Major League Baseball Draft Recap, Baltimore Orioles Select Jackson Holliday in First Round Pick

Posted on: July 20, 2022, 02:00h. 

Last updated on: July 28, 2022, 02:19h.

Michael Schwartz Read More
Expertise: Regulation, Sports Betting, Sports.

Druw Jones, son of Andruw Jones, was the favorite to be the number one pick at -145, but in surprise to many, the Baltimore Orioles selected 18-year-old Jackson Holliday.

Jackson Holliday waves to fans in the crowd during a Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays games in July. Holliday was the Baltimore Orioles’ first-round pick and Number 1 overall selection during the 2022 MLB Draft.  (Image: NBC)

Like father, like son, the MLB Draft 2022 had plenty of bloodlines as well-known names littered the draft board. From Jones to Crawford, a star-studded list of names brought plenty of eyeballs to the MLB Draft as the Baltimore Orioles held the first pick.

Just one week before the draft Druw Jones, the son of Andruw, was the favorite to be the number one pick at -145, but when the draft came around, that changed drastically as Termarr Johnson shot up the odds board and became a massive favorite at -300 before the draft began, with the oddsmakers having the talented hitter as going first overall.

But when the draft began, all the prognostication was thrown out the window as the first pick was made. Here are the notable picks from the MLB Draft.

  1. Baltimore Orioles – Jackson Holliday – SS

With the first overall pick, the Baltimore Orioles selected High School shortstop Jackson Holliday from Stillwater, Okla.

The Holliday name is well known in baseball circles as his father, Matt, was a big league star. Holliday becomes the third first overall pick in Orioles history behind Ben McDonald (1989) and Adley Rutschman (2019). Holliday also joins Ken Griffey Jr. as the only son of a former major leaguer taken first overall.

  1. Arizona Diamondbacks – Druw Jones – OF

With the second overall pick the Arizona Diamondbacks took the son of five-time All-Star Andruw Jones by selecting Druw Jones. In his senior year at Georgia’s Wesleyan High School, Jones hit .445 with 16 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 38 games before being named the State of Georgia’s best player.

  1. Texas Rangers – Kumar Rocker – P

With the third pick, the Texas Rangers took Kumar Rocker, the son of College Football Hall-of-Famer Tracy Rocker, the current Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Line Coach.

Kumar went number 10 in the 2021 draft, but when the Mets decided not to offer him any signing bonus, he opted not to sign and returned to this year’s draft.

  1. Pittsburgh Pirates – Tremarr Johnson – SS

At pick number three, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected shortstop Tremarr Johnson who at -300 was the odds-on favorite to go first overall come draft night. Johnson, who at 5-foot-10, is regarded as the best hitter in the draft. In the summer of 2021, he hit 24 home runs in two rounds at the All-Star High School Home Run Derby.

  1. Washington Nationals – Elijah Green – OF

Green is the son of former NFL Pro Bowler Eric Green. The younger Green who is already 6-foot-2 and 225 lbs., hit .462 with nine home runs, 32 RBIs and 40 runs scored in 25 games at IMG Academy in Florida.

  1. Philadelphia Philles – Justin Crawford – OF

At pick 17, the Philadelphia Phillies selected the son of 4-time American League stolen base leader Carl Crawford. Playing at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Justin hit .503 with five home runs, 20 stolen bases and 60 runs scored.

Bloodlines were a common theme in the draft this year, and look for the trend to continue in drafts to come. Another Holliday is coming up as well, as Jackson’s younger brother Ethan is one of the top prep players for the draft of 2025.