Fanfare Not Too Likely For Draft Pick No. 1,607 Unlike Football’s Last Choice, Baseball Has No Mr. Irrelevant

Unlike the last pick in the National Football League draft, third baseman Andrew Baxter of Erwin, Tenn., isn’t likely to be celebrated.

In the NFL draft, an unaffiliated group honors the final selection with a nickname, Mr. Irrelevant, a trophy, the Lowsman (opposite of college football’s Heisman), and a trip to California and Disneyland. Major League Baseball doesn’t have anyone doing anything for its last overall draft choice.

Baxter, 17, was picked Thursday by the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 92nd round of the baseball draft. He was the 1,607th overall selection in a draft that unlike others allows franchises to pick players as long as they want.

While players drafted early in the first round command signing bonuses of more than $3 million, Baxter probably will be offered between $5,000 and $10,000 to sign, some baseball execs said.

Andrew Baxter, though, is expected to play college baseball.

The Irrelevant Club uses its events to raise money for charities. The group said it would love to honor baseball’s last draft choice.

“We’d have to reduce the lettering size a little. Number 240 is a lot smaller than 1,600,” said Melanie Fitch, vice president of the Irrelevant Club. “But we’d love to do it.”

While Charlie Baxter is worried there might be a stigma attached to his son being the last pick in the draft, Fitch said it’s an honor for any athlete to be drafted.

“This is all in fun,” Fitch said. “If anyone’s out there laughing at someone because they’re the last pick, they’re stupid. All you have do is look at the hundreds of thousands of people out there who never get drafted.”