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The 2021 MLB Draft has arrived, and with it will bring a host of talent looking to become the next big thing. There are no guarantees for anybody, but there is a decent chance at least one or two players from this year’s class ends up getting inducted in Cooperstown 20+ years from now.
Below is a list of every No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft dating back to 1965 when the Kansas City Athletics drafted outfielder Rick Monday. Last year, the Detroit Tigers spent the No. 1 overall pick on third baseman Spencer Torkelson.
This year, the Pittsburgh Pirates hold the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, marking the fifth such time for the franchise. Their previous No. 1 picks include Gerrit Cole (2011), Bryan Bullington (2002), Kris Benson (1996), and Jeff King (1986).
There’s a handful of top prospects that could end up going No. 1 when the draft opens Sunday evening. High school shortstops Marcelo Mayer and Jordan Lawlar are the most consistently mentioned at the top of prospect rankings, but Vanderbilt pitchers Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, Louisville catcher Henry Davis, high school shortstop Kahlil Watson are in the mix as well.
Here’s a rundown of MLB Draft history at the top of the board.
Every #1 pick in MLB Draft history
Year | Player | Team | Position | Club/School |
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Team | Position | Club/School |
2020 | Spencer Torkelson | Detroit Tigers | Third baseman | Arizona State University |
2019 | Adley Rutschman | Baltimore Orioles | Catcher | Oregon State University |
2018 | Casey Mize | Detroit Tigers | Right-handed pitcher | Auburn University |
2017 | Royce Lewis | Minnesota Twins | Shortstop | JSerra Catholic High School (San Juan Capistrano, California) |
2016 | Mickey Moniak | Philadelphia Phillies | Outfielder | La Costa Canyon High School (Carlsbad, California) |
2015 | Dansby Swanson | Arizona Diamondbacks | Shortstop | Vanderbilt University |
2014 | Brady Aiken | Houston Astros | Left-handed pitcher | Cathedral Catholic High School (San Diego, California) |
2013 | Mark Appel | Houston Astros | Right-handed pitcher | Stanford University |
2012 | Carlos Correa | Houston Astros | Shortstop | Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School |
2011 | Gerrit Cole | Pittsburgh Pirates | Right-handed pitcher | University of California, Los Angeles |
2010 | Bryce Harper | Washington Nationals | Outfielder/Catcher | College of Southern Nevada |
2009 | Stephen Strasburg | Washington Nationals | Right-handed pitcher | San Diego State University |
2008 | Tim Beckham | Tampa Bay Rays | Shortstop | Griffin High School (Griffin, Georgia) |
2007 | David Price | Tampa Bay Rays | Left-handed pitcher | Vanderbilt University |
2006 | Luke Hochevar | Kansas City Royals | Right-handed pitcher | Fort Worth Cats [b] |
2005 | Justin Upton | Arizona Diamondbacks | Shortstop | Great Bridge High School (Chesapeake, Virginia) |
2004 | Matt Bush | San Diego Padres | Shortstop | Mission Bay Senior High School (San Diego, California) |
2003 | Delmon Young | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | Outfielder | Adolfo Camarillo High School (Camarillo, California) |
2002 | Bryan Bullington | Pittsburgh Pirates | Right-handed pitcher | Ball State University |
2001 | Joe Mauer | Minnesota Twins | Catcher | Cretin-Derham Hall High School (St. Paul, Minnesota) |
2000 | Adrián González | Florida Marlins | First baseman | Eastlake High School (Chula Vista, California) |
1999 | Josh Hamilton | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | Outfielder | Athens Drive High School (Raleigh, North Carolina) |
1998 | Pat Burrell | Philadelphia Phillies | Outfielder | University of Miami |
1997 | Matt Anderson | Detroit Tigers | Right-handed pitcher | Rice University |
1996 | Kris Benson | Pittsburgh Pirates | Right-handed pitcher | Clemson University |
1995 | Darin Erstad | California Angels | Outfielder | University of Nebraska–Lincoln |
1994 | Paul Wilson | New York Mets | Right-handed pitcher | Florida State University |
1993 | Alex Rodriguez | Seattle Mariners | Shortstop | Westminster Christian High School (Palmetto Bay, Florida) |
1992 | Phil Nevin | Houston Astros | Third baseman | California State University, Fullerton |
1991 | Brien Taylor | New York Yankees | Left-handed pitcher | East Carteret High School (Beaufort, North Carolina) |
1990 | Chipper Jones | Atlanta Braves | Shortstop | Bolles High School (Jacksonville, Florida) |
1989 | Ben McDonald | Baltimore Orioles | Right-handed pitcher | Louisiana State University |
1988 | Andy Benes | San Diego Padres | Right-handed pitcher | University of Evansville |
1987 | Ken Griffey Jr. | Seattle Mariners | Outfielder | Moeller High School (Cincinnati, Ohio) |
1986 | Jeff King | Pittsburgh Pirates | Third baseman | University of Arkansas |
1985 | B.J. Surhoff | Milwaukee Brewers | Catcher | University of North Carolina |
1984 | Shawn Abner | New York Mets | Outfielder | Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School (Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania) |
1983 | Tim Belcher | Minnesota Twins | Right-handed pitcher | Mount Vernon Nazarene University |
1982 | Shawon Dunston | Chicago Cubs | Shortstop | Thomas Jefferson High School (Brooklyn, New York) |
1981 | Mike Moore | Seattle Mariners | Right-handed pitcher | Oral Roberts University |
1980 | Darryl Strawberry | New York Mets | Outfielder | Crenshaw High School (Los Angeles, California) |
1979 | Al Chambers | Seattle Mariners | Outfielder | John Harris High School (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) |
1978 | Bob Horner | Atlanta Braves | Third baseman | Arizona State University |
1977 | Harold Baines | Chicago White Sox | Outfielder | St. Michaels Middle/High School (St. Michaels, Maryland) |
1976 | Floyd Bannister | Houston Astros | Left-handed pitcher | Arizona State University |
1975 | Danny Goodwin | California Angels | Catcher | Southern University |
1974 | Bill Almon | San Diego Padres | Shortstop | Brown University |
1973 | David Clyde | Texas Rangers | Left-handed pitcher | Westchester High School (Houston, Texas) |
1972 | Dave Roberts | San Diego Padres | Third baseman | University of Oregon |
1971 | Danny Goodwin | Chicago White Sox | Catcher | Peoria High School (Peoria, Illinois) |
1970 | Mike Ivie | San Diego Padres | Catcher | Walker High School (Atlanta, Georgia) |
1969 | Jeff Burroughs | Washington Senators | Outfielder | Woodrow Wilson Classical High School (Long Beach, California) |
1968 | Tim Foli | New York Mets | Shortstop | Notre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks, California) |
1967 | Ron Blomberg | New York Yankees | First baseman | Druid Hills High School (Druid Hills, Georgia) |
1966 | Steve Chilcott | New York Mets | Catcher | Antelope Valley High School (Lancaster, California) |
1965 | Rick Monday | Kansas City Athletics | Outfielder | Arizona State University |