Both teams subsequently began play in the 1998 season, increasing the size of the National League from 14 to 16 teams (Milwaukee switched to the National League to ensure an even number of teams remained in each league). Arizona was placed in the National League West division and Tampa Bay was played in the American League East division. This remains the most recent expansion draft conducted by MLB.
Similar to the 1992 expansion draft, both expansion teams selected 35 players. The draft was divided into three rounds. Each team would select 14 players in round 1, 14 players in round 2, and 7 players in round 3. Tampa Bay general manager Chuck LaMar and Arizona general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. oversaw their teams' selections.
The Devil Rays and Diamondbacks could pick any player not on the protected lists of the 28 other teams, although no team could lose more than one player in a given round. The protected list for each team consisted of:
For the first round, 15 players from the rosters of their entire organization—both their 40-man roster, plus all minor league affiliates.
Each team could add three more players to its protected list after each round.
All players in an organization were eligible to be drafted, except those with no prior major league experience who had less than three years service if signed at age 19 or older, or had less than four years of service if signed at age 18 or younger.
Players who were free agents after the end of the 1997 season need not be protected.
As with the 1992 expansion draft, the order was determined by a coin toss. The winner of the toss could choose either: (a) The first overall pick in the expansion draft or (b) allow the other team to pick first and receive both the second and third overall expansion draft picks and the right to pick first in the subsequent rounds of the expansion draft. Arizona won the toss and chose to select second.
Results
The Devil Rays reportedly considered trading the player they were to select first. They chose Tony Saunders from the Florida Marlins.
Note, each noted All-Star player achieved that status in later season(s).
Jeff Suppan was the 2006 NLCSMVP.The Rays traded Bobby Abreu prior to the season for Kevin Stocker.Miguel Cairo has played for 10 different Major League teams at 7 different positions (counting DH).Dmitri Young was selected by the Devil Rays from the Reds, and then traded back to the Reds.
Once the draft was completed a number of trades were made. Teams had to wait until after the draft or risk losing their newly acquired players because they were not on their protected lists.
The Devil Rays traded Bobby Abreu to the Philadelphia Phillies for Kevin Stocker
The Devil Rays traded Andy Sheets and Brian Boehringer to the San Diego Padres for John Flaherty
The Devil Rays traded Dmitri Young to the Cincinnati Reds for Mike Kelly
The Devil Rays purchased Fred McGriff from the Atlanta Braves
The Diamondbacks traded Gabe Alvarez, Joe Randa, and Matt Drews to the Detroit Tigers for Travis Fryman
The Diamondbacks traded Scott Winchester to the Cincinnati Reds for Félix Rodríguez
The Diamondbacks traded Jesus Martinez to the Florida Marlins for Devon White
The Diamondbacks traded Chuck McElroy to the Colorado Rockies for Harvey Pulliam
Aftermath
The Diamondbacks intended to make their team competitive as soon as possible by signing free agents. The day prior to the expansion draft, they signed Jay Bell to a $34million contract across five years. Two weeks following the draft, the Diamondbacks traded Fryman and Martin to the Indians for Matt Williams.
While the Devil Rays consistently finished last in the AL East for the next decade, the Diamondbacks won the NL West title in 1999, 2001, and 2002, and won the 2001 World Series.
Notes
↑The first two hours of the draft were broadcast on ESPN, followed by four hours on ESPN2.
↑While the National League and American League are commonly referred to collectively as Major League Baseball, across many decades, Major League Baseball has only existed as a legal entity since 2000.
↑The Tampa Bay Devil Rays were renamed as the Tampa Bay Rays prior to the 2008 season.
