If unpredictability is so much of what makes sports compelling, the baseball draft might be the best place to look for capriciousness. This book explores the intricate uncertainties of the draft and the people who face it. Since the modern draft began in 1965, major league teams have attempted, with varying degrees of success, to identify and develop stars of the future. Whether because of injury, poor performance or mental and physical struggles, a large percentage of the most ballyhooed prospects never reach the game's highest level.

The authors tell the stories of players drafted in...