In a recent retrospective analysis, Moneyline has evaluated the 2018 MLB draft class, adding it to a series of previous evaluations covering several years. It has been established that a timeframe of at least six years is needed to adequately assess a draft class, allowing prospects time to advance through the minor leagues, reach the majors, and establish themselves in professional baseball.

The 2018 draft brought forth numerous players, but it has predominantly yielded more disappointments than franchise cornerstones. Among the first-round selections, only Alec Bohm (No. 3 overall), Logan Gilbert (No. 14 overall), and Shane McClanahan (No. 31 overall) have managed to reach an All-Star level. However, the draft has also revealed several late-round gems, including Tarik Skubal, who garnered the 2024 American League Cy Young Award as a ninth-round pick, along with All-Star outfielders Steven Kwan (fifth round) and Jarren Duran (seventh round). As part of this analysis, teams have been graded on a scale from A to F based on their draft performance, taking into account the overall talent pool, effectiveness of their first-round picks, and how they used their prospects to improve their rosters, particularly in trades.

The Arizona Diamondbacks faced a setback when they failed to sign their first-round selector Matt McLain, who chose to attend UCLA and later was drafted No. 17 overall in 2021. The Diamondbacks compensated for this when they received the No. 26 overall pick the following year and selected left-handed pitcher Blake Walston. In terms of value, outfielders Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas combined for a total of 7.3 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in the majors. Following that, Blaze Alexander emerged as a valuable player after being signed with a $500,000 bonus in the 11th round, and Tyler Holton has found a role in the Detroit Tigers' bullpen. Thus, Arizona's draft class has been graded a C.

The Oakland Athletics selected Kyler Murray, a dual-sport athlete, as the No. 9 overall pick and offered him a $4.66 million signing bonus, but he ultimately chose to pursue a football career. Murray's selection may have been deemed a lost opportunity for the A's, even as they made a wise selection of Lawrence Butler in the sixth round, who has shown promise as he heads into the 2025 season. This brings Oakland's draft grade to C as well.

The Atlanta Braves' first-round pick, Carter Stewart, opted for a contract with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan, resulting in the Braves not adding him to their roster. In return, they selected catcher Shea Langeliers with the compensatory pick they received the following year. The major impact players from this draft were Tristan Beck and Victor Vodnik, both of whom made their mark in other organizations. The Braves’ overall performance is graded as a D.

The Baltimore Orioles secured Grayson Rodriguez and Cadyn Grenier as their first-round picks, but only Rodriguez has made a significant impact, ranking highly among pitching prospects. He recently recorded a solid performance with a 3.86 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 2024. Overall, Baltimore's draft class also earns a C for their limited success and Grenier's struggles.

The Boston Red Sox landed a strong successful draft by selecting Triston Casas at No. 26 and Jarren Duran in the seventh round. Both have since emerged as key contributors. Duran notably showcased his potential with an impressive 8.7 WAR season, highlighting the Red Sox's ability to extract outstanding talent from this draft, meriting an A grade.

Nico Hoerner, chosen at No. 24 overall by the Chicago Cubs, became the first player from the 2018 draft cohort to make his MLB debut. He has since developed into a strong defender with a 15.1 WAR over six seasons. However, other notable players from this draft haven’t reached the majors yet, leading Chicago's draft performance to be rated with a C.

The Chicago White Sox has received criticism for their No. 4 overall pick Nick Madrigal; despite his collegiate success, he has struggled at the major league level, resulting in a disappointing overall class performance marked D.

The Cincinnati Reds hit a high note selecting Jonathan India at No. 5, who went on to win the NL Rookie of the Year title in 2021. However, injuries have hindered his production since then. The Reds also traded him to the Kansas City Royals earlier this offseason, which diminished the overall assessment of this draft class to a C.

The Cleveland Guardians drafted Bo Naylor at No. 29, showing promise alongside late-round selections such as Steven Kwan, who has become a key player, helping elevate the team’s grade to B. Meanwhile, the Guardians missed on pitchers taken in the early rounds.

The Colorado Rockies' first-round picks, Ryan Rolison and Grant Lavigne, have yet to reach the majors, leading to a unfavorable assessment of their draft efforts, graded as D.

Though the Detroit Tigers did not see the desired outcome from their top pick Casey Mize, they nonetheless uncovered a star pitcher in Tarik Skubal. Mize's struggles resulted in a mixed outcome, securing the Tigers a strong grade of A due to Skubal's performance.

The Houston Astros selected Seth Beer at No. 28, but it was shortstop Jeremy Peña—found in the third round—that provided significant value, contributing to the team’s successes and earning a B grade for their draft class.

The Kansas City Royals utilized their four first-round picks to assemble a pitching-heavy draft class. Brady Singer emerged as a strong contributor and was traded to the Reds earlier in the offseason, while the overall class is graded B for its performance.

The Los Angeles Angels selected Jordyn Adams at No. 17, a player still searching for production in the majors. However, successful pitchers Kyle Bradish and Austin Warren have contributed elsewhere, bringing the grade to C for their class.

J.T. Ginn, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ first-round pick, did not sign; however, the organization found value in later rounds with players such as Michael Grove and James Outman, who both have contributed at the major league level, resulting in a grade of C.

The Miami Marlins' first round selection of Connor Scott has not panned out, as he has not progressed beyond Double-A. Their overall achievements draw criticism, leading to a grade of D for their draft class.

Milwaukee Brewers drafted Brice Turang, who has shown promise, particularly as of late. Though some other selections have generated discussions, the overall evaluation leans towards B.

Minnesota Twins' Trevor Larnach has been hindered by injuries despite some promising moments. They also found catcher Ryan Jeffers in the second round, leading the team’s draft effort to a B grade.

The New York Mets’ drafts contributed to trades rather than production within the organization, with Jarred Kelenic becoming a significant part of the Robinson Cano deal, and Tylor Megill has offered rotation depth. The Mets’ draft outcomes verge on C.

The New York Yankees saw Anthony Seigler, their first-round selection, never reach the majors, and the overall contributions from draft selections have been minimal, resulting in an unfavorable F grade.

The Philadelphia Phillies landed Alec Bohm at No. 3 overall, who did show some promise as an All-Star. Additional depth from later selections led to a B grade for the Phillies.

The Pittsburgh Pirates' Travis Swaggerty has struggled significantly, coupled with poor outcomes from additional picks, directing this draft class's evaluation to D.

The San Diego Padres selected Ryan Weathers and Xavier Edwards, now reunited with the Miami Marlins. This draft class shows varying levels of success and garners a B rating.

San Francisco Giants’ Joey Bart, highly regarded, did not fulfill expectations and was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Conversely, late-round selection Ryan Walker has proven valuable, granting them a C grade.

The Seattle Mariners' impactful draft took shape with Logan Gilbert and Cal Raleigh, who have performed exceptionally well at the major league level, propelling their class rating to an A.

The St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Gorman has demonstrated inconsistency thereby bringing a critical outlook for their draft class, though other players discovered later in the draft provide solid value, deserving a B grade.

The Tampa Bay Rays effectively scouted Shane McClanahan; notwithstanding Matthew Liberatore's trade, the team has developed solid pitching talent that merits an A grade for their draft class.

The Texas Rangers' selection of Cole Winn has not produced the expected results, which leads to a pressing need for improvement, earning them an F grade.

The Toronto Blue Jays' picks in the first round have struggled with Jordan Groshans and his cohort failing to materialize into impactful major leaguers, and consequently the draft class is rated as F.

The Washington Nationals’ Mason Denaburg's career has been marred by injuries, and while they found modest success in the fourth round with Jake Irvin, their draft performance garners a C grade.