Major League Baseball today completed its 2022 Draft, with a total of 616 players being chosen in the 20 rounds, two Compensation rounds and two Competitive Balance rounds. The Draft resumed in the 11th round via MLB.com this afternoon after Monday’s completion of rounds three through 10.
Pitchers were the most frequently chosen players, with 350 being selected (267 RHP, 83 LHP). The rest of the 2022 pool was comprised of 87 outfielders, 72 shortstops, 46 catchers, 26 third basemen, 19 first basemen, 11 second basemen, one infielder and four two-way players.
The University of Oklahoma had 11 players selected, marking the most in the Draft. The University of Tennessee had 10 selections; the University of Arkansas and Oklahoma State University both had nine selections; and Auburn University, Georgia Tech University, Oregon State University and the University of Texas all had eight players taken.
Players were selected from 46 states, with California (92) producing the most selections, followed by Florida (57), Texas (43), Georgia (28), North Carolina (26), Oklahoma (20), Pennsylvania (18), Virginia (18), Arizona (17), Illinois (17) and New York (17). In addition to the players selected from the United States, 12 players from Canada, 10 from Puerto Rico and one from the US Virgin Islands were also drafted.
Black players made up four of the first five selections for the first time in Draft history, including Druw Jones (2nd overall, ARI); Kumar Rocker (3rd overall, TEX); Termarr Johnson (4th overall, PIT); and Elijah Green (5th overall, WSH). All four players are also alumni of the DREAM Series, a diversity-focused development programming offered in part by MLB & USA Baseball. In addition, six of the first 18 picks were Black (33.0%), with all being alumni of MLB Development programming. Nine players in the first round were Black (30.0%), the most by total and percentage since 1992 when 10 of the 28 first round selections were Black (35.7%). Those players included Jones, Rocker, Johnson, Green, Justin Crawford (17th overall, PHI), Cam Collier (18th overall, CIN), Eric Brown Jr. (27th overall, MIL), Xavier Isaac (29th overall, TB) and Reggie Crawford (30th overall, SFG). Overall, 12 in the opening round were Black or Latino (40.0%).
The history of MLB Development programming for the above players includes: Druw Jones – 2020 DREAM Series, 2021 High School All-American Game; Kumar Rocker – 2018 DREAM Series; Termarr Johnson – Atlanta Braves RBI, 2017-2019 & 2021 Breakthrough Series Tournament Team, 2017 & 2018 Elite Development Invitational (now Hank Aaron Invitational), 2019 & 2021 Breakthrough Series, 2020 DREAM Series, 2021 High School All-American Game, and 2021 High School Home Run Derby; Elijah Green – 2016 & 2018-2019 Elite Development Invitational/Hank Aaron Invitational, 2018 & 2019 Breakthrough Series Tournament Team, 2019 Breakthrough Series, 2020 DREAM Series, 2021 High School All-American Game, and 2021 High School Home Run Derby; Justin Crawford – 2018 Elite Development Invitational/Hank Aaron Invitational, 2018-2019 Breakthrough Series Tournament Team, and 2020 DREAM Series; Cam Collier – 2017-2019 & 2021 Elite Development Invitational/Hank Aaron Invitational, 2018-2019 & 2021 Breakthrough Series Tournament Team, 2020 DREAM Series, 2021 Breakthrough Series, and 2021 High School All-American Game.
In addition, Several additional players from MLB Develops and RBI programs were selected in later rounds, including: Chandler Simpson (Comp Balance B, TB; Breakthrough Series); Kenya Huggins (4th round, CIN; Hank Aaron Invitational, New Orleans MLB Youth Academy, New Orleans RBI); Lamar King (4th round, SD; Breakthrough Series); D’Andre Smith (5th round, NYM; Hank Aaron Invitational); Chandler Pollard (5th round, TEX; Hank Aaron Invitational); J.P. Massey (7th round, PIT; DREAM Series, Chicago White Sox RBI); Trey Faltine (7th round, CIN; Hank Aaron Invitational, DREAM Series, Breakthrough Series Tournament Team, Breakthrough Series); Javier Santos (7th round, CLE; Paterson RBI); Marquis Grissom Jr. (13th round, WAS; Atlanta Braves RBI, Hank Aaron Invitational, Breakthrough Series Tournament Team, Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series); Deundre Jones (17th round, BOS; Breakthrough Series, Hank Aaron Invitational); and Jaden Noot (19th round, MIL) Hank Aaron Invitational, Breakthrough Series Tournament Team).
The Baltimore Orioles selected shortstop Jackson Holliday out of Stillwater High School with the first overall pick in the Draft. Jackson, who is the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, was the first shortstop taken with the first overall selection since the Minnesota Twins selected Royce Lewis in 2017. Holliday joined Ben McDonald (1989) and Adley Rutschman (2019) as the only number one overall picks in Orioles history. The 2022 Draft marked the second in MLB history that the son of a former Major Leaguer was selected first overall, previously occurring in 1987 when the Seattle Mariners selected Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr.
In addition to Holliday, other notable selections included:
- Wesleyan High School (GA) outfielder Druw Jones (2nd overall, ARI), who is the son of 10-time Gold Glove Award winner Andruw Jones.
- Right-handed pitcher Kumar Rocker (3rd overall, TEX), who is the son of College Football Hall of Famer Tracy Rocker.
- IMG Academy (FL) outfielder Elijah Green (5th overall, WSH), who is the son of former NFL player Eric Green.
- LSU third baseman/outfielder Jacob Berry (6th overall, MIA), who is the son of former minor leaguer Perry Berry, who was taken in the fourth round of the 1990 Draft.
- Cal Poly shortstop Brooks Lee (8th overall, MIN), who is the son of Cal Poly head coach Larry Lee and the nephew of Terry Lee, a first-round selection of the San Francisco Giants in 1974.
- Virginia Tech outfielder Gavin Cross (9th overall, KC), who is the son of former minor leaguer Adam Cross.
- Gonzaga right-handed pitcher Gabe Hughes (10th overall, COL), who is the grandson of former minor leaguer Donald Hughes.
- Texas Tech University second baseman Jace Jung (12th overall, DET), who is the brother of Rangers prospect Josh Jung, who was the 8th overall pick in the 2019 Draft.
- Bishop Gorman (NV) outfielder Justin Crawford, who is the son of four-time All-Star Carl Crawford.
- Chipola High School (FL) third baseman Cam Collier (18th overall, CIN), who is the son of former Major Leaguer Lou Collier.
- University of Arizona catcher Daniel Susac (19th overall, OAK), who is the brother of former Major Leaguer Andrew Susac.
- University of Arkansas second baseman Robert Moore (CB-B, MIL), who is the son of Royals President of Baseball Operations Dayton Moore.
- Hammond High School (SC) third baseman Tucker Toman (2C, TOR), who is the son of Middle Tennessee head coach Jim Toman.
- University of Texas catcher Silas Ardoin (4th round, BAL), who is the son of former Major Leaguer Danny Ardoin.
- West Virginia University right-handed pitcher Jacob Watters (4th round, OAK), who is the cousin of former Major Leaguer Jason Michaels, a fourth-round pick in the 1998 Draft.
- Virginia Tech University catcher Cade Hunter (5th round, CIN), who is the son of Mariners scouting director Scott Hunter.
- Arizona State University shortstop Sean McLain (5th round, LAD), who is the brother of Reds prospect Matt McLain.
- Capistrano Valley High School (CA) right-handed pitcher Mason McGwire (8th round, CHI), who is the son of 12-time All-Star Mark McGwire.
- Don Bosco Prep (NJ) right-handed pitcher Caden Dana (11th round, LAA), who is the brother of former minor leaguer Cullen Dana and Casey Dana, who was also drafted by the Angels in the 16th round.
- Baylor University outfielder Kyle Nevin (11th round, LAD), who is the son of Angels manager Phil Nevin and the brother of Orioles third baseman Tyler Nevin.
- Paola High School (KS) Caden Marcum (13th round, TEX), who is the nephew of former Major Leaguer Shaun Marcum.
- Georgia Tech University right-handed pitcher Marquis Grissom Jr. (13th round, WSH), who is the son of two-time All-Star Marquis Grissom.
- Milton High School (WI) shortstop Gavin Kilen (13th round, BOS), who is the son of Chris Kilen, who was a 58th-round pick by the Twins in 1993.
- Clackamas High School (OR) infielder/right-handed pitcher Jackson Jaha (15th round, NYM), who is the son of former Major Leaguer John Jaha, who competed in the 1999 Home Run Derby.
- UCLA right-handed pitcher Jared Karros (16th round, LAD), who is the son of former Major Leaguer and 1992 NL Rookie of the Year Eric Karros.
