1965 Amateur Draft : First Round Picks

The first draft was held on June 8-9, 1965. The Major League franchises were able to choose from all high school seniors and college players.

Initially there were supposed to be three amateur drafts held each season. That original plan changed in 1964 and was reduced to two drafts with the first phase being held after High School graduations. The second phase was held in January of the following year and involved players who were drafted earlier, but were not signed by their franchise.

In 1986 the two-phase draft system was changed and instead of holding a second phase draft in January, franchises who could not sign their first round selections were awarded a supplemental first round pick the following amateur draft.

The first pick of the first round is awarded to the worst team in the American or National League. Each season the two leagues alternate the first pick and proceed through the first round in reverse order of finish from the previous season's standings.

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present the 1965 first round draft selections, the team they were chosen by, their position(s), and their college or home town at the time of the amateur draft.

"(Rick) Monday got about $125,000 from the Cubs last season and struck out 125 times. He got paid about $1,000 a strikeout. This year he'll probably get $250,000 from the Dodgers, which means he's gotten a raise to $2,000 a strikeout." - Frank Lane in Sports Illustrated (March 14, 1977)
1965

First Round Draft Picks

# Selected By Name Position College or Hometown
1. Athletics Rick Monday OF Arizona State University
2. Mets Les Rohr LHP Billings, MT
3. Senators Joe Coleman RHP Natick, MA
4. Astros Alex Barrett SS Winton, CA
5. Red Sox Billy Conigliaro OF Swampscott, MA
6. Cubs Rick James RHP Florence, AL
7. Indians Ray Fosse C Marion, IL
8. Dodgers John Wyatt SS Bakersfield, CA
9. Twins Eddie Leon SS University of Arizona
10. Pirates Doug Dickerson OF Birmingham, AL
11. Angels Jim Spencer 1B Glen Burnie, MD
12. Braves Dick Grant 1B Watertown, MA
13. Tigers Gene Lamont C Kirkland, IL
14. Giants Al Gallagher 3B Santa Clara University
15. Orioles Scott McDonald RHP Yakima, WA
16. Reds Bernie Carbo 3B Garden City, MI
17. White Sox Ken Plesha C Notre Dame University
18. Phillies Mike Adamson RHP San Diego, CA
19. Yankees Bill Burbach RHP Dickeyville, WI
20. Cardinals Joe DiFabio RHP Delta State University

#

Selected By

Name

Position

College or Hometown

1965 First Round Draft Picks



The players in the 1965 First Round Draft chart (above) who DO NOT have links to their Major League statistics DID NOT make it to the Major League level.

There were eight-hundred thirteen total players selected during the 1965 Amateur Draft and a few who were passed over during the first round included Johnny Bench, Ken Holtzman, Graig Nettles, Amos Otis and Nolan Ryan.

Did you know that the first player from the 1965 Amateur Draft to make it to The Show (major league level) was the third pick overall — Joe Coleman?