When the Orioles and D-backs took Jackson Holliday — the son of Matt Holliday — and Druw Jones — the son of Andruw Jones — with the first two picks on Sunday, it marked the first in MLB Draft history that two sons of former Major Leaguers went 1-2. The pair, however, are far from the only players with a famous relative who will be picked this year.
Follow along here as 2022 draftees with legacies in baseball or elsewhere come off the board.
Player: Jackson Holliday, SS, Stillwater (Olka.) HS (No. 2 prospect)
Drafted: No. 1 overall, Orioles
Relative: Matt Holliday (father, 15 MLB seasons)
Jackson’s dad, Matt, was a seven-time All-Star, the 2007 NL batting champion, the MVP of the ’07 NL Championship Series for the Rockies, and won a World Series ring with the Cardinals in ’11. He belted 316 homers over a 15-year MLB career and has not just one son, but two — Jackson’s younger brother, Ethan, is one of the elite high school prospects in the nation — rising toward the professional baseball ranks.
Player: Druw Jones, OF, Wesleyan (Ga.) HS (No. 1 prospect)
Drafted: No. 2 overall, D-backs
Relative: Andruw Jones (father, 17 MLB seasons)
His father was a 10-time Gold Glove Award winner in center field and hit 434 home runs over a stellar 17-year Major League career. And Druw has the talent to potentially give his dad a run for his money when it’s all said and done, with tremendous power from the right side of the plate and great defensive instincts in center field.
Player: Kumar Rocker, RHP, No School (No. 38 prospect)
Drafted: No. 3 overall, Rangers
Relative: Tracy Rocker (father, NFL player)
Kumar gets his athleticism from dad Tracy, who is in the College Football Hall of Fame and played two NFL seasons before settling into a coaching career. He currently serves as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive line coach.
Player: Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy (No. 3 prospect)
Drafted: No. 5 overall, Nationals
Relative: Eric Green (father, NFL player)
This year’s Draft is filled with the sons of former MLB All-Stars, but Elijah’s father Eric was a standout in another sport. The elder Green played a decade in the NFL as a tight end. He made two Pro Bowls as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1993 and ‘94 and he was named to the 1990 All-Rookie team.
Player: Jacob Berry, 3B/OF, LSU (No. 7 prospect)
Drafted: No. 6 overall, Marlins
Relative: Perry Berry (father, 4 MiLB seasons)
Perry, an infielder out of Louisiana at Lafayette, was taken in the fourth round of the 1990 Draft by the Astros and spent four seasons in their system.
Player: Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly (No. 5 prospect)
Drafted: No. 8 overall, Twins
Relatives: Larry Lee (father, Cal Poly head coach); Terry and Mike Lee (uncles); Tom Lee (grandfather, Cal Poly HoF coach)
Baseball is a generational love for the Lee family. Brooks played for his father, Larry, who has been Cal Poly baseball’s head coach since 2003. Uncle Terry was a first-round Draft pick of the Giants in 1974 and also played in the Brewers’ system. Uncle Mike was a Giants Minor Leaguer from 1974-75.
Player: Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech (No. 10 prospect)
Drafted: No. 9 overall, Royals
Relative: Adam Cross (father, 3 MiLB seasons)
Adam Cross spent his brief career as an infielder with the Braves and Padres, though he never rose past A-ball.
Player: Gabe Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga (No. 26 prospect)
Drafted: No. 10 overall, Rockies
Relative: Donald Hughes (grandfather, 3 MiLB seasons)
Donald played in the Cubs and Tigers systems from 1960-62, before Major League Baseball had even instituted the Amateur Draft.
Player: Jace Jung, 2B, Texas Tech (No. 9 prospect)
Drafted: No. 12 overall, Tigers
Relative: Josh Jung (brother, Rangers prospect)
Josh Jung also attended Texas Tech and was selected by the Rangers with the No. 8 pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. Left shoulder surgery this past February delayed his arrival to the Majors, but Josh is MLB’s No. 30 prospect.