The Last 4 First Overall Picks in the MLB Draft
Held every year in mid-July, the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft provides teams with opportunities to improve their organizational depth charts by selecting from a pool of the top college and high school players in the United States and Canada. Formerly a 40-round draft, MLB shortened it to 20 rounds as of 2021 and, in 2023, introduced a lottery system to determine rights for the first overall pick.
Here's a look at the four most recent first overall selections and how they've fared thus far in their respective careers.
1. Paul Skenes (2023)
Considered one of the greatest college pitchers of all-time, Paul Skenes has already ascended to the big leagues after being selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2023 MLB Draft. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound right-handed pitcher led the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers to a National Championship in 2023 with a 1.69 earned-run average (ERA) and 209 strikeouts in 122-and-two-third innings. He had a 0.99 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 27-and-one-third innings with the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate in 2024 before earning the promotion to Pittsburgh.
Skenes showcased his impressive arm in his first big league start, becoming just the third pitcher in MLB history to average at least 100 mph on more than 30 fastballs in a single game.
2. Jackson Holliday (2022)
Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles out of Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, shortstop Jackson Holliday is the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday. The 20-year-old left-handed batter hit for a .323 average to go along with 12 home runs and 75 RBI in 125 games across four minor league levels in 2023 and made his MLB debut with the Orioles in 2024. He struggled in his first Big League stint, however, with just two hits in 34 at bats before being demoted to Triple-A.
3. Henry Davis (2021)
The Pirates, drafting first overall for the fifth time in franchise history, surprised many when they selected catcher Henry Davis first overall in the 2021 MLB Draft. A right-handed hitter who displayed power at the plate and a strong arm in the field at the University of Louisville, Davis, now playing in the outfield, has hit well in the minors but struggled to get acclimated at a Big League level. He hit .213 with seven home runs and 24 RBI in 62 games in his rookie season with the Pirates in 2023.
4. Spencer Torkelson (2020)
A 24-year-old first baseman from Petaluma, California, Spencer Torkelson has been a fixture in the Detroit Tigers lineup since being selected first overall in 2020. While he hasn't hit for average, he has shown the power that made him such an attractive commodity at Arizona State University, where he broke Barry Bonds' freshman record for most home runs in a season. Torkelson had 31 home runs and 94 RBI in 2023, his second full season in the big leagues.