Who's MLB's No. 1 top draft pick? Ranking the top 25 1/1s of all time

Of the 53 players selected No. 1 overall since baseball's draft began in 1965, 46 - or 88% -  have reached the majors, while three have not -- catcher Steven Chilcott (1966), pitcher Brien Taylor (1991) and pitcher Mark Appel (2013). Three are still in the minors. 

So who are the best of the No. 1 picks? With the Detroit Tigers set to kick off the 40-round draft on Monday, we rank the top 25 No. 1 overall selections: 

MLB SALARIES: Baseball's top 25 highest-paid players in 2024

1. SS Alex Rodriguez, Mariners, 1993
WAR: 117.8

A-Rod, a three-time MVP and 14-time All-Star, hit nearly 700 home runs over his 22-year career. However, his reputation was tainted by his link to performance-enhancing drugs -- which could keep him out of the Hall of Fame.

2. OF Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners, 1987
WAR: 83.8

After 22 seasons and 630 career home runs, he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2016.

3. 3B Chipper Jones, Braves, 1990
WAR: 85.2

Helped lead the Braves to 13 consecutive division titles and a World Series title in 1995; slugged 468 home runs and batted .303.

4. OF Bryce Harper, Nationals, 2010
WAR: 27.3

Debuted at 19 and won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2012 and was named the 2015 NL MVP after hitting .330 with 42 home runs. At 25, plenty more still ahead of him.

5. OF Darryl Strawberry, Mets, 1980
WAR: 42.2

The eight-time All-Star won a World Series championship with the New York Mets in 1986, and three with the New York Yankees in 1996, 1998, and 1999. Slugged 335 home runs in a career sidetracked by drug abuse.

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6. C/1B/DH Joe Mauer, Twins, 2001
WAR: 54.9

Mauer is the only catcher to win three batting titles and the only one to do so in the American League.

7. 1B Adrian Gonzalez, Marlins, 2000
WAR: 42.8

The five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glover has collected more than 2,000 career hits and 300 home runs.

8. OF/DH Harold Baines, White Sox, 1977
WAR: 38.7

Known for his clutch at-bats, Baines is tied for seventh in AL history in grand slams (13) and batted over .300 eight times. Upon his retirement, he ranked seventh in AL history in games played (2,830) and 10th in runs batted in (1,628).

9. LHP David Price, Devil Rays, 2007
WAR: 34.6

A reliever on their 2008 World Series team just a year after he was drafted, Price won the 2012 AL Cy Young Award. Three years later, he signed a seven-year, $217 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, setting a record for the largest contract ever given to a pitcher.

10. OF Justin Upton, Diamondbacks, 2005
WAR: 32.2

Upton was named USA TODAY Sports’ Minor League Player of the Year in 2007. He was called up two years later and made his major league debut in 2009. The four-time All-Star is approaching 300 career home runs.

11. OF Josh Hamilton, Devil Rays, 1999
WAR: 28.3

The former top pick overcame drug addiction and alcoholism during his time in the Rays organization and became a five-time All-Star and the 2010 AL MVP for the Texas Rangers.

12. OF Rick Monday, Athletics, 1965
WAR: 33.1

The first draft pick in major league history, he's perhaps best known for rescuing an American flag from two protesters who tried to burn it on the ground at Dodger Stadium in 1976. Monday played 19 seasons and hit 261 home runs.

13. OF Darin Erstad, Angels, 1995
WAR: 32.4

Erstad had a solid 14-year career mostly with the Angels. The career .282 hitter was an integral part of the 2002 club that won the World Series, and produced a 240-hit season in 2000.

14. SS Carlos Correa, Astros, 2012
WAR: 18.8

Still only 23 years old, the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year helped lead the Astros to a World Series title in 2017. He has a 137 OPS-plus in 1,817 career plate appearances.

15. RHP Stephen Strasburg, Nationals, 2009
WAR: 26.0

Drafted a year before Harper, Strasburg signed for a record $15.1 million. He struck out struck out 14 batters in his 2011 debut against the Pirates, and while he's battled injuries, Strasburg is a three-time All-Star with 90 wins and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. 

16. OF/C B.J. Surhoff, Brewers, 1985
WAR: 34.4

Surhoff played every position in the majors except pitcher over a solid 19-year career, amassing 2,326 hits and 188 homers. 

17. RHP Andy Benes, Padres, 1988
WAR: 31.6

Benes won 10 or more games in 10 of his 14 big league seasons. In 1998, he threw the first pitch in the history of the Diamondbacks franchise.

18. RHP Mike Moore, Mariners, 1981
WAR: 28.2

Moore pitched 200-plus innings nine times over a 14-year career. The one-time All-Star tossed 79 complete games and won a World Series title with Oakland in 1989. 

19. LHP Floyd Bannister, Astros, 1976
WAR: 26.6

In a 15-year major league career, Bannister compiled a 134-143 record, with a 4.06 ERA in 431 games (363 starts).

20. RHP Gerrit Cole, Pirates, 2011
WAR: 14.5

The UCLA star broke into the majors in 2013. In 2015, he was named to the NL All-Star team and finished with a 19-8 record and 2.60 ERA. After a trade to Houston, he's enjoying his finest season - on pace to win 16 games and strike out 313. 

21. RHP Tim Belcher, Twins, 1983
WAR: 26.1

Belcher pitched from 1987–2000 for seven teams. As a rookie in 1988, he won a World Series championship with the Dodgers. The following season, he finished sixth in NL Cy Young balloting after winning 15 games -- eight of which were shutouts.  

22. 3B Bob Horner, Braves, 1978
WAR: 21.9

Horner never spent a day in the minor leagues and went on to win NL Rookie of the Year in and is one of few who went straight to the majors. He made an immediate impact, and slugged a home run in his first at-bat off future Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven of the Pirates. He went on to win Rookie of the Year in 1978. He slugged 218 homers in 10 seasons. 

23. RHP Ben McDonald, Orioles, 1989
WAR: 20.9

McDonald debuted with the Orioles three weeks after they signed him in August 1989, threw a shutout in his starting debut in 1990, but only managed to start at least 30 games in three of his nine seasons.

24. 3B Pat Burrell, Phillies, 1998
WAR: 18.9

'Pat the Bat' was considered the best college player of the year when he was drafted. He went on win a World Series title with the Phillies in 2008 and another one with the Giants in 2010 and eventually hit 292 home runs.

25. OF Jeff Burroughs, Senators, 1969
WAR: 17.8

A two-time All-Star, Burroughs was a slugging threat. From 1973-78, he averaged 28 homer runs per season, including a career high 41 in 1977. His best season came in 1974, when he hit 25 homers and drove in 118 runs on his way to the AL MVP award.

Others: 26. SS Jeff King, Pirates, 1986; 27. 3B Phil Nevin, Astros, 1992; 28. RHP Kris Benson, Pirates, 1996; 29. SS Shawon Dunston, Cubs, 1982; 30. 1B Ron Blomberg, Yankees, 1967; 31. C Mike Ivie, Padres, 1970; 32. SS Tim Foli, Mets, 1968; 33. SS Bill Almon, Padres, 1974; 34. SS Tim Beckham, Rays, 2008; 35. RHP Luke Hochevar, Royals, 2006; 36. SS Dansby Swanson, Diiamondbacks, 2015; 37. OF Delmon Young, Devil Rays, 2003; 38. SS/P Matt Bush, Padres, 2004; 39. RHP Paul Wilson, Mets, 1994; 40. RHP Matt Anderson, Tigers, 1997; 41. LHP David Clyde, Rangers, 1973; 42. 3B Dave Roberts, Padres, 1972; 43. RHP Bryan Bullington, Pirates, 2002; 44. OF Al Chambers, Mariners, 1979; 45. OF Shawn Abner, Mets, 1984; 46. C Danny Goodwin, Angels, Angels, 1975; 47. C Danny Goodwin, White Sox, 1971; 48. OF Mickey Morniak, Phillies, 2016; 49. SS Royce Lewis, Twins, 2017;  50. LHP  Brady Aiken, Astros, 2014; 51. RHP Mark Appel, Astros, 2013; 52. C Steven Chilcott, Mets, ,1966; 53. LHP Brien Taylor, Yankees, 1991.