MLB Draft makes history, with four Black players taken in top-5

On July 17, history was made within the first five picks of the 2022 MLB Draft.

Taken from picks No. 2 to No. 5 respectively, Druw Jones (Arizona), Kumar Rocker (Texas), Termarr Johnson (Pittsburgh) and Elijah Green (Washington) represent the first time in draft history that four of the top five selections were Black players.

All four players also participated in the MLB’s DREAM Series, a showcase event that focuses on “the dynamics of pitching and catching for a diverse group of high school elite athletes, predominantly African-American.”

Let’s take a look at their roads to the show.

Druw Jones

Jones, a center fielder out of Wesleyan High School in Georgia, is the son of former MLBer and Hall of Fame candidate Andruw Jones. He was in the running for the top selection entering the spring and is considered by experts to have All-Star potential.

Jones’ selection meant more history was made as he joined Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 pick and son of former Major Leaguer Matt Holliday, as the second son of a former player in the league in this draft class.

 Kumar Rocker

Rocker, the right-handed pitcher who last played for the Tri-City Valleycats of the Frontier League, has faced tough adversity to this point. He was once one of Vanderbilt’s aces, tearing up NCAA Division I competition for the Commodores, eventually being drafted by the Mets in 2021. Unfortunately, due to post-draft physical examinations, the Mets didn’t trust Rocker and his injury history enough to come to an agreement. He underwent shoulder surgery last fall and the status of his recovery was uncertain. After a strong season tearing up the competition with Tri-City, Rocker, who was projected to be taken somewhere in the late-first to early-second round, was chosen third overall. He recently signed with the Rangers, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

A feel-good story of his selection is that Rocker gets to reunite with Jack Leiter, a former ace and teammate at Vanderbilt, who had a nice message of excitement to see his friend join the same organization as him on social media.

Termarr Johnson

 Don’t let Termarr Johnson’s 5-foot-10 frame fool you — he was also high up in the running for the top overall selection in this year’s draft. According to MLB Pipeline, Johnson “might be the best pure prep hitter in decades.” His sheer talent for hitting has led to some high praise and comparisons, including Wade Boggs’ overall plate discipline and Vladimir Guerrero Sr.’s vision at the plate.

What’s even more impressive is that he draws these comparisons as one of the youngest players in the draft — Johnson recently turned 18 on June 11. Defensively, despite being projected as a second baseman officially, the Pirates drafted him as a shortstop. Johnson is sure to light up the crowd at PNC Park in the coming years as he continues to develop his thundering hitting game.

Elijah Green

Rounding out the top five is Elijah Green, an outfielder out of the prestigious IMG Academy in Florida. Green is seen by most scouts as both a fascinating and polarizing player, with most scouts saying he’ll either make several All-Star Games or wash out early. Whether or not that adds a chip to Green’s shoulder to improve on his inconsistencies or not remains to be seen, but he has a big frame (6-foot-4, 225Ibs) and skillset, particularly in his range and strong arm, that set him apart from much of the competition. Athletics run in his family as the University of Miami commit’s father, Eric Green, is a former NFL Pro Bowl tight end. He’ll be counted on as a critical piece moving forward for the rebuilding Nationals.

Diversity, particularly in the inclusion of Black players in the MLB has always been a core issue in the sport. According to a report released by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida, roughly 38 percent of all players in the MLB as of Opening Day 2022 were players of colour. Furthermore, TIDES’ data reports that only 7.2 percent of all MLB players at the start of this season are Black, stating that the league’s percentage of Black players “has been a serious concern for many years.” 

TIDES Director Richard Lapchick, the report's main author, said that while much has changed in the sport since Jackie Robinson's breakthrough made history in 1947, more and faster change is needed.

Hopefully, with this year marking the 75th anniversary of Robinson’s breaking of the colour barrier, it represents forward progress that four Black players have been taken in the top five of this year’s draft. After all, one of the most effective ways to grow the sport and capture new audiences is for every kid to see someone who resembles them on the field, and to be inspired to follow in their footsteps and continue the goal of growing the game.