Dodgers Draft: Ranking the best players selected 29th overall

Best 29th overall picks in MLB Draft: 5) Carlos Quentin

Carlos Quentin was selected 29th overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2003 draft. He would sit out his first season as a professional due to Tommy John surgery, but it didn’t take long for him to prove his potential upon getting healthy.

The Stanford product quickly flashed his power in the minor leagues, clobbering 21 home runs as a 21 year-old between the Texas League and California League. By the end of 2005, he was ranked as the 22nd best prospect in MLB by Baseball America.

Quentin made his major league debut in 2006 with the Diamondbacks, hitting .253/.342/.530. He was actually expected to take the outfield spot of former Dodger Shawn Green, who was traded to the Mets that August. However, Quentin failed to capitalize on the opportunity, struggling in 2007, finding his way back to the minors.

It was after he was traded to the Chicago White Sox when his major league career took off. In 2008, playing everyday at Comiskey Park, Quentin hit 36 home runs behind a steady .288/.394/.571 slash line. He earned an All-Star appearance, won the Silver Slugger Award in left field, and finished fifth in MVP voting.

The right-handed power-hitter would never match his output from 2008 again, but he remained a reliable power hitter for the White Sox for three more seasons. Quentin’s career would decline after he was dealt to San Diego and battled multiple injuries until he retired after the 2014 season.