2022 MLB Draft Order: Tiebreaker Likely Gives Orioles the No. 1 Pick

With the 2021 regular season wrapped up Sunday evening, we now have an idea of the 2022 draft order—as long as the current system remains in place next year, that is.

There is no guarantee that the current format of draft order will remain in place for the 2022 MLB Draft. The current collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1. The CBA sets the rules by which the draft is held, so a new CBA could lead to changes in how the draft order is determined as well as other draft rules.

For now, though, let’s take a look at the potential 2022 draft order, with the assumption that how the league determines the order will remain in place.

After the D-backs beat the Rockies with a walkoff solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Orioles tied the D-Backs for an MLB-worst 52-110 record and will have the first overall pick. MLB’s tiebreaker to determine draft order is to break ties by giving preference to the team with a worse record the previous season. That doesn’t work in this case though. Baltimore and Arizona also tied with a 25-35 overall record in the shortened 2020 season. In 2019 however, Baltimore went 54-108 while Arizona went 85-77. (Similarly the Brewers and Astros have each had identical records in 2021 and 2020).

This will mark the second time in four years that Baltimore has picked No. 1 overall, after taking Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman—the current No. 1 prospect in baseball—with the first overall pick in the 2019 draft.

With the first overall pick again in 2022, Baltimore has now picked among the top five selections in each of the last four drafts. With those picks, the Orioles have exclusively selected college position players, taking Rutschman in 2019, Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad in 2020 (pick No. 2) and Sam Houston State outfielder Colton Cowser in 2021 (pick No. 5).

The D-backs will pick second overall, which gives the organization its earliest pick since 2015, when the team selected Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson with the No. 1 overall pick.

Below you can see the complete, preliminary, 2022 draft order for the first round. Note that the Mets will receive a compensation pick for not signing Vanderbilt righthander Kumar Rocker in the 2021 draft.

After losing its first and second round picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts as part of the organization’s sign stealing penalties, the Astros will once again pick in the first and second rounds in the 2022 draft.

Our 2022 Top High School and College Draft Prospects will help fans start to get prepared.