Things You Didn't Know About Day One Of The 2022 MLB Draft

Image credit: Zach Neto (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Baseball America is partnering with Pramana to use the company’s SHIFT tool. SHIFT helps companies find instant answers to a wide variety of questions by using natural language search and free text to turn data into content and insights. Pramana used the SHIFT tool to find a variety of insights and nuggets about each of the first-round picks in the 2022 draft.

1. With the #1 Overall pick the Orioles select Jackson Holliday. This is the second time ever a player from the state of Oklahoma has been selected #1 overall. Mike Moore RHP in 1981 out of Oral Roberts by the Mariners was the only other Oklahoman.

2. Jackson Holliday makes 10 HS SS taken at pick 1 all-time: Royce Lewis-(2017), Carlos Correa-(2012), Tim Beckham-(2008), Justin Upton-(2005), Matt Bush-(2004), Alex Rodriguez-(1993), Chipper Jones-(1990), Shawon Dunston-(1982) and Tim Foli-(1968).

3. Before selecting Jackson Holliday with #1 overall tonight, the last time the @Orioles selected a HS SS in Round 1 was Ryan Mountcastle in 2015. They’ve drafted 4 HS SS all-time in Round 1.

4. The Dbacks select Druw Jones with pick #2. He makes the 5th HS OF selected at pick #2 all-time: Byron Buxton – Twins (2012), Ben Grieve – Athletics (1994), Tony Clark – Tigers (1990) and Mark Merchant – Pirates (1987).

5. The Rangers selecting Kumar Rocker at pick 3 makes the third time in franchise history they’ve selected a 4YR RHP in Round 1 in consecutive year. The other years were Bobby Witt (1985) & Kevin Brown (1986), Jonathan Johnson (1995) & R.A. Dickey (1996).

6. The Pirates select Termarr Johnson at pick 4. The last time the Pirates selected a HS SS in Round 1 was Cole Tucker in 2014. The last lefty HS SS was Willie Green in 1989.

7. With the selections of Druw Jones and Termarr Johnson at picks 2 & 4, that’s the first time two players from the state of Georgia have been selected in the first 4 picks in MLB Draft history.

8. Before Jones and Johnson with picks 2 & 4 tonight, there had been 8 other times in MLB Draft history with 2 players from the same state taken in the first 4 picks. 7 times from California, once from Illinois.

9. The Nationals select Elijah Green with pick 5, making the 10th time a HS OF has been selected at 5 overall. The last time was Riley Greene by the Tigers in 2019.

10. Tonight is the 1st time since 1990 that no players from a 4YR college were selected through the first 5 picks.

11. Jacob Berry selected 6th overall. Only 2 4YR 3B had ever been taken at pick 6 all-time: Colin Moran – Miami Marlins (2013) and Anthony Rendon – Washington Nationals (2011).

12. Cade Horton goes at pick 7. He’s the 3rd player from OU Baseball to go 7th or higher in MLB Draft history. The others: John Gray (2013, pick 3) & Bobby Witt (1985, pick 3).

13. Cade Horton now makes the 51st consecutive year a player from OU Baseball has been selected in the MLB Draft.

14. Brooks Lee is only the 2nd player from Cal Poly ever drafted in the 1st round and the first since C John Orton was taken at 25 in 1987. The highest drafted Cal Poly shortstop ever selected was Ozzie Smith, Padres fourth-round pick in 1977.

15. Gavin Cross is the 1st Virginia Tech outfielder ever selected in the first round.

16. Gabriel Hughes selected at #10. He’s the first Gonzaga righthanded pitcher ever selected in the 1st Round. Marco Gonzalez (LHP) was the only other Gonzaga pitcher ever selected in the first round.

17. Kevin Parada selected at pick 11 by the New York Mets. The only other time they selected a college catcher in the first round was Alan Zinter out of Arizona in 1989.

18. Gavin Cross selected at Pick 9. The last first round position player drafted out of Virginia Tech was 1B Franklin Stubbs in 1982 (19th overall). The last first-round pick was LHP Joe Saunders, picked 12th overall in 2002.

19. With picks 6 through 13 being 4YR players, that’s now the 2nd-longest streak of college players selected in round 1 in MLB Draft history at 8. The record is 9 straight. Here are the previous:

20. Before Zach Neto at pick 13, the highest drafted shortstop from Campbell was Edward Fisher at pick 391 by the Braves in 1967!

21. Jett Williams at pick 14 is only the third player named Jett to ever be drafted (Jett Bandy, Jett Manning) and the highest selected by 572 picks.

22. Jace Jung is only the second 4YR college 2B ever drafted at pick 12. Jemile Weeks in 2008 out of Miami was the only other one.

23. The 5 shortstops selected in the first 14 picks ties the all-time MLB Draft record set in 2002, 1974 and 1971.

24. Dylan Lesko at pick 15 is the first HS pitcher off the board. That’s the 7th time in MLB Draft history it took that long and 3rd time in the last 4 years. (2020, 2019, 2008, 2005, 1992, 1985)

25. Chase DeLauter is the highest drafted player from James Madison and first-ever first-round selection, eclipsing Dan Meyer (34th pick overall) in 2002 and Brian McNichol (also 34th pick overall) in 1995.

26. Justin Crawford is the first ever HS player from Nevada ever selected in the first round by the @Phillies, but the second Nevadan of any school level in the last 4 years (Bryson Stott, 2019).

27. Cam Collier at pick 18 is the highest selected junior college third baseman selected by a huge margin. The previous record for a juco third baseman was Mat Gamel (also out of Chipola JC) with pick 115 in the fourth round of 2005 by the Brewers.

28. The 4 Georgia players selected through pick 15 is the most ever selected from the state through that pick. The previous record was 3, set three times (2016, 2010, 2008).

29. Owen Murphy at pick 20 is the first player from the state of Illinois to ever be selected by the Braves in round 1. Previously, the highest drafted player from Illinois by the Braves was Marty Clary at pick 74 in 1983.

30. Parada and Susac both taken in the first 19 picks ties the MLB Draft record for most 4YR catchers through that number of picks. It’s now happened 9 times. The last occurrence – Adley Rutschman (pick 1) & Shea Langeliers (pick 9) in 2019.

31. Mikey Romero makes the 7th shortstop in the first 24 picks. That’s one off the all-time record, but the 3rd time in the last 4 drafts with 7 selected.

32. Spencer Jones taken at pick 25 is a 6’7″ outfielder. That ties the all-time record for tallest OF ever selected in the first round (79 inches). Pretty good company though.

33. There have been 16 players selected tonight that bat switch or lefty through the first 29 picks. That ties the all-time record, set twice before (2019, 2008). Seven of the top 10 have now happened in the last decade.

34. Before selecting Xavier Isaac with the 29th pick, the Rays had never selected a HS 1B before the 5th round. Previous high – Jeff Malm (pick 169, 2009) out of Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas.

35. Reggie Crawford breaks the all-time MLB Draft record for most players that bat switch or lefty taken in the first 30 picks. 17 tonight.

36. Landon Sims is the 7th RHP out of Mississippi State drafted at pick 34 or earlier.

37. Thomas Harrington is the first player from Campbell ever drafted by the Pirates.

38. Thomas Harrington out of Campbell University was selected at pick 36, Justin Campbell was selected next at 37. In MLB Draft history, there have been 37 occasions a Campbell player was drafted and 76 times a player named Campbell was called.

39. The 8 pitchers taken through pick 33 is the fewest since 1978, when only 7 were selected.