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

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. 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

RoundPickPlayerPositionSelected fromSelected by
11OFKansas City RoyalsSeattle Mariners
12OFBaltimore OriolesToronto Blue Jays
13PCalifornia AngelsSeattle Mariners
14PMinnesota TwinsToronto Blue Jays
153BChicago White SoxSeattle Mariners
16PTexas RangersToronto Blue Jays
17PBoston Red SoxSeattle Mariners
18OFOakland AthleticsToronto Blue Jays
191BDetroit TigersSeattle Mariners
110DHCleveland IndiansToronto Blue Jays
111PNew York YankeesSeattle Mariners
112PMilwaukee BrewersToronto Blue Jays
213PKansas City RoyalsToronto Blue Jays
214OFCalifornia AngelsSeattle Mariners
215OFMinnesota TwinsToronto Blue Jays
216PDetroit TigersSeattle Mariners
217PBaltimore OriolesToronto Blue Jays
218PCleveland IndiansSeattle Mariners
219PChicago White SoxToronto Blue Jays
220OFNew York YankeesSeattle Mariners
221PTexas RangersToronto Blue Jays
222PBoston Red SoxSeattle Mariners
223OFMilwaukee BrewersToronto Blue Jays
224POakland AthleticsSeattle Mariners
325CKansas City RoyalsSeattle Mariners
326PDetroit TigersToronto Blue Jays
327OFCalifornia AngelsSeattle Mariners
328PMinnesota TwinsToronto Blue Jays
329PBaltimore OriolesSeattle Mariners
330SSNew York YankeesToronto Blue Jays
331PChicago White SoxSeattle Mariners
3321BTexas RangersToronto Blue Jays
333SSCleveland IndiansSeattle Mariners
334CBoston Red SoxToronto Blue Jays
335PMilwaukee BrewersSeattle Mariners
336IFOakland AthleticsToronto Blue Jays
4372BKansas City RoyalsToronto Blue Jays
438OFMinnesota TwinsSeattle Mariners
439PTexas RangersToronto Blue Jays
440OFCalifornia AngelsSeattle Mariners
4413BNew York YankeesToronto Blue Jays
442PBaltimore OriolesSeattle Mariners
443PDetroit TigersToronto Blue Jays
444PBoston Red SoxSeattle Mariners
445PMilwaukee BrewersToronto Blue Jays
4461BCleveland IndiansSeattle Mariners
447PChicago White SoxToronto Blue Jays
448POakland AthleticsSeattle Mariners
549IFMinnesota TwinsToronto Blue Jays
550PDetroit TigersSeattle Mariners
551PKansas City RoyalsToronto Blue Jays
5522BCalifornia AngelsSeattle Mariners
553OFNew York YankeesToronto Blue Jays
554PTexas RangersSeattle Mariners
555PBaltimore OriolesToronto Blue Jays
556OFBoston Red SoxSeattle Mariners
557OFChicago White SoxToronto Blue Jays
558OFCleveland IndiansSeattle Mariners
559POakland AthleticsToronto Blue Jays
560PMilwaukee BrewersSeattle Mariners