boston)
  • Brett Butler (Atlanta)
  • Gary Gaetti
    Gary Gaetti
    Gary Joseph Gaetti , nicknamed "G-Man", "Rat", or "Zorn" is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Kansas City Royals , St...

     (Minnesota)
  • Atlee Hammaker
    Atlee Hammaker
    Charlton Atlee Hammaker is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher who played the majority of his career for the San Francisco Giants from 1982 to 1990. He also played for the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox...

     (Kansas City)
  • Von Hayes
    Von Hayes
    Von Francis Hayes , was a Major League Baseball player from 1981 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, and California Angels...

     (Cleveland)
  • Steve Howe (Los Angeles)
  • Don Mattingly
    Don Mattingly
    Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...

     (New York Yankees)
  • Pete O'Brien
    Pete O'Brien (first baseman)
    Peter Michael O'Brien is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Texas Rangers , Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners...

     (Texas)
  • Andy Van Slyke
    Andy Van Slyke
    Andrew James Van Slyke is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and former first base coach for the Detroit Tigers.-Career:...

     (St. Louis)
  • Tim Wallach
    Tim Wallach
    Timothy Charles Wallach , nicknamed "Eli" in reference to actor Eli Wallach, is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played from to for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, and California Angels. He won three Gold Glove awards for defensive excellence and 2 Silver Slugger...

     (Montreal)


A number of future football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 players were drafted in 1979, including John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...

 (Kansas City), Kevin House
Kevin House
Kevin Nathaniel House is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 175 lbs. wide receiver from Southern Illinois University, House played in eight NFL seasons from 1980-1987 for the Buccaneers...

 (St. Louis), Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...

 (Kansas City), Jay Schroeder
Jay Schroeder
Jay Brian Schroeder is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Los Angeles Raiders , Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals .He attended Palisades High School and was a high school football teammate of actor...

 (Toronto), Jack Thompson (Seattle), and Curt Warner
Curt Warner
Curtis Edward Warner is a former professional American football running back. A two-time All-American at Penn State University, Warner was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft...

 (Philadelphia).

External links

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