Major League Baseball

2024 MLB Draft lottery: What it is, which teams are in, how to watch

Published Dec. 5, 2023 2:13 p.m. ET

Previously, the MLB draft order was decided each year by final regular season standings, as the reversed order of standings determined how teams would pick.

However, last year, the lottery era began, which now offers all non-playoff teams a shot at the top-six picks in the draft.

This year, 17 out of the 18 non-playoff teams are eligible for the lottery, as the Washington Nationals are considered a "payor club" due to the club giving rather than receiving revenue-sharing dollars. As a result, they are not allowed to be chosen in consecutive lotteries and will have their odds reduced to zero since they received the No. 2 pick in 2023.

Without further ado, here are this year's lottery eligible clubs, which are ordered based on their likelihood of being selected:

Oakland Athletics - 18.3%

Kansas City Royals - 18.3%

Colorado Rockies - 18.3%

Chicago White Sox - 14.7%

St. Louis Cardinals - 8.3%

Los Angeles Angels - 6.1%

New York Mets - 4.3%

Pittsburgh Pirates - 3.0%

Cleveland Guardians - 2.0%

Detroit Tigers - 1.6%

Boston Red Sox - 1.2%

San Francisco Giants - 1.0%

Cincinnati Reds - 0.9%

San Diego Padres - 0.7%

New York Yankees - 0.6%

Chicago Cubs - 0.4%

Seattle Mariners - 0.2%

Any team that is not selected for the top-six picks will choose in order of reversed standings from Nos. 7-18, which will be followed by last season's playoff teams for Nos. 19-30.

Additionally, the draft will return to reversed standings order following the first round, including picks Nos. 1-6.

The first round of the 2024 MLB Draft will be revealed tonight, as the lottery will take place Tuesday live on MLB Network at 5:30 p.m. ET from the winter meetings in Nashville, Tennesee.

The Pirates received the first-ever No. 1 pick in the lottery era last year, which gifted them former LSU Tiger Paul Skenes.

Who will be gifted the first-overall pick in 2024?

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