Two former Yankees were an ancillary part of MLB history on Sunday, as for the first time ever, the sons of two former Major Leaguers went 1-2 in the MLB Draft.
The No. 1 overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft was shortstop Jackson Holliday, the son of former Rockie, Cardinal, and Yankee Matt Holliday, who went to the Orioles. The Stillwater (OK) HS SS is just the second No. 1 overall selection whose father played in MLB, following Ken Griffey Jr.
One selection later, outfielder Druw Jones, son of Braves legend and ex-Yankee Andruw Jones, was taken by the Diamondbacks. The Wesleyan HS (Norcross, GA) star making it back-to-back second-generation players for the first time, and if that weren’t enough of an NY connection, the No. 3 pick was RHP Kumar Rocker, who went to Texas seven picks ahead of where the Mets had drafted him in 2021.
Jackson Holliday was Gatorade’s Oklahoma Player of the Year, slashing .685/.749/1.392 and breaking J.T. Realmuto’s national high school record for hits in a season (89 in 41 games). He is committed to Oklahoma State, where his father is a volunteer assistant and his uncle Josh is the head coach, but he has a slot value of $8.84 million should he choose to go pro.
From his MLB.com scouting report:
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“Holliday has an advanced approach, no surprise given his roots, and a knack for putting the barrel on the ball. He usually makes consistent hard contact, though he didn't during the summer when he let his simple left-handed stroke get too long. After getting bigger and stronger, he's hitting the ball with more authority than ever this spring, and he also looks more relaxed at the plate and is letting his considerable power come naturally. Holliday has gotten faster as he has gotten stronger, and he now flashes plus-plus run times as a senior and is a consistent plus runner. He's throwing better too, and his solid to plus arm strength and enhanced quickness give him a better opportunity to remain at shortstop. His high baseball IQ also helps his chances after many evaluators previously believed he was destined for second or third base.”
Druw Jones, meanwhile, could get a slot bonus of $8.18 million if he chooses Arizona over Vanderbilt, and is noted to have “similar five-tool potential as a center fielder” as his father did.
The younger Jones was Gatorade’s Georgia Player of the year, hitting .570 with 13 home runs, 39 RBI, 72 runs, 33 walks, and 32 stolen bases while leading Wesleyan to the Georgia Class A State Title. From his MLB.com scouting report:
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“He improved throughout the summer on the showcase circuit and he has impressed scouts this spring with a more selective approach and more consistent at-bats. While Jones' right-handed swing is still somewhat of a work in progress, he understands it well, shows the ability to make adjustments and does damage against quality pitching. He already has plenty of bat speed and drives balls to the gaps, and as he fills out his 6-foot-4 frame he should develop plus power. He's a plus-plus runner when he turns on the jets and is capable of beating out ground balls to the left side. Jones is the best defensive center fielder in the 2022 high school crop and might be the best defender in the entire Draft. His speed and instincts combine to give him tremendous range and his well-above-average arm strength stands out at a position not known for many cannons. Scouts who have seen the Vanderbilt recruit take infield say he has the tools and actions to play a fine shortstop as well.”
Four of the top five overall selections were prep stars, with Rocker the only non-high schooler, and there was one other second-generation athlete: No. 5 overall pick Elijah Green, an outfielder from Florida's IMG Academy, is the son of former NFL tight end Eric Green, who played 10 NFL seasons for four teams (including one with the Jets in 1999) and
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