When the Atlanta Braves go on the clock for the MLB draft on Sunday evening, they will be doing something they’ve never done before. The Braves have never picked at 22nd overall, despite picking ten times in positions 21, 23, or 24, and picking in every single other overall spot from 18th to 36th. Perhaps they can starts a new tradition of getting late first-round success, given that none of their players drafted between 18th overall and 28th overall (a sample of 22 players) has produced double-digit career bWAR, with an average in that group of 0.9 bWAR. Here’s a look at some of the famous players drafted at 22nd overall and how the recent draftees have faired in the minor leagues. Shoutout to the baseball-reference draft database for its role in making this easy to compile.

Looking at the history of the MLB draft, the 22nd overall pick is relatively successful compared to its siblings. The 22nd overall pick has produced more bWAR (440.2) than 21st overall and 23rd overall combined (372.5) and 41 of the first 57 22nd overall picks (72%) have made the major leagues. From that group, 11 of the 30 position players played 500 or more career games and 13 of the 30 pitchers pitched in 100 or more games.

Notable 22nd overall picks

Three players in particular bring up the average bWAR of the group, with Rafael Palmeiro (1985), Craig Biggio (1987), and Chet Lemon (1972) all having a career WAR north of 50. Palmeiro’s legacy will be indelibly tainted by his connection to PEDs, yet undeniably he was one of the most productive offensive threats of the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Palmeiro produced 19 consecutive seasons with an OPS+ of 100 or better, finishing with a career bWAR of 71.9 and 132 OPS+. Palmeiro joined the 500 home run club in 2003 and finished with 569 home runs, and his resume is that of a clear hall of famer though his PED use will likely keep him out.

Biggio is the pick’s leader in hits as member of the 3000 hit club, and was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 2015. During his ten-year peak in the 1990’s Biggio produced a 125 OPS+ and 53.2 bWAR, making seven all star games, winning four consecutive gold gloves, and finishing top five in MVP voting twice. Chet Lemon was unable to extend his career much past his peak in the late 70’s and 80’s, and thus finished as a player more ascribed to the Hall of Very Good. From 1977 to 1988 he produced a 127 OPS+, 53.5 bWAR, and was a member of the 1984 Detroit Tigers World Series roster, a season in which he was an all star and produced a career-high 6.2 bWAR.

The last 12 drafts haven’t produced a 22nd overall pick that has staked claim to a consistent big-league career, but from 1996 to 2012 seven of the 17 picks went on to accrue 10+ career bWAR. The 2009 to 2012 run was particularly successful, producing Kyle Gibson, Kolten Wong, and Marcus Stroman in a four draft period. Gibson (2009) was just a one time all star, but gained a reputation as a solid-if-inconsistent back end starter than managed a still-ongoing 13 year career with a bWAR of 15.7 prior to his disastrous four game tenure with the Orioles this season. Wong’s peak with the Cardinals and Brewers featured four 3+ bWAR seasons in five years, two Gold Glove awards, and 22.9 career bWAR in only 1189 games. Stroman was an oft-desired trade target for Braves fans in the early stages of the team’s division dominance, and he produced the best peak of the group but quickly fell off. Stroman broke out in 2017 with a 3.05 ERA and 5.1 bWAR, finishing 8th in Cy Young voting that season. Two years later he posted a 3.22 ERA and 4.1 bWAR, but after a trade to the Mets couldn’t help them overcome the Braves in the division race. Stroman had two more good seasons in 2021 and 2022, but has since had inconsistent availability and seen a rapid decline in effectiveness. In 1997 the 22nd overall pick was Jayson Werth, a familiar foe to Braves fans as he faced them 163 times in his 11 seasons between the Phillies and Nationals. Werth had an impressive and underrated run for those teams between 2007 and 2014, putting up six 3+ WAR seasons in eight years, four of those 4+ WAR, and an OPS in this span of 128. Werth was a postseason star with a career .893 OPS in the playoffs, and in 2008 had a 1.361 OPS in the five games the Phillies took to win the World Series. He kept that work going the next season though the Phillies fell short, and had an OPS of 1.046 in 124 plate appearances.

Recent 22nd Overall Picks

As mentioned, it’s been a bit tougher sledding in the past few seasons for the 22nd overall pick. Here is a list of the last five players.

2024 – Vance Honeycutt (BAL)

Honeycutt is an exciting physical specimen, but the concerns about his hit tool have been prophetic to his professional career. Honeycutt is striking out over 40% of the time at High-A with a contact rate of only 65% and a 79 wRC+. While it’s still early in his career, there is a strong belief that Honeycutt will never hit enough to maximize his toolset.

2023 – Colt Emerson (SEA)

Emerson was a player the Braves were high on in 2024, but he was snatched up two picks before him and has separated himself as a top 50 prospect in the Mariners system. Emerson’s hit tool make him possibly the next great player to come from the 22nd overall pick, and though he has been a bit rougher in High-A this season as the Mariners are still waiting on his power to develop, he is one of the brightest young hitters in the game.

2022 – Cooper Hjerpe (STL)

Hjerpe was commonly projected to Atlanta in the draft, but the steam from within the organization wasn’t nearly that strong and they let him slip past in favor of Owen Murphy. Hjerpe has produced fantastic whiff rates at every level and had a 2.32 FIP in Double-A in 2024, but was shutdown midway through the season with an elbow injury. The Cardinals attempted to have Hjerpe come back to start the season, but his elbow gave out in early April and he underwent Tommy John surgery which will cause him to miss the entire season. Even prior to the injury concerns about his health and command limited optimism, and his future may be in the bullpen.

2021 – Colson Montgomery (CWS)

Colson Montgomery was an instant hit in the prospect community. He crushed his way through the lower minor leagues and to start the 2024 season was ranked the 15th-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America and 9th-best by MLB Pipeline. Montgomery figured to be a critical piece of the White Sox rebuild, though for the first time his hit tool was challenged in Triple-A. Montgomery has yet to get over the hump at Triple-A with an 81 wRC+ in 2024 and 83 wRC+ so far in 2025, but he was called up to the White Sox last week regardless and has five hits in four games.

2020 – Cade Cavalli (WAS)

While the Braves have never drafted 22nd overall, they have drafted a 22nd overall pick. In 2017 the Braves took a late-round look at Cavalli with their 29th round pick, but he chose to go to college and ultimately won the bet on himself. Cavalli impressed with the Nationals and rocketed up to a top 50 prospect, but in spring training 2023 he sprained his UCL and had to get Tommy John surgery. Cavalli returned to action briefly in 2024, but so far hasn’t found his footing in 2025. He’s still considered a top ten prospect in Washington’s system but his velocity hasn’t full recovered to pre-surgery levels.