In 1965, the Los Angeles Dodgers—based on the reports of scout Tommy Lasorda—selected USC pitcher Tom Seaver in the 10th round of Major League Baseball’s inaugural amateur draft. Had he signed, Seaver would have likely joined a ’67 Dodgers rotation that included Don Drysdale and Don Sutton. LA very well may have won another championship or two with Tom Terrific at the top of the rotation. Instead, Seaver turned down the Dodgers’ meager offer and later became enshrined in Cooperstown as a New York Met.

Lasorda’s Scouting Report of Tom Seaver

Seaver first caught scouts’ attention in the spring of ’64 as a freshman at Fresno City College, where he posted an 11-2 record and 1.78 ERA. He rebuffed several major-league teams that summer, opting to continue his college education. As a sophomore, Seaver transferred to USC. The Fresno native pitched for legendary coach Rod Dedeaux and pursued dentistry as a fallback plan. 

Tom Seaver hurling for the USC Trojans.

On March 20, 1965, Seaver scattered six hits in the Trojans’ 4-2 victory over the University of Arizona. Three days later, Lasorda filed his scouting report on Seaver. On a 60-80 scale, Lasorda graded the righty’s fastball as 73, gave his curve a 63, and rated him as a “definite prospect.” Under the remarks section, Lasorda wrote that Seaver had “plenty of desire to pitch and wants to beat you.”

Tommy Lasorda’s scouting report of Tom Seaver from March 23, 1965.Dodgers Draft Seaver

Seaver finished his sophomore season with an outstanding 10-2 record and 2.47 ERA. After the Dodgers picked him in the 10th round of the amateur draft that June, the two sides never came close an agreement. In his autobiography, The Artful Dodger, Lasorda seemed perplexed as to why the Dodgers didn’t sign the USC product. “Seaver contends the Dodgers didn’t offer him a contract as a favor to Dedeaux, forcing him to pitch in college another year,” wrote Lasorda. “I don’t know why the Dodgers didn’t sign Seaver, but I certainly don’t believe it was because he was playing at USC.” 

Tommy Lasorda and USC coach Rod Dedeaux.

The Dodgers did in fact make Seaver an offer, but it was far less than his asking price of $50,000. Although his salary demand sounds like a pittance in retrospect, only six players received a bonus higher than $40,000 that year. Each of the six were either first- or second-round picks.

“When I asked for $50,000, I think they laughed,” Seaver later recalled. “They thought half of that was too much.” Although he claimed ignorance in his autobiography, Lasorda allegedly told Seaver, “good luck in your dental career.”

Mets Win the Lottery

Because Seaver didn’t sign with the Dodgers, he re-entered the amateur draft in January 1966. The Braves selected him in the first round of the secondary phase (a separate selection process for players who had previously been drafted but did not sign). Altanta signed him a month later. Commissioner William Eckert voided the contract, however, because Seaver signed after the Trojans’ season had already begun. MLB teams received the opportunity to match Atlanta’s $51,000 offer in a lottery. The Indians, Phillies, and Mets participated in the lottery with the Mets being chosen out of a hat. 

Seaver had no need for dental school. He would go on to win 311 games, including 198 with the Mets, over the course of his 20-year career. In ’67, the Dodgers fell to eighth place following Sandy Koufax’s retirement, and Seaver won the NL Rookie of the Year Award. Seaver then led the ’69 Miracle Mets to a championship and proceeded to win three Cy Young Awards during the ’70s. The Dodgers, meanwhile, didn’t win their next title until ’81. 

For another “what if” scenario from the inaugural draft, check out my post, Johnny Bench: Almost a Cub.

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