Eight has been D-backs' lucky round in Draft

PHOENIX -- Say this for the D-backs, they find some real gems in the later rounds of the First-Year Player Draft.

Arguably two of the best players drafted by the organization -- Brandon Webb and Paul Goldschmidt -- came in the eighth round.

This year, they are also hoping to hit with their No. 1 pick (16th overall), which is why they stayed away from signing a free agent tied to Draft compensation this past offseason.

"We've got a lot of confidence in our scouts, and specifically Ray, that he will find a top-notch type guy with that first-round pick," D-backs GM Kevin Towers said of scouting director Ray Montgomery. "That's just our philosophy. I can't speak for the other 29 clubs, but it would take a special player for us to give up our first-round pick."

The 2014 Draft will take place on June 5-7, beginning with the Draft preview show on MLB.com and MLB Network on Thursday, June 5, at 6 p.m. ET. Live Draft coverage from MLB Network's Studio 42 begins at 7 p.m., with the top 74 picks being streamed on MLB.com and broadcast on MLB Network. MLB.com's exclusive coverage of the second and third days will begin with a live Draft show at 12:30 p.m. ET on June 6.

MLB.com's coverage includes Draft Central, the Top 100 Draft Prospects list and Draft Tracker, a live interactive application that includes a searchable database of Draft-eligible players. Every selection will be tweeted live from @MLBDraftTracker, and you can also keep up to date by following @MLBDraft. And get into the Draft conversation by tagging your tweets with #mlbdraft.

Round 1: Justin Upton, 2005
Upton gets the nod over Max Scherzer because Upton had more of his productivity with the D-backs, while Scherzer's primary success came after his trade to the Tigers. Taken first overall, Upton starred and was the face of the franchise from 2007-12. Honorable mention goes to shortstop Stephen Drew.

Round 2: Chris Snyder, 2002
Health injuries limited Snyder, but he was the starting catcher on the 2007 team that went to the National League Championship Series, and he spent parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues with the D-backs before being dealt in 2010. Honorable mention goes to left-hander Brett Anderson, who had his big league success after being dealt to the A's.

Round 3: Scott Hairston, 2001
Hairston was drafted as a second baseman, but ended up moving to the outfield. While he might not have achieved the stardom that some hoped for from him, he has carved out an 11-year career in the big leagues as a pinch-hitter/role player. Honorable mention goes to right-hander Micah Owings, who played a key role on the 2007 NL West champions.

Round 4: Javier Lopez, 1998
Like a lot of left-handed specialists, it would take Lopez a little while to establish himself. The D-backs lost Lopez in the Rule 5 Draft in 2002. He would go on to win three World Series with the Red Sox and Giants.

Round 5: Brad Penny, 1996
Penny was picked two years before the D-backs fielded a Major League team. While he never played a game in the Majors for Arizona, he was a part of a key trade in 1999 that netted them closer Matt Mantei.

Round 6: Greg Smith, 2006
Smith did not pitch in the big leagues for the D-backs, but he was used as part of a deal to get Dan Haren prior to the 2008 season. Third baseman Jake Lamb, picked in 2012, could wind up overtaking Smith eventually.

Round 7: Chad Tracy, 2001
Tracy spent six seasons with the D-backs and was an above-average player before injuries limited him. In 2005, Tracy had an adjusted on-base-plus-slugging of .911.

Round 8: Brandon Webb, 2000
With a Cy Young Award and two second-place finishes along with three All-Star appearances, Webb should be a no-brainer here. However the eighth round has been a gold mine for the D-backs, with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt being picked there in 2009.

Round 9: Chase Anderson, 2009
Anderson made his Major League debut in early May and has pitched well his first few times through the rotation.

Round 10: Steven Jackson, 2004
Jackson did not pitch in the big leagues for the D-backs, but he was used in a trade in Jan. 2007 that brought Randy Johnson back to Arizona.

Round 11: Dan Uggla, 2001
The D-backs kicked themselves after leaving Uggla unprotected in the 2005 Rule 5 Draft, where he was selected by the Braves.

Round 12: Brian Bruney, 2000
Bruney made his big league debut in 2004, and he saved 12 games for Arizona in '05 before being released the following season.

Round 13: John Hester, 2006
Hester, who was selected out of Stanford University, played briefly for the D-backs in 2009-10, and also for the Angels in 2012-13.

Round 14: Rusty Ryal, 2005
Ryal was a versatile reserve player on the 2009 and '10 D-backs.

Round 15: Josh Collmenter, 2007
Collmenter was a key member of the rotation on the 2011 division-winning team, and his ability to move between the rotation and the bullpen and back again have made him a valuable piece since coming up in 2011.