1976 Major League Baseball expansion draft

The 1976 Major League Baseball Expansion draft was held November 5, 1976. This expansion draft was conducted by Major League Baseball to stock the major league rosters of the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners, new American League franchises established via the 1977 Major League Baseball expansion that were set to start play in the season.

Background

Seattle was promised a franchise by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. During the summer of 1975, there was speculation that the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, or San Francisco Giants could move to Seattle. When none of these plans proved successful, the American League added a team in Seattle. With 13 teams in a league creating scheduling problems, the league awarded a franchise to Toronto over Washington, D.C. in March 1976.

Both Seattle and Toronto had purchased or otherwise acquired a handful of players shortly before the draft, but nowhere near enough to fill a roster (or even assemble a nine-man squad). Drafted players were selected only from American League teams, in keeping with the practices of the American League expansion of 1961, the National League expansion of 1962, and the expansion of both leagues in 1969. Beginning with the next expansion, in 1993, the new teams would select players from teams in both leagues.

Danny Kaye, part-owner of the Mariners, announced the club's first selection.

Draft results +KeyAll-Star Round Pick Player Position Selected from Selected by11OFKansas City RoyalsSeattle Mariners12OFBaltimore OriolesToronto Blue Jays13PCalifornia AngelsSeattle Mariners14PMinnesota TwinsToronto Blue Jays153BChicago White SoxSeattle Mariners16PTexas RangersToronto Blue Jays17PBoston Red SoxSeattle Mariners18OFOakland AthleticsToronto Blue Jays191BDetroit TigersSeattle Mariners110DHCleveland IndiansToronto Blue Jays111PNew York YankeesSeattle Mariners112PMilwaukee BrewersToronto Blue Jays213PKansas City RoyalsToronto Blue Jays214OFCalifornia AngelsSeattle Mariners215OFMinnesota TwinsToronto Blue Jays216PDetroit TigersSeattle Mariners217PBaltimore OriolesToronto Blue Jays218PCleveland IndiansSeattle Mariners219PChicago White SoxToronto Blue Jays220OFNew York YankeesSeattle Mariners221PTexas RangersToronto Blue Jays222PBoston Red SoxSeattle Mariners223OFMilwaukee BrewersToronto Blue Jays224POakland AthleticsSeattle Mariners325CKansas City RoyalsSeattle Mariners326PDetroit TigersToronto Blue Jays327OFCalifornia AngelsSeattle Mariners328PMinnesota TwinsToronto Blue Jays329PBaltimore OriolesSeattle Mariners330SSNew York YankeesToronto Blue Jays331PChicago White SoxSeattle Mariners3321BTexas RangersToronto Blue Jays333SSCleveland IndiansSeattle Mariners334CBoston Red SoxToronto Blue Jays335PMilwaukee BrewersSeattle Mariners 336IFOakland AthleticsToronto Blue Jays4372BKansas City RoyalsToronto Blue Jays438OFMinnesota TwinsSeattle Mariners439PTexas RangersToronto Blue Jays440OFCalifornia AngelsSeattle Mariners4413BNew York YankeesToronto Blue Jays442PBaltimore OriolesSeattle Mariners443PDetroit TigersToronto Blue Jays444PBoston Red SoxSeattle Mariners445PMilwaukee BrewersToronto Blue Jays4461BCleveland IndiansSeattle Mariners447PChicago White SoxToronto Blue Jays448POakland AthleticsSeattle Mariners549IFMinnesota TwinsToronto Blue Jays550PDetroit TigersSeattle Mariners551PKansas City RoyalsToronto Blue Jays5522BCalifornia AngelsSeattle Mariners553OFNew York YankeesToronto Blue Jays554PTexas RangersSeattle Mariners555PBaltimore OriolesToronto Blue Jays556OFBoston Red SoxSeattle Mariners557OFChicago White SoxToronto Blue Jays558OFCleveland IndiansSeattle Mariners559POakland AthleticsToronto Blue Jays560PMilwaukee BrewersSeattle Mariners

Notes

References