Cleveland Guardians Secure No. 1 Pick in MLB Draft Lottery

An Inside Look at the Nail-Biting Process

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On Tuesday afternoon, Ethan Purser, the scouting director for the Cleveland Guardians, found himself in what he described as an “underground dungeon” at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. With only his room key and a notepad, Purser entered the room at 2:30 p.m. CT, cut off from the outside world.

For two and a half hours, Purser was the sole person in the organization who knew that the Guardians had miraculously secured the No. 1 pick in the upcoming MLB Draft. However, he couldn’t share this exciting news with anyone.

A Room Full of Tension and Games

Inside the nondescript room, Purser joined 15-20 other team representatives and league officials. They passed the time by playing games like Sequence, Yahtzee, Catan, and Texas Hold’em, using Cheez-It crackers and cookies as makeshift poker chips. The tension was palpable as they anxiously awaited the reveal of the draft order on MLB Network.

The Guardians had only a 2 percent chance of securing the top pick, making it the ninth-best odds among all teams. Even Chris Antonetti, Cleveland’s team president, hadn’t considered the possibility of such good fortune. Purser and longtime infielder John McDonald, who represented the team on stage during the broadcast, simply hoped to finish better than ninth.

A Historic Moment for Cleveland

For the first time in franchise history, the Cleveland Guardians will have the opportunity to select first in the MLB Draft.

However, the road to this historic moment was not without its twists. Initially, the Washington Nationals were announced as the owners of the No. 1 pick. But due to a league mandate preventing teams paying into the revenue sharing pot from finishing in the lottery in consecutive years, the Nationals were ineligible. The process started over, and this time, the Guardians emerged as the fortunate recipients of the top pick.

A Secret Kept Under Lock and Key

While Purser sat in the room, he couldn’t communicate with anyone outside. With no phone or Apple Watch and no way to track time, he had to keep the news to himself. Meanwhile, Antonetti, unaware of the Guardians’ success, participated in an interview session with reporters. It wasn’t until league officials insisted on him staying nearby that Antonetti realized something big was about to happen.

Finally, at 4:30 p.m., the MLB Network show began, and the draft order was revealed. Purser sprinted out of the room to retrieve his phone, which was flooded with messages and missed calls. The front office celebrated their victory together, with Antonetti even rushing onto the stage to embrace McDonald.

Now, the secret is out. The Cleveland Guardians have secured the No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, marking a significant moment in the team’s history.