While the MLB Draft is always full of surprises and excitement, the 2022 Draft will be forever etched in history as the first draft to have the top two picks be the sons of former MLB players.
With the first overall pick, the Baltimore Orioles selected Jackson Holliday, son of former MLB star Matt Holliday. Second overall was Druw Jones, son of former MLB outfielder Andruw Jones, who was chosen by the Arizona Diamondbacks to become a key piece of their future.
“This year, when scouts were pouring in to watch shortstop Jackson Holliday before the Orioles drafted him first overall, they were able to see Ethan Holliday, one of the elite talents in the 2025 class. He’s one of the top prospects in Jupiter” – Baseball America
Aside from Holliday and Jones, there were several other sons of former professional baseball players, including Kyle Nevin (son of Phil Nevin) taken in round 11, Justin Crawford (son of Carl Crawford) taken 17th overall, and Mason McGwire (son of Mark McGwire) taken in the 8th round.
While not all of them were selected in the first round, they were all still drafted to MLB teams. As fans followed along with the draft and noticed more and more children of former MLB players, it raised the question of how many rounds the MLB Draft goes for.
Believe it or not, the MLB Draft takes place over a three-day period and covers a whopping 20 rounds of draft selections! In 2022, there were 616 picks made by MLB teams. While 20 rounds sounds enormous, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the MLB Draft used to last an unfathomable 40 rounds!
“With the 7th overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, the @Phillies select… #RedOctober | #worldseries” – MLB Network
Who have been the best first overall picks in the MLB Draft in the last 15 years?
In 2022, the Baltimore Orioles selected Jackson Holliday first overall, joining another top prospect Adley Rutschman in the up-and-coming Baltimore squad. While Rutschman has shown signs of becoming a franchise catcher, not every first overall pick turns into a superstar.
Players such as Mickey Moniak (2016), Brady Aiken (2014), and Mark Appel (2013) are proof that being selected with the number one pick does not guarantee success. While some top picks struggled due to injuries, some simply weren’t cut out for the majors.
However, we have seen some of the first overall picks in the modern era completely transform the franchise and immediately accelerate the team’s rebuild.
There are no better examples than the Washington Nationals drafting Stephen Strasburg (2009) and Bryce Harper (2010). Both players would help make the Nationals a contender, with Strasburg being a key figure in Washington’s 2019 World Series title.
“2010 #MLBDraft Flashback: Few players have ever entered the draft with more hype than Bryce Harper …” – Baseball America
Other notable first-round selections in recent years include Gerrit Cole (2011), Carlos Correa (2012) and Dansby Swanson (2015). All of these players have gone on to win the World Series or be named to multiple All-Star teams.
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