5 Worst First-Round Draft Picks In Chicago Cubs History, Ranked By bWAR

The Chicago Cubs have had a first-round pick every season since 1965, when Major League Baseball started the common draft era. Some have worked out. Some have not.

The MLB draft is not an easy proposition. Some players selected every year don’t play Major League Baseball. Chicago can look back on its track record in the draft with some pride. But the Cubs can also look back and see that 24 of their first-round picks didn’t even play in the Majors. Of the ones that did, some of them were not good bets.

Here, we rank the worst five draft picks in Cubs history based on bWAR, or wins above replacement, at baseball-reference.com. For the purposes of this exercise, only first-round picks taken in the June or July amateur draft were considered. The player must have played in the Majors, whether it be for the Cubs or someone else.

Josh Vitters (2007, -1.3 bWAR) and Luis Montanez (2000, bWAR)

We have a tie. Both were prep players. Vitters was selected out of Cypress High School in Cypress, Calif., while Montanez was drafted out of Coral Park High School in Miami, Fla. They represent the Cubs’ worst first-round picks of the 21st century. Both were also selected No. 3 overall.

Vitters, a utility player, landed in the Majors in 2012 for 36 games in which he slashed .121/.193/.202 with two home runs and 5 RBI. He landed in Colorado in 2015 but was released a month later, ending his MLB career.

As for Montanez, the left fielder was a free agent after six years in the Cubs’ organization. He landed in Baltimore, where he played parts of three seasons before returning to Chicago in 2011 and playing 36 games for the Cubs, slashing .222/.263/.352 with a home run and 9 RBI. Stints in the Phillies, Cardinals, and Angels organizations followed before he was done in 2013.

Drew Hall (1984, -1.4 bWAR)

A general view of Wrigley Field prior to the Winter Classic ice hockey game between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blue | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

The Cubs selected Hall No. 3 overall out of Morehead State in Morehead, Ky. Back then, his $119,000 signing bonus was a big deal. The Cubs hoped the left-handed pitcher would be a mainstay of their rotation for years.

Hall got to the Majors in 1986, but he was converted into a reliever. In three seasons with the Cubs, he went 3-4 with a 6.41 ERA in 45 games, with four starts. He also had two saves. His biggest claim to fame is being included in the 1989 offseason trade that also sent Jamie Moyer and Rafael Palmeiro to the Texas Rangers.

Hall played one season with the Rangers and one with the Montreal Expos, the latter in 1991. He finished 9-12 with a 5.21 ERA and five saves in 125 MLB games.

Don Schulze (1980, -1.6 bWAR)

A general view of Wrigley Field from behind home plate in Chicago, Ill | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Cubs were struggling everywhere back then, including the draft. Schulze was a right-handed pitcher taken No. 11 overall in 1980.

The right-handed pitcher threw for six years with the Cubs, Cleveland, the New York Mets, and San Diego as he put together a 15-25 record with a 5.47 ERA in 76 games, 59 of which were starts. He also played in Japan.

After retirement, he became a pitching coach in the minor leagues, including affiliates in Kane County, Stockton, Midland, and Lansing.

Gene Hiser (1970, -2.0 BWAR)

A Chicago Cubs cap sits in the dugout during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sloan Park. — Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Hiser is one of only two Cubs first-round picks with a career bWAR of -2.0 or worse. The Cubs were looking for outfield help and Hiser was a well-respected collegiate out of Maryland, the same school they drafted Matt Shaw from in 2023.

The outfielder wasted no time getting to the Majors. He was promoted in 1971 and played in 206 games, all with Chicago. He had a lifetime slash of .202/.289/.240 with one home run and 18 RBI. Hiser remained in Chicago after retirement, became an insurance salesman, and founded a financial services company.

Scot Thompson (1974, -5.7 bWAR)

The worst Cubs first-round pick by a mile. His bWAR is more than three points worse than Hiser’s, and he played in more than 600 games, a significant enough sample to get the picture. But the No. 7 overall pick out of Knoch High School in Saxonburg, Penn., had an intriguing career despite his ranking here.

Happy 70th Birthday to former Montreal Expos 1B/OF Scot Thompson!

He played 34 games for the Expos in 1985.#Expos pic.twitter.com/ZTZFoqkvfi
— Kevin Glew (@coopincanada) December 7, 2025

Even with his team-worst bWAR, he played for eight seasons with the Cubs, the Giants, and the Expos, carving out a role as a utility player. He had a lifetime slash of .262/.312/.328 with five home runs and 110 RBI.

In 1979, his first full season, he finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting with the Cubs. In 1984 with the Giants, he slashed .306/.376/.355. He is, without question, the oddest inclusion on the list based on his career.

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