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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - The amateur draft held on this date in 1985 may have been the best ever. Look at the first ten picks (below). Seven of them had significant major league careers. Four have been all-stars; B.J. Surhoff, Will Clark, Barry Larkin and Barry Bonds. Bonds broke Hank Aarons' home run record in 2007.

1. B.J. Surhoff C-Milwaukee Brewers (University of North Carolina)
2. Will Clark 1B-San Francisco Giants (Mississippi State)
3. Bobby Witt RHP-Texas Rangers (University of Oklahoma)
4. Barry Larkin SS-Cincinnati Reds (University of Michigan)
5. Kurt Brown C-Chicago White Sox (Glendora, California)
6. Barry Bonds OF-Pittsburgh Pirates (Arizona State University)
7. Mike Campbell P-Seattle Mariners (University of Hawaii)
8. Pete Incaviglia OF-Montreal Expos (Oklahoma State University)
9. Mike Poehl RHP-Cleveland Indians (University of Texas)
10. Chris Gwynn OF- Los Angeles Dodgers (University of San Diego)

If you take in the entire first found of '85 (steroid allegations notwithstanding) two picks ended up hitting more than 500 home runs; Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro (23rd pick). Also in the first round that year were Joey Cora, Walt Weiss, Brian McRae, Joe Magrane and Gregg Jefferies

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE:
The 1985 draft

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