During the last two days we’ve taken a look at what happened to the draft picks the Yankees forfeited as free agent compensation from 1979 to 1985 and 1986 to 1991, and today we’ll continue the series by looking at the picks surrendered between 1992 and 2001. Remember to let me know if there’s any missing/incorrect info in any of the posts in this series.
1992 Second Round Pick
Free Agent: Danny Tartabull, OF
Forfeited Pick: Jon Lieber, RHP (Royals)
Coming into New York with a .287-.372-.514 career batting line, Tartabull’s power took a slight dip in pinstripes, though he hit .252-.372-.473 in three-and-a-half years with the Yanks before being traded to Oakland in 1995. As compensation for losing Tartabull, the Royals received the 44th overall pick in the draft, and used it to take University of South Alabama righty Jon Lieber.
Lieber reached the big leagues less than two years after being drafted, and carved out a 14 season career as a league average (or slightly better) starter. A 20 game winner with the Cubs in 2001, he finished fourth in the NL Cy Young voting and made the All Star Team. The Yankees signed Lieber as a free agent coming off Tommy John surgery in 2003, and watched him put up a 4.33 ERA with a 102-18 K/BB ratio in 27 starts. In the only three playoff starts of his career, Lieber posted a a 3.43 ERA for the Yanks in 2004. He last appeared in a big league game in 2008, and retired with a 103 ERA+.
Kansas City also received a supplemental first round pick, taking Purdue righty Sherard Clinkscales 31st overall. He was out of baseball by 1995, having put up a 6.36 ERA and a 131-152 K/BB ratio in 140 minor league innings, none above A-ball.