The 2022 Major League Baseball amateur draft began Sunday night, with a total of 80 selections made during the first night. This included the Baltimore Orioles making their third No. 1 pick in franchise history, choosing Oklahoma High School shortstop Parador Jackson Holliday, the son of big-league camper Matt Holliday. You can find all the Sunday night picks on our draft tracker.
The project will resume with the third round starting Monday afternoon. But first, let’s take a look back at a memorable first night handing out notes for each first-round pick, in addition to the Dodgers ’first pick. As always, keep in mind that this is more of an art than a science; what seems like a questionable choice on draft night can easily become a big one for a team on time. This is, in a sense, a snapshot of that moment in time and nothing more.
Let’s go to the notes.
1. Orioles: Jackson Holliday, SS, Stillwater HS (OK)
Holliday, ranked No. 3 by CBS Sports before the draft, is one of the best defensive options. This summer he increased his stock, showing an improved physique and a better plan on the plate that allowed him to use the whole field more often. The advantage here is a short parador for left-handers with one more bat. This will play. Grade: A
2. Diamondbacks: Druw Jones, CF, Wesleyan HS (GA)
Jones arrived in the summer ranked by CBS Sports as the No. 1 prospect in the class. It was also the preferred choice of industry sources who spoke with CBS Sports. The Diamondbacks, then, should be happy to get it at No. 2. A fully upgraded Jones could have five more or better tools, including a good glove in midfield. Grade: A
3. Rangers: Kumar Rocker, RHP, not affiliated
One of the big surprises of the first round. Rocker’s stock was hard to determine after a year that included a shoulder operation and a life-proof tour in the Frontier League. There has been no past success from Rocker to Vanderbilt, but clubs have expressed reservations about his long-term outlook due to his lack of change and the negative impact his delivery has had on his command and potentially , in the health of his arm. The Rangers reuniting Rocker with former Vanderbilt teammate Jack Leiter sucks. Grade: C
Termarr Johnson finished fourth overall in Pittsburgh. Getty Images
4. Pirates: Termarr Johnson, 2B, Mays HS (GA)
Johnson would have been a defensible option at No. 1. A veteran scout told CBS Sports during the spring that he threw an 80, or highest possible grade, at his blow tool. Keep in mind that he has average or better gross power as well as one of the highest baseball IQs in the class, and it’s a very interesting prospect. Grade: A
5. Nationals: Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy (FL)
Green is one of the greatest risk and reward prospects in the class. It has incredibly powerful tools, such as its power and speed potential, but teams have reservations about its successful tool. If he can correct his swing and foul trends, he could become a star level player. Some scouts warned that the ground is lower than would be expected of a top five player with this type of explosiveness. Grade: B
6. Marlins: Jacob Berry, 1B / DH, LSU
This is puzzling. Berry is a limited defender who was compared by an explorer to Seth Beer, the 28th pick in the 2018 draft. He had good success in his year at LSU, increasing his shares, but evaluators warned that his data underlying output speeds suggest that there is not as much power potential here as you might think. Considering some of the other players on the board, we have no choice but to give the Marlins a low grade. Grade: D
7. Puppies: Cade Horton, RHP, Oklahoma
Horton had a phenomenal June for the Sooners, which caused his shares to skyrocket after the release of our top 30 ranking. These are the breaks sometimes. He has a great arm of power, though none of the scouts or evaluators who spoke to CBS Sports sold themselves to him by making a rotation. Then the Cubs take it so soon it’s a steep bet, although it may end up looking brilliant. Grade: C
8. Twins: Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly
We have a simple general rule. If you get the No. 2 player in the No. 8 pick, you get an A. Lee is a good hitter with strong instincts; you may have to leave the Parador short as a professional, and there are some questions about the long-term health of your knee and back. Still, it seemed like a block to go in the top five all summer, making this one of the best value options in the draft. Grade: A
9. Royals: Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech
Cross is a perfectly excellent corner field prospect who had a trend in the right direction this season, improving his walking and tipping rates and increasing his energy production. He has played in midfield this spring, but is expected to finish in a corner. Grade: B
10. Rockies: Gabriel Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga
The third of the three right-backs surprised in the top 10. Hughes is a big, powerful right-hander who will have to work on his shift to stay in a rotation. Scouts warned that there is more risk of relief here than is ideal for a selection of the top 10. Grade: C
The Mets hooked Kevin Parada with the first of two first-round picks. Getty Images
11. Mets: Kevin Parada, C, Georgia Tech
The expectation throughout the summer was that Parada would be one of the top five. The Mets should be happy to bring him here. His ball tracking data at Georgia Tech was excellent and hinted at an average order potential. In the meantime, he improved his defense enough to imagine himself staying behind the plate. This combination deserves an initial projection. Grade: A
12. Tigers: Jace Jung, 2B, Texas Tech
Jung has a great feel for the touch and hit area. The questions the evaluators asked about his game revolved around his power (he has more brute force, though he rarely takes advantage of it) and his defense, which is projected even on the keystone. Still, he’s a fairly safe and proven collegiate hitter who can reasonably be expected to play a position other than first base. This is solid. Grade: B
13. Angels: Zach Neto, SS, Campbell
If the draft had developed a little differently, Neto could have been selected with a selection of the top 10. He is a complete player who hit the Big South competition throughout the spring and summer, to the point that he recorded almost as many homers as strikeouts. Neto is also considered an instinctive player, an attribute that can help him stay at the Parador short-term. Grade: B
14. Mets: Jett Williams, SS, Rockwall-Heath HS (TX)
The Mets ’interest in Williams was a poorly kept secret until the draft. However, they got their man with their second pick on the night. Williams is small but robust; it’s also pretty athletic and has what some scouts project as a 70-stroke tool. This forecast could be optimistic, but it is worth betting. Grade: B
15. Pairs: Dylan Lesko, RHP, Buford HS (GA)
Lesko had to undergo Tommy John surgery earlier this summer, otherwise he could have picked up a few more options. He has the best change in the class and a fast ball with good spin. Lesko’s breaking ball illuminates Trackman’s exit, but scouts have questioned whether he will play effectively given the way he has lost his hand. Parents will be happy to find out. Grade: B
16. Guardians: Chase DeLauter, OF, James Madison
DeLauter entered the spring ranked by CBS Sports as the No. 2 prospect in the class. He fought from the door against the only high-quality competition he faced this season, and then broke his foot. It has a track record of hitting everywhere, including the Cape Cod League, but some scouts were worried it would be the product of a weak conference. It doesn’t help that he has an unusual swing mechanic that sees him get his foot out of his back. The Guardians, a data-obsessed organization, will take the risk. Grade: B
The Phillies took Carl Crawford, Carl’s son, to the first round. Getty Images
17. Children: Justin Crawford, OF, Bishop Gorman HS (NV)
It was rumored that Crawford would be a possible selection of the top 10 all summer. It has a good feeling of contact and a top-notch speed. Ultimately, your roof will depend on how much of your gross power you can harness as it matures. Grade: B
18. Reds: Cam Collier, 3B, Chipola College (FL)
The absolute best selection of the first round. Collier is the dream of a model team as he performed well against junior college competition as a 17-year-old third baseman. It would have been a selection of the top five defensibles, and a good position at the back of the top 10. Getting it this far, in selection 18, is a slam-dunk. Grade: A
19. Athletics: Andrew Susac, C, Arizona
Susac likes to move the bat and likes to lift the ball, with the latter allowing her to put good power marks. Unfortunately, he could bear to walk more often and hit less often, as he had a walking rate north of 2.20. Susac has a big arm, but would benefit from the implementation of the automated ball-kick system. Grade: B
20. Braves: Owen Murphy, RHP, Riverside-Brookfield HS (IL)
Murphy is a two-way player intriguing whose helium placed him in the top 30 of CBS Sports. The Braves announced him as a right-handed pitcher, but will give him a chance as a two-winger player. It shows some Jack Leiter-like qualities on the stroke, as well as an animated fast ball. Murphy needs to improve his break ball and change it if he wants to stay on a spin, but he has enough time to figure it out. Grade: B
21. Mariners: Cole Young, SS, North Allegheny HS (PA)
Young is a well-rounded short preparation parador that has not so much a transport tool as an obvious flaw. An explorer predicted on CBS Sports in the spring that he would become one of the top 10 if he went to college …