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 Show.  

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 

0 The number of Hall of Fame players produced by Arizona high schools since 1965. Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer graduated from Scottsdale High in 1963. 

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 high school players chosen in one draft. It happened in 2006.

1 The least amount of Arizona high school players picked in one draft (1966) and 2020. Covid-19 cut the 2020 draft to just five rounds. 

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

34 The amount of players drafted from Chaparral High, which leads the state. Horizon is second with 27. Tucson (21), Sahuaro (19), 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.   

622 The number of Arizona players drafted right out of high school from 1965-2020.

(Updated 6/16/19)

Arizona's Big-Name players

Bob Horner, Apollo High

Mickey Hatcher, Mesa High

Ozzie Virgil, Moon Valley

Tim Salmon, Greenway High

Paul Konerko, Chaparral

Scott Hairston, Canyon del Oro

Ian Kinsler, Canyon del Oro

J.J. Hardy, Sabino

Kole Calhoun, Buckeye

Jim Palmer, Scottsdale High

Curt Schilling, Shadow Mountain

Arizona players drafted from 2010-2015

2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2014

Cole Tucker, 1st round, No. 24 overall, INF, Mountain Pointe, Pirates

Ryan Castellani, 2nd round, No. 48 overall, P, Brophy, Colorado

Alex Verdugo, 2nd round, No. 48 overall, OF, Sahuaro, Dodgers

Spencer Moran, 11th round, No. 337 overall, P, Mesa Mt. View, Tampa Bay

Luis Gamez, 11th round, No. 343 overall, P, Cienega, Atlanta

Gerard Hernandez, 21st round, No. 630 overall, OF, Pinnacle, Arizona

Andre Jackson, 32nd round, No. 966 overall, P, Cienega, Texas

James Harrington, 33rd round, No. 982 overall, P, Mesquite, Philadelphia

Bross Hunter, 34th round, No. 1,029 overall, OF, Notre Dame, Dodgers

Kyler Kocher, 36th round, No. 1,078 overall, P, Mesa Mt. View, Dodgers

Payton Squier, 39th round, No. 1,182 overall, INF, Greenway, Oakland

2015

Blake Perkins, 2nd round, No. 69 overall, OF, Verrado, Washington

Javier Medina, 3rd round, No. 77 overall, P, Sahuaro, Colorado

Donny Sands, 8th round, No. 243 overall, INF, Salpointe, Yankees

Terrance Robertson, 12th round, No. 364 overall, OF, Valley Vista, Yankees

Jio Orozco, 14th round, No. 425 overall, P, Salpointe, Seattle

Alan Garcia, 19th round, No. 567 overall, OF, Mountain Pointe, San Diego

Tyler Williams, 26th round, No. 770 overall, OF, Raymond S. Kellis, Minnesota

A.J. Graffanino, 26th round, No. 784 overall, INF, Northwest Christian, Chicago Cubs

Alejo Lopez, 27th round, No. 805 overall, INF, Greenway, Cincinnati

Tyler Watson, 34th round, No. 1,034 overall, P, Perry, Washington

Garvin Alston, 37th round, No. 1,102 overall, P, Mountain Pointe, Chicago White Sox

Matt Kroon, 38th round, No. 1,135 overall, INF, Horizon, Cincinnati 

Travis Howard, 39th round, No. 1,180 overall, P, Marana, Detroit

2018

Matthew Liberatore, 1st round, 16th overall, P, Mt. Ridge, Tampa Bay

Nolan Gorman, 1st round, 19th overall, Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor, St. Louis 

Brennan Davis, 2nd round, 62nd overall, OF, Basha, Chicago

Jonathan Ornelas, 3rd round, 91st overll, SS, Raymond S. Kellis, Texas Rangers

Jace Easley, 5th round, 149th overall, SS, Sandra Day O'Connor, Texas Rangers

Kevon Jackson, 9th round, 272nd overall, CF, Queen Creek, Kansas City

George Arias, 34th round, 1,011st,  P, Tucson, San Diego

Ian Mejia, 35th round, 1,040th overall, P, Sahuarita, New York Mets

2019

Jose Dicochea P Sahuarita 8th round, 254 overall, Oakland A’s

Manny Collier CF Westwood 23rd round 702 overall, Chicago Cubs

Shane Murphy P Hamilton 31st round 930 overall Philadelphia Phillies

Kody Huff C Horizon 32nd round 968 overall Tampa Bay

Trey Clarkson P Mesquite 33rd round 984 overall Cincinnati Reds

Bell Luke P Seton Catholic 34th round 1,022 overall Arizona Diamondbacks

Chandler Murphy P Liberty 36th round 1,096 overall Houston Astros

Ryan Vanderhei P Estrella Foothills 38th round 1,142 overall Arizona Diamondbacks

2020

Carson Tucker INF 1st round, 23rd overall Cleveland Indians 

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.