{"id":112652,"date":"2026-01-21T23:25:53","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T04:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=112652"},"modified":"2026-01-21T23:25:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T04:25:53","slug":"mlb-hall-of-fame-draft-picks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/01\/21\/mlb-hall-of-fame-draft-picks\/","title":{"rendered":"Dozens of MLB Draft Picks Went On to Be Hall of Famers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MLB instituted its first Amateur Player Draft in 1965, and since then, over 50 players have been drafted and then elected to the Hall of Fame. <\/span><\/div>\n
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From the MLB Draft to the Hall of Fame<\/h2>\n

Rounds with the Most Picks<\/span><\/h3>\n
Not surprisingly, the round with the most Hall of Famers is the first round. Another predictable fact is that the first three rounds contain the most Hall of Famers. Leading by a wide margin, the first round has had 18 Hall of Famers picked. The number one overall pick has had success getting to Cooperstown. The number one overall pick has resulted in four Hall of Famers, starting with Harold Baines<\/a> in 1977 and most recently with Joe Mauer<\/a> in 2001. The next productive picks are the 3rd and 4th overall selections, with each tied for three Hall of Famers.<\/span><\/div>\n

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The second and third rounds come in with the next most picks, respectively. Second round picks have resulted in 10 Hall of Famers, including, most recently<\/a>, Carlos Beltran<\/a> and Greg Maddux<\/a>. In the third round, talents like Bert Blyleven<\/a> and Tony Gwynn<\/a> are two of five Hall of Famers selected in the third round. <\/span><\/div>\n
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The 62nd round is synonymous with Mike Piazza<\/a>, and for good reason. Piazza was drafted lower than anyone else enshrined in Cooperstown. However, another late round, the 20th, has also brought two Hall of Famers, both of whom were second basemen. Jeff Kent<\/a> and Ryne Sandberg<\/a>, notable power-hitting second basemen<\/a> both, were taken and signed as 20th-round picks.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Mike Piazza: lowest-drafted player in the Hall of Fame<\/p>\n

Drafted in 62nd round – 1,390th overall – by Dodgers, 1988 pic.twitter.com\/JKwGxKMtAV<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) January 6, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n