LOS ANGELES - Matt Holliday heard from agent Scott Boras that his son was about to be picked first in Major League Baseball's amateur draft, and the 2007 National League batting champion didn't let on.
"That was kind of cool," Jackson Holliday said later. "He's like, 'All right, you're just going to find out.' That was really, really neat, and something I'll probably never forget."
Jackson watched on television about 30 seconds later Sunday when commissioner Rob Manfred announced the Baltimore Orioles had chosen the 18-year-old shortstop first overall.
The only other son of a major leaguer to be a top pick was Ken Griffey Jr. for the Seattle Mariners in 1987. Griffey's 22-year career in the majors led to him being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.
Druw Jones, an Atlanta-area high school star and the son of former Braves center fielder Andruw Jones, had been projected first this year, but the 18-year-old outfielder went to the Arizona Diamondbacks with the second selection.
"It's like a video game, honestly," Holliday said. "Like every video game you play, you're the first pick."
The Texas Rangers then used the third pick on Kumar Rocker, a 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher who failed to sign with the New York Mets after being selected 10th overall last year. Rocker will be reunited with Rangers minor league pitcher Jack Leiter, his teammate on Vanderbilt's 2019 College World Series championship team.
Texas chose Leiter, the son of former MLB pitcher Al Leiter, with the No. 2 pick last year, but he would have fit right in this time around.
Family matters in this year's draft. Justin Crawford, a son of four-time All-Star Carl Crawford, was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies at No. 17. Daniel Susac, a University of Arizona catcher who is a brother of former big leaguer Andrew Susac, was picked 19th by the Oakland Athletics.
Holliday and Jones, both represented by Boras, have agreements for signing bonuses in excess of $8 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deals had not been announced.
Boras was on the phone with Matt Holliday while a member of his staff spoke to Druw Jones.
"A tough decision," Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. "I would liken it to deciding what to order at a five-star restaurant."
Holliday, a left-handed hitter from Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, is 6-1 and 175 pounds - quite a bit smaller than his 6-4, 240-pound father. He hit .685 and with 89 hits in 41 games and broke a national record for hits in a high school season that had been held by J.T. Realmuto, now a catcher for the Phillies.
Matt Holliday was a seven-time All-Star in an MLB career that stretched from 2004-18, including 2009-16 with the St. Louis Cardinals. Holliday earned his batting title in his fourth of five seasons at the start of his career with the Colorado Rockies, the team he returned to at the end of his playing days.
"I remember being in the clubhouse ever since he got to St Louis," Jackson said. "So I feel like it's definitely an advantage and I've gotten to see what it takes to get to the major leagues and how players, even when they're at the top of their game, how hard they still work to maintain it."
Jackson will head to the minors instead of attending Oklahoma State, where the baseball team is coached by his uncle Josh, Matt's older brother.
"I'm about as prepared as you can be to take on this lifestyle," Jackson said.
Jones, who stands 6-3, is an 18-year-old from Wesleyan in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. He hit .570 with 13 home runs, 39 RBIs, 72 runs, 33 walks and 32 stolen bases this year. He also went 10-1 as a pitcher, though he is projected as an outfielder.
His father was a five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner who played for Atlanta from 1996 to 2007 and spent time with four other MLB teams in a career that ended a decade ago.
"We're probably almost exactly the same," Druw said. "I try and make it my own game and be able to pursue and keep my career going and not really worry about what he did back in past but to be able have my own name and play my own way."
With his father away from home playing baseball during much of his youth, Druw learned to hit from his mom's father, J.D. Derick. Ahead of the draft, Druw was met with chants of "Over-rated!" from about 75 fans when Wesleyan played at Decatur on May 3. In his third at-bat, Druw homered off Brady Jones, who committed to Georgia State.
"It was one of those moments that you'll remember forever," Druw said. "I enjoyed that moment, but I'll probably never have that moment again."
Rocker, a 22-year-old from Georgia, failed to sign last year after the Mets became concerned about his physical. He had shoulder surgery last September and pitched this year for the independent Frontier League's Tri-City ValleyCats as a showcase ahead of the draft.
"We're extremely comfortable with the medical review that our team has done, our medical team," Rangers general manager Chris Young said.
Rocker was 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in five starts at Tri-City.
"My talent speaks for itself," he said.
Baltimore had five of the top 81 picks even as the team has rebounded after five straight losing seasons. The Orioles recovered from an 8-16 start to enter the All-Star break at 46-46, just 3 1/2 games back of a wild-card berth in the American League.
"They're heading in the right direction and I'm excited to be a part of it," Holliday said.
The Pittsburgh Pirates used the fourth pick on second baseman Termarr Johnson of Atlanta's Mays High School, and he's also a product of MLB's Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program. The top pick present for the broadcast, Johnson said the Pirates were getting "the best player in the draft."
The Washington Nationals used the fifth selection on outfielder Elijah Green from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Another high school player from Georgia cracked the top 15 when the San Diego Padres selected right-handed pitcher Dylan Lesko of Buford.
The first 80 picks were made Sunday, when the draft was held outdoors for the first time at LA Live, its second year taking place in conjunction with the All-Star Game. Dodger Stadium will be the site of the 92nd edition of the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday night.
The Braves, the reigning World Series champions, made four picks Sunday. All of them are right-handed pitchers and the first three are from the high school ranks: Owen Murphy of Riverside Brookfield (Illinois) was taken at No. 20, JR Ritchie of Bainbridge (Washington) at No. 35, Cole Phillips of Boerne (Texas) at No. 57 and Auburn University's Blake Burkhalter at No. 76.
The University of Tennessee, coming off a season in which the Volunteers were ranked No. 1 but fell short of reaching the College World Series, had three players selected Sunday: outfielders Drew Gilbert and Jordan Beck plus right-hander Blade Tidwell. Gilbert was picked 28th by the Houston Astros, Beck 38th by the Rockies and Tidwell 52nd by the Mets.
The Cincinnati Reds, the parent club of the Double-A Southern League's Chattanooga Lookouts, made four selections. They took third baseman Cam Collier of Chipola College at No. 18, third baseman Sal Stewart of Florida's Westminster Christian School at No. 32, catcher Logan Tanner of Mississippi State at No. 55 and outfielder Justin Boyd of Oregon State at No. 73.
The draft resumes with the start of the third round Monday, and 616 players in all are to be selected.
In contrast to other sports, baseball draft picks take time to reach the majors. Catcher Adley Rutschman, taken by the Orioles with the top overall pick three years ago, made his debut two months ago and is hitting .222 with five homers and 16 RBIs.
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Chase Silseth was the first of last year's selections to reach the majors. Taken in the 11th round and 321st overall, he debuted May 13.
AP photo by Jae C. Hong / Druw Jones is announced as the second pick of the 2022 MLB amateur draft Sunday in Los Angeles. The Arizona Diamondbacks picked Jones, an 18-year-old outfielder from Atlanta and the son of former Braves center fielder Andruw Jones.2022 MLB AMATEUR DRAFT
At Los Angeles
Sunday's Selections
First Round
1. Baltimore Orioles, Jackson Holliday, SS, Stillwater H.S., Okla.
2. Arizona Diamondbacks, Druw Jones, OF, Wesleyan H.S., Ga.
3. Texas Rangers, Kumar Rocker, RHP, Farragut, Tenn.
4. Pittsburgh Pirates, Termarr Johnson, SS, Mays H.S., Ga.
5. Washington Nationals, Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy, Fla.
6. Miami Marlins, Jacob Berry, 3B, LSU.
7. Chicago Cubs, Cade Horton, RHP, Oklahoma.
8. Minnesota Twins, Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly.
9. Kansas City Royals, Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech.
10. Colorado Rockies, Gabriel Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga.
11. New York Mets, Kevin Parada, C, Georgia Tech.
12. Detroit Tigers, Jace Jung, 2B, Texas Tech.
13. Los Angeles Angels, Zach Neto, SS, Campbell.
14. New York Mets, Jett Williams, SS, Rockwall-Heath H.S., Texas.
15. San Diego Padres, Dylan Lesko, RHP, Buford H.S., Ga.
16. Cleveland Guardians, Chase DeLauter, OF, James Madison.
17. Philadelphia Phillies, Justin Crawford, OF, Bishop Gorman H.S., Nev.
18. Cincinnati Reds, Cam Collier, 3B, Chipola College.
19. Oakland Athletics, Daniel Susac, C, Arizona.
20. Atlanta Braves, Owen Murphy, RHP, Riverside Brookfield H.S., Ill.
21. Seattle Mariners, Cole Young, SS, North Allegheny H.S., Pa.
22. St. Louis Cardinals, Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon St.
23. Toronto Blue Jays, Brandon Barriera, LHP, American Heritage School, Fla.
24. Boston Red Sox, Mikey Romero, SS, Orange Lutheran H.S., Calif.
25. New York Yankees, Spencer Jones, OF, Vanderbilt.
26. Chicago White Sox, Noah Schultz, LHP, Oswego East H.S., Ill.
27. Milwaukee Brewers, Eric Brown Jr., SS, Coastal Carolina.
28. Houston Astros, Drew Gilbert, OF, Tennessee.
29. Tampa Bay Rays, Xavier Isaac, 1B, East Forsyth H.S., N.C.
30. San Francisco Giants, Reggie Crawford, TWP, UConn.
Compensation Picks
31. Colorado Rockies, Sterlin Thompson, OF, Florida.
32. Cincinnati Reds, Sal Stewart, 3B, Westminster Christian School, Fla.
Competitive Balance-Round A
33. Baltimore Orioles, Dylan Beavers, OF, California.
34. Arizona Diamondbacks, Landon Sims, RHP, Mississippi St.
35. Atlanta Braves, JR Ritchie, RHP, Bainbridge H.S., Wash.
36. Pittsburgh Pirates, Thomas Harrington, RHP, Campbell.
37. Cleveland, Justin Campbell, RHP, Oklahoma St.
38. Colorado Rockies, Jordan Beck, OF, Tennessee.
39. San Diego Padres, Robby Snelling, LHP, McQueen H.S., Nev.
Second Round
40. Los Angeles Dodgers, Dalton Rushing, C, Louisville.
41. Boston Red Sox, Cutter Coffey, SS, Liberty H.S., Calif.
42. Baltimore Orioles, Max Wagner, 3B, Clemson.
43. Arizona Diamondbacks, Ivan Melendez, 1B, Texas.
44. Pittsburgh Pirates, Hunter Barco, LHP, Florida.
45. Washington Nationals, Jake Bennett, LHP, Oklahoma.
46. Miami Marlins, Jacob Miller, Liberty Union H.S., Ohio.
47. Chicago Cubs, Jackson Ferris, LHP, IMG Academy, Fla.
48. Minnesota Twins, Connor Prielipp, LHP, Alabama.
49. Kansas City Royals, Cayden Wallace, 3B, Arkansas.
50. Colorado Rockies, Jackson Cox, Toutle Lake H.S., Wash.
51. Detroit Tigers, Peyton Graham, SS, Oklahoma.
52. New York Mets, Blade Tidwell, RHP, Tennessee.
53. San Diego Padres, Adam Mazur, RHP, Iowa.
54. Cleveland Guardians, Parker Messick, LHP, Florida St.
55. Cincinnati Reds, Logan Tanner, C, Mississippi St.
56. Oakland Athletics, Henry Bolte, OF, Palo Alto H.S., Calif.
57. Atlanta Braves, Cole Phillips, RHP, Boerne H.S., Texas.
58. Seattle Mariners, Tyler Locklear, 3B, VCU.
59. St. Louis Cardinals, Brycen Mautz, LHP, San Diego.
60. Toronto Blue Jays, Josh Kasevich, SS, Oregon.
61. New York Yankees, Drew Thorpe, RHP, Cal Poly.
62. Chicago White Sox, Peyton Pallette, RHP, Arkansas.
63. Milwaukee Brewers, Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Crowder College.
64. Houston Astros, Jacob Melton, OF, Oregon St.
65. Tampa Bay Rays, Brock Jones, OF, Stanford.
66. San Francisco Giants, Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, East Carolina.
Competitive Balance-Round B
67. Baltimore Orioles, Jud Fabian, OF, Florida.
68. Minnesota Twins, Tanner Schobel, SS, Virginia Tech.
69. Oakland Athletics, Clark Elliott, OF, Michigan.
70. Tampa Bay Rays, Chandler Simpson, SS, Georgia Tech.
71. Tampa Bay Rays, Ryan Cermak, OF, Illinois St.
72. Milwaukee Brewers, Robert Moore, SS, Arkansas.
73. Cincinatti Reds, Justin Boyd, OF, Oregon St.
74. Seattle Mariners, Walter Ford, RHP, Pace H.S., Fla.
Compensation Picks
75. New York Mets, Nick Morabito, OF, Gonzaga College H.S., D.C.
76. Atlanta Braves, Blake Burkhalter, RHP, Auburn.
77. Toronto Blue Jays, Tucker Toman, SS, Hammond School, S.C.
78. Toronto Blue Jays, Cade Doughty, 2B, LSU.
79. Boston Red Sox, Roman Anthony, OF, Stoneman Douglas H.S., Fla.
80. Houston Astros, Andrew Taylor, RHP, Central Michigan.