Competitive Balance rounds set for 2018 Draft

With the conclusion of the 2017 regular season, the preliminary order for the 2018 Draft took some shape, thanks to the reverse order of the standings. The Tigers and Giants finished tied with the worst record in the Major Leagues last season, but Detroit was awarded the No. 1 pick in the 2018 Draft by virtue of having a lower winning percentage in 2016.
After the Tigers and Giants, the next eight picks go to the Phillies, White Sox, Reds, Mets, Padres, Braves, A's and Pirates.
• 2018 Draft order | All-time Draft picks
Next up to determine Draft order will be what happens with qualifying-offer free agents signing deals. That will have some impact on what the first round beyond those top picks looks like. The deadline for the nine free agents who were offered qualifying offers passed on Thursday, and all nine rejected the offer. That means the six teams that extended the offers (the Royals had three, the Cubs two, while the Cardinals, Indians, Rays and Rockies each had one qualifying-offer free agent) will obtain compensation picks should the free agents sign with other clubs.
There are several qualifications regarding where in the Draft those picks will come, based on the size of the contract each free agent signs and whether the team losing the free agent is a revenue-sharing recipient, based on its revenues and market size. The Draft order will be updated as these signings take place.
Then there are the Competitive Balance Rounds, A and B, once again slated to take place after the completion of the first and second rounds, respectively. The Competitive Balance Rounds are no longer determined via lottery. Instead, in 2017, all teams that fell in the bottom 10 in revenue or bottom 10 in market size got a pick in Round A, after the first round, or Round B, following the second round. Using a formula that takes revenue and winning percentage into account, six teams were awarded Round A picks, with eight teams getting picks in Comp Round B.
• Early 2018 mock draft
In 2018, the groups of teams switch places, meaning there will be eight Comp Round A picks and six in Round B. Major League Baseball re-ran the aforementioned formula, and while no teams dropped out because they are no longer in the bottom 10 in revenue and/or market size, the order in each round has changed.
The Pirates, Orioles, Padres, D-backs, Royals, Indians, Rockies and Cardinals all picked in Round B in 2017. They move up, in that order, into Round A for 2018. That currently falls in picks 31-39, with the Rays sneaking in for pick No. 32 as compensation for not signing No. 31 overall pick Drew Rasmussen in 2017. The Round B order will be: Marlins, A's, Rays, Reds, Brewers and Twins.
The order and current pick numbers of Competitive Balance Rounds A and B are below. Pick numbers are subject to change based on trades (Competitive Balance Round picks can be traded) and qualifying offer free-agent signings. Click here for the complete Draft order, including updates due to free-agent signings.
Round A

31. Pittsburgh Pirates
    
32. Tampa Bay Rays*
    
33. Baltimore Orioles
    
34. San Diego Padres
    
35. Arizona Diamondbacks
    
36. Kansas City Royals
    
37. Cleveland Indians
    
38. Colorado Rockies
    
39. St. Louis Cardinals
    
40. Compensation for not signing Drew Rasmussen in 2017
    Round B
    
41. Miami Marlins
    
42. Oakland Athletics
    
43. Tampa Bay Rays
    
44. Cincinnati Reds
    
45. Milwaukee Brewers
    
46. Minnesota Twins