Final historical look at AZ baseball players drafted by MLB

Jun 10, 2013

Arizona continues to consistently groom a good number of high school baseball players for the First-Year Player Draft, and this year was no different.

Fourteen Arizona players were chosen during this year’s draft, which wrapped up Saturday. At least 11 or more Arizona high school players have been selected in 22 of the previews 23 drafts.

Major League Baseball held its first First-Year Draft in 1965, and since then more than 500 Arizona kids have heard their names called. But only less than 10 percent of those Arizona players have reached the major leagues, showing just how tough it is to reach the Big Time.  

Want more numbers? Below is a by-the-numbers look at Arizona players picked over the years, including which Arizona schools have appeared the most on MLB’s draft trackers.

Below that is a list of Arizona players drafted from 2010-2013. You'll also find a list of the big names who played baseball at some of Arizona's high schools.   

By the numbers look at Arizona high school players drafted

0 The number of Hall of Fame players produced by Arizona high schools since 1965.

1 He didn’t sign out of high school, but Apollo High’s Bob Horner is the only former Arizona high school player to get selected with the No. 1 overall pick. It happened in 1978, when Horner was with Arizona State and the Braves picked him.  

25 The highest amount of Arizona players chosen in one draft. It happened in 2006.

1 The least amount of Arizona high school players picked in one draft (1966).

12 The number of times an Arizona high school player was picked in the first round since 1965, including three supplemental picks.

32 The highest total of drafted players an Arizona high school has produced. The leader, and it’s not a surprise, is Chaparral. Horizon, also not a surprise, is second with 25. Tucson (20), Sahuaro (17), Coronado (15), and Gilbert (15) are next on the list.

4 That’s how many major leaguers Tucson has produced, the state’s leader in that category. Sahuaro, Chaparral, McClintock and Canyon del Oro are next on the list with three each.

36 The amount of Arizona high schools that have produced at least one major leaguer.

4 The amount of players drafted from Hayden, the small school (1-3A conference) leader in that category.   

571 The number of Arizona players drafted from 1965-2013.

9.28% The percentage of former Arizona players who have reached the major leagues since 1965 after they were drafted. That’s a total of only 53 players.

Arizona's Big-Name high school team

Bob Horner, Apollo High, 1975

Mickey Hatcher, Mesa High, 1974

Ozzie Virgil, Moon Valley, 1976

Tim Salmon, Greenway High, 1989

Paul Konerko, Chaparral, 1994

Scott Hairston, Canyon del Oro, 199

Ian Kinsler, Canyon del Oro, 2000

J.J. Hardy, Sabino, 2001

Arizona players drafted from 2010-2013

2010

Taylor Lindsey, 1^st round supplemental, No. 37 overall, SS, Desert Mountain

James McDonald, 11^th round, No. 338 overall, SS, Chaparral, White Sox

Travis Flores, 11^th round, No. 342 overall, 1B, Desert Ridge, Rays

Josh Alexander, 19^th round, No. 577 overall, OF, Mountain Pointe, Reds

Tanner Murphy, 22^nd round, No. 658 overall, C, Mountain Ridge, Orioles

Jake Cole, 24^th round, No. 736 overall, RHP, Sahuaro, Rangers

D.J. Peterson, 33^rd round, No. 1,002 overall, 3B, Gilbert, Mariners

Konner Wade, 35^th round, No. 1,051 overall, P, Chaparral, D-Backs

T.C. Mark, 35^th round, No. 1,059 overall, C, Pinnacle, Brewers

Logan Davis, 38^th round, No. 1,160, SS, Cactus Shadows, Rockies

Jaycob Brugman, 39^th round, No. 1,201 overall, 1B, Desert Vista, Yankees,

Ryan Casillas, 40^th round, No. 1,201 overall, 1B, Hamilton, D-Backs

Dan Slania, 42^nd round, No. 1,283 overall, RHP, Salpointe, Red Sox

Blake Freeman, 45^th round, No. 1,361 overall, LHP, Sunnyslope, Rays

Mike Benjamin, 45^th round, No. 1,370 overall, SS, Basha, Rockies

Jorge Flores, 46^th round, No. 1,381 overall, SS, Hamilton, D-Backs

Anthony Garcia, 48^th round, No. 1,462 overall, 2B, Cesar Chavez, Dodgers

Alex Brown, 48^th round, No. 1,465 overall, RHP, Amphitheater, Yankees

Taylor Kaczmarek, 50^th round, No. 1,522 overall, RHP, Desert Ridge, Dodgers

2011

Kevin Cron, 3^rd round, No. 92 overall, 1B, Mountain Pointe, Mariners

Tayler Scot, 5^th round, No. 159 overall, RHP, Notre Dame, Cubs

Stephen Tarpley, 8^th round, No. 248 overall, LHP, Gilbert, Indians

Joe Serrano, 12^th round, No. 385 overall, SS, Salpointe, Reds

Jordan Dunatov, 14^th round, No. 422 overall, OF, Horizon High, Pirates

Tyler Parmenter, 15^th round, No. 480 overall, SS, Cibola High, Rays

Nick Valenza, 18^th round, No. 543 overall, LHP, Horizon High, Mariners

Scott Squier, 21^st round, No. 647 overall, LHP, Greenway, Tigers

Michael Howard, 21^st round, No. 647 overall, LHP, Prescott, Twins

Zach Davies, 26^th round, No. 785 overall, RHP, Mesquite, Orioles

Scott Hoffman, 29^th round, No. 899 overall, RHP, Desert Ridge, Yankees

Aaron Bummer, 31^st round, No. 959 overall, LHP, Sunrise Mountain, Yankees

Malcolm Holland, 33^rd round, No. 1,004 overall, 2B, Hamilton, Dodgers

Bryce Greager, 37^th round, No. 1,134 overall, SS, Fountain Hills, Rangers

Jordan Kipper, 39^th round, No. 1,184 overall, Mountain Pointe, Dodgers

Drew Stankiewicz, 40^th round, No. 1,218 overall, Gilbert, Rockies

Casey Thomas, 41^st round, No. 1,244 overall, 2B, Desert Vista, Dodgers

Nevin Wilson, 44^th round, No. 1,351 overall, LHP, Chaparral high, Phillies

Nathaniel Causey, 46^th round, No. 1,398 overall, C, Gilbert, Rockies

Casey Scott, 47^th round, No. 1,428 overall, 2B, Notre Dame, Rockies

Ethan Springston, 47^th round, No. 1,439 overall, OF, Seton Catholic, Yankees

Erwin Real, 48^th round, No. 1,466 overall, 3B, Boulder Creek, Braves

Zach Regier, 49^th round, No. 1,491 overall, OF, Gilbert, White Sox

2012

Mitch Nay, 1^st round supplemental, No. 58 overall, 3B, Hamilton, Blue Jays

Dylan Cozens, 2^nd round, No. 77 overall, OF, Chaparral, Phillies

Joey Curletta, 6^th round, No. 206 overall, OF, Mountain Pointe, Dodgers

Willie Ethington, 17^th round, No. 541 overall, RHP, Mesa Mt. View, Red Sox

Tony Blanford, 18^th round, No. 578, RHP, Boulder Creek, Phillies

David Graybill, 31^st round, No. 956 overall, RHP, Brophy, Dodgers

Rustin Sveum, 39^th round, No. 1,184 overll, 3B, Desert Mountain, Cubs

2013

Dustin Peterson, 2^nd round, No. 50 overall, SS, Gilbert, Padres

Riley Unroe, 2^nd round, No. 60 overall, SS, Desert Ridge, Rays

Cody Bellinger, 4^th round, No. 124 overall, 1B, Hamilton, Dodgers

Jamie Westbrook, 5^th round, No. 150 overall, SS, Basha, D-Backs

Hever Bueno, 17^th round, No. 524 overall, P, Westwood, Yankees

Zach Winn, 22^nd round, No. 670 overall, RHP, Show Low, Twins

M.J. Villegas, 23^rd round, No. 694 overall, RHP, Seton Catholic, Dodgers

Ryan Scott, 30^th round, No. 904 overall, C, Notre Dame, Dodgers

Tyler Viza, 32^th round, No. 961 overall, RHP, Desert Vista, Phillies

Joe Wise, 33^rd round, No. 981 overall, LHP, Cactus Shadows, Indians

Brad Holland, 34^th round, No. 1,026 overall, 2B, Mesquite, Tigers

Jake Matthews, 38^th round, No. 1,134 overall, OF, Ironwood Ridge, Royals

Jon Nunnally, 38^th round, No. 1,135 overall, OF, Horizon, Blue Jays

Mathew Haggerty, 40^th round, No. 1,204 overall, OF, Seton Catholic, Dodgers

Players chosen from 1965-2009

For the list of Arizona players drafted in the 1960s go here. 

For the 70s go here. 

For the 80s go here. 

For the 90s go here. 

For the 2000s go here. 

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