Jacob Wilson, George Lombard Jr. among notable legacy picks
The son of 2004 NL All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner Jack Wilson, Jacob Wilson, will look to follow in his father's footsteps as a successful MLB shortstop after being drafted sixth overall by Oakland on Sunday. But Wilson was far from the only player taken with a famous relative.
Here's a look at notable 2023 draftees with legacies in baseball or elsewhere, in order of when they were selected. (You can see our full pick-by-pick coverage of the Draft here).
DAY 1 (SUNDAY)
Player: Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon University (No. 10 prospect)
Drafted: No. 6 overall, Athletics
Relative: Jack Wilson (father, 12 MLB seasons)
Jacob is a shortstop -- just like his dad. A 9th-round pick by the Cardinals in 1998, the elder Wilson played his first nine seasons with the Pirates and became known as a defensive wizard, earning his lone All-Star selection in 2004. He also spent time with the Mariners and Braves, playing in 1,370 games before retiring after the 2012 season. But Jacob, a California native, will be returning to his home state as part of the Oakland organization.
Player: Kyle Teel, C, Virginia (No. 7 prospect)
Drafted: No. 14 overall, Red Sox
Relatives: Garett Teel (father, five seasons in Minors), Aidan (brother, pitcher at UVA)
The Teels certainly are a baseball family, as Garett was drafted by the Dodgers in the 12th round in 1989, and played five seasons in the Minors, before also serving as a coach in their organization for two more years. Aidan just finished his freshman year at Virginia, though he did not get to pitch at all due to Tommy John surgery.
Player: Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi (No. 18 prospect)
Drafted: No. 15 overall, White Sox
Relatives: Jess (father, played in Minors and independent leagues)
As a pitcher, Jess got up to High-A ball in 1994, and also played two more seasons in independent pro leagues before hanging it up.
Player: Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest (No. 25 prospect)
Drafted: No. 18 overall, Brewers
Relative: Kris (uncle, six seasons in Minors)
Kris, a corner infielder, was drafted by the Orioles in the 12th round out of the University of Houston in 2000. He spent all six of his seasons in their organization, reaching as high as Triple-A in 2005.
Player: George Lombard Jr., SS, Gulliver Prep School (Fla.) (No. 31 prospect)
Drafted: No. 26 overall, Yankees
Relative: George Lombard (father, 6 MLB seasons and current Tigers bench coach)
George Lombard Sr. played in parts of six MLB seasons from 1998-2006 with the Braves, Tigers, Rays and Nationals. The elder might be most known for his post-playing career, which has included stints as the Dodgers’ first-base coach and now as the Tigers’ bench coach.
Player: Aidan Miller, 3B, J. W. Mitchell HS (Fla.) (No. 13 prospect)
Drafted: No. 27 overall, Phillies
Relative: Jackson (brother, 2020 second-round pick by Reds)
Jackson, the 65th overall pick in 2020, came out of the same high school as Aidan, three years prior. Jackson is still a catcher in the Reds organization, but has not played a game since 2021 due to various injuries.
Player: Tai Peete, SS, Trinity Christian HS (Ga.) (No. 53 prospect)
Drafted: No. 30 overall, Mariners
Relative: Yuki Braxton (mother, first girl to participate in Little League Baseball European Region Championships)
Braxton played in the 1993 and the 1994 Little League European Region Championships for a team based in Vienna, Austria. She was one of two girls on the team and the first ever to participate in the tournament.
Player: Adrian Santana, SS, Doral Academy (Fla.) (No. 38 prospect)
Drafted: No. 31 overall, Rays
Relative: Osmany (father, four seasons in Minors)
Born in Cuba, Osmany signed with Cleveland, and spent four seasons in their organization from 1998-2001. An outfielder, Osmany reached as high as Double-A, before also playing one season of independent pro ball in 2002.
Player: Myles Naylor, 3B, St. Joan of Arc Catholic SS (Ontario) (No. 64 prospect)
Drafted: No. 39 overall, Athletics
Relatives: Josh Naylor and Bo Naylor (brothers, teammates on the Cleveland Guardians)
Make way for another Naylor. Myles' older brothers were both first-round picks -- Josh was taken 12th overall by the Marlins in 2015, and Bo went 29th to the Guardians in 2019 -- and are now teammates in Cleveland.
Player: Yohandy Morales, SS, Miami (No. 20 prospect)
Drafted: No. 40 overall, Nationals
Relative: Andy (father, former pro baseball player in Cuba)
Andy played professionally in Cuba and on the Cuban national team, once belting a three-run homer in an exhibition game against the Orioles at Camden Yards. He later defected and signed with the Yankees, although New York later voided the deal over discrepancies regarding the infielder’s age. He last played at Double-A for the Red Sox in ‘02.
Player: Grant Taylor, RHP, LSU (No. 102 prospect)
Drafted: No. 51 overall, White Sox
Relative: Evan (brother, currently in Marlins organization)
Approximately two years apart in age, the Taylor brothers were teammates in high school in Florence, Ala., but rivals at the college level, as Evan pitched for Arkansas before being drafted by the Marlins in the ninth round in 2022. Evan is currently playing for Jupiter, the Marlins' Single-A affiliate.
Player: Mike Boeve, 3B, Nebraska-Omaha (No. 81 prospect)
Drafted: No. 54 overall, Brewers
Relatives: Jim (father, baseball coach)
Jim's playing career got as high as Northwestern College, an NAIA school in Iowa, but he's more notable for his coaching exploits. In 1989, he was appointed as the head coach to resurrect the baseball program at Hastings College (Neb.), an NAIA school that had been on a varsity baseball hiatus for 15 years. He stepped down in 2013, but was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame shortly after.
Player: Drue Hackenberg, RHP, Virginia Tech (No. 200 prospect)
Drafted: No. 59 overall, Braves
Relatives: Christian (brother, former NFL player), Brandon (brother, professional soccer player) and Adam Hackenberg (brother, White Sox No. 28 prospect)
The youngest of four boys, all of Drue's brothers have themselves played professional sports. Christian, the oldest, was Penn State's quarterback from 2013-15 and was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Jets. Brandon, a professional soccer player, was a 1st-round pick by Orlando City SC in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, and Adam is a catcher in the White Sox system, currently with Double-A Birmingham.
Player: Jake Gelof, 3B, Virginia (No. 35 prospect)
Drafted: No. 60 overall, Dodgers
Relative: Zack Gelof (brother, A’s No. 3 prospect)
Jake will join the pro ranks two years after his brother, who was selected in the 2nd round (60th overall) in the 2021 Draft.
Player: Andrew Walters, RHP, Miami (No. 124 prospect)
Drafted: No. 62 overall, Guardians
Relative: Matt Walters (uncle, former NFL player)
Matt was a 5th-round pick by the New York Jets in 2003. He played in 11 games at defensive end that year, his only season in the NFL.
DAY 2 (MONDAY)
Player: Garret Forrester, 1B, Oregon State (No. 116 prospect)
Drafted: No. 73 overall, Pirates
Relative: Gary (father, three seasons in Minors)
Drafted in the 20th round by the Dodgers in 1989 out of UNLV, Gary played a combined three seasons in the Minors with both the Dodgers and Angels organizations. An infielder, Gary reached High-A ball before retiring.
Player: Paul Wilson, LHP, Lakeridge HS (Ore.) (No. 51 prospect)
Drafted: No. 76 overall, Tigers
Relative: Trevor Wilson (father, pitcher, eight MLB seasons)
Trevor, who was also a southpaw, pitched for the Giants and the Angels between 1988-98. He recorded a 3.56 ERA across 202 innings with San Francisco in 1991. Two years later, he tossed 110 innings for a Giants team that won 103 games.
Player: Alberto Rios, 3B, Stanford (No. 113 prospect)
Drafted: No. 79 overall, Angels
Relative: Frankie Rios (cousin, two seasons in Minors)
Frankie, a southern California native like Alberto, was a 17th-round Draft pick by the Red Sox in 2017, and he played two seasons in the Minors in their organization. Geographically, Frankie was not as lucky as Alberto, whose hometown of Bellflower is fewer than 20 miles from Angel Stadium.
Player: Travis Honeyman, OF, Boston College (No. 61 prospect)
Drafted: No. 90 overall, Cardinals
Relative: Bobby (brother, three seasons in Minors)
Drafted in the 29th round in the 2018 Draft by the Mariners, Bobby played three seasons in their Minor League organization, primarily as a third baseman. Bobby last played in 2021, at the Double-A level.
Player: Cole Miller, RHP, Newbury Park HS (Calif.) (No. 121 prospect)
Drafted: No. 103 overall, Athletics
Relative: Mike Miller (father, former NFL player)
Cole’s father played in parts of two NFL seasons with the Giants and Saints from 1985-86. Mike caught seven passes for 170 yards in 16 games in his NFL career. The younger Miller will get to return to his home state of California, via joining the Oakland organization.
Player: Carson Rucker, 3B, Goodpasture Christian HS (Tenn.) (No. 132 prospect)
Drafted: No. 107 overall, Tigers
Relative: Jake (brother, currently in Twins Minors system)
Two years ago, Jake was drafted in the seventh round out of the University of Tennessee. Jake, a utility infielder, got to Triple-A last season, but currently is playing for Double-A Wichita.
Player: Wyatt Crowell, LHP, Florida State (No. 112 prospect)
Drafted: No. 127 overall, Dodgers
Relative: Ross Brooks (grandfather, former NHL goalie)
Brooks, who made his NHL debut at age 36, had an impressive 37-7-6 record across three seasons with the Boston Bruins between 1972-75.
Player: Homer Bush Jr., OF, Grand Canyon University (No. 94 prospect)
Drafted: No. 128 overall, Padres
Relative: Homer Bush (father, seven MLB seasons)
The elder Homer Bush, a second baseman, hit .380 in limited action as a rookie with the 1998 Yankees, winning a World Series title. He was traded to the Blue Jays in the ensuing offseason as part of the deal that sent Roger Clemens to the Bronx and David Wells to Toronto. Both Bushes were drafted by the Padres, though, as the elder Bush was a seventh-round pick by San Diego in 1991.
Player: Dylan Campbell, OF, Texas (No. 171 prospect)
Drafted: No. 136 overall, Dodgers
Relative: Donovan (father, four seasons in Minors)
Also an outfielder, Donovan was a 22nd-round pick by the Braves out of Texas Southern University in 1988. Campbell played four seasons in the Minors, three with the Braves organization and one with the Cardinals.
Player: Nathan Dettmer, RHP, Texas A&M (No. 198 prospect)
Drafted: No. 139 overall, Athletics
Relative: John Dettmer (father, two MLB seasons)
John was also a pitcher, and although his career was brief, he did make 12 appearances with the Rangers from 1994-95.
Player: Kyle Karros, 3B, UCLA (No. 136 prospect)
Drafted: No. 145 overall, Rockies
Relative: Eric Karros (father, 14 MLB seasons)
Eric also played for the Bruins and was selected in the 6th round of the 1988 Draft by the Dodgers, taking home NL Rookie of the Year honors in 1992. Kyle's older brother, Jared, played for UCLA and is a pitcher in the Dodgers' system. But Kyle could not complete the trifecta of going from UCLA star to Dodgers Draft pick, as he instead was taken by an NL West rival in Colorado.
Player: Kevin Sim, 1B, University of San Diego (No. 180 prospect)
Drafted: No. 148 overall, D-backs
Relative: Chong Soo Shim (father, former KBO player)
Like his son, Kevin's dad dreamed of having a Major League career, and while he didn't get the chance to play baseball in the United States, he had an incredible career in the KBO. He hit 300 home runs over 15 seasons -- his strength was so notorious, in fact, that he was nicknamed "Hercules" by a reporter when he was 20 years old.
Player: Connor O'Halloran, LHP, Michigan (No. 164 prospect)
Drafted: No. 157 overall, Blue Jays
Relative: Greg O'Halloran (father, one MLB season)
While his son was drafted in the early rounds, Greg flew under the radar in his time -- he was a 32nd-round pick by the Blue Jays in 1988 and played 12 games with the Marlins in the abbreviated 1994 season.
Player: Jonah Cox, OF, Oral Roberts (No. 161 prospect)
Drafted: No. 166 overall, Athletics
Relative: Darron Cox (father, one MLB season)
A 5th-round pick by the Reds in 1989, Darron appeared in 15 games with the Expos in 1999 and has served as a coach at several stops since retiring, including a stint in the Rockies organization.
Player: Jace Bohrofen, OF, Arkansas (No. 66 prospect)
Drafted: No. 184 overall, Blue Jays
Relative: Brent (father, two seasons in Minors)
Brent, an outfielder, played in the Cardinals organization from 1991-1992, reaching as high as Single-A.
Player: Lucas Braun, RHP, Cal State Northridge
Drafted: No. 189 overall, Braves
Relative: Ted Braun (father, film director)
An extremely accomplished film writer and director, Ted Braun’s list of accolades includes winning the NAACP Image Award for best documentary in 2007 (“Darfur Now”) and being named one of 25 filmmakers to change the world in 2008 by Money Maker Magazine. Braun currently serves as a Professor of Cinematic Arts at USC.
Player: Nick Goodwin, SS, Kansas State (No. 163 prospect)
Drafted: No. 214 overall, Blue Jays
Relatives: David (father) and Mark (uncle), both played in Minors
David, a first baseman, played three seasons in the Royals organization from 1998-2000, reaching as high as Double-A. Mark, an outfielder, played two seasons of Rookie ball with the Orioles organization from 1985-86.
Player: Ross Dunn, LHP, Arizona State (No. 140 prospect)
Drafted: No. 297 overall, Twins
Relative: Oliver (brother, currently in Phillies organization)
Oliver was an 11th-round pick by the Yankees out of Utah in the 2019 Draft. Primarily a second baseman, he reached as high as Triple-A last season, but is currently at Double-A Reading.
DAY 3 (TUESDAY)
Player: Drew Conover, RHP, Rutgers (No. 220 prospect)
Drafted: No. 316 overall, Athletics
Relative: Kevin (father, one season in Minors)
A fellow pitcher from Rutgers, Kevin was a 25th-round pick by the White Sox in the 1989 Draft. He played one season for the organization in Rookie ball.
Player: Jack Payton, C, Louisville (No. 148 prospect)
Drafted: No. 330 overall, Giants
Relatives: Dave (father, three seasons in Minors) and Mark Payton (brother, three MLB seasons)
Dave played in the Cardinals organization from 1987-89 primarily as a third baseman, getting up to High-A ball. Mark, an outfielder, made his MLB debut in 2020 and has played in 40 career games, but he currently plays for the Saitama Seibu Lions of NPB.
Player: Paulshawn Pasqualotto, RHP, California (No. 248 prospect)
Drafted: No. 357 overall, Twins
Relative: Lauren Kaskie (cousin, pro soccer player)
Kaskie was a four-year letter winner at UCLA, including being a part of the Bruins' national championship team in 2013, and proceeded to be drafted by the Chicago Red Stars of the NWSL in 2017. She most recently played professionally in Sweden.
Player: Charles McAdoo, 2B, San Jose State
Drafted: No. 377 overall, Pirates
Relatives: James Michael, Bob (both cousins)
Bob is an NBA Hall of Famer as a center and power forward, being named the 1974-75 NBA MVP and winning two championships with the Lakers later in his career. James Michael didn't have as much individual success, but did win two NBA championships with the Warriors in the 2010s.
Player: Zach Joyce, RHP, Tennessee
Drafted: No. 414 overall, Angels
Relative: Ben Joyce (brother, Angels pitcher)
Zach's older brother, Ben, best known for his triple-digit fastball velocity, made his Major League debut in May and is currently working his way back from ulnar neuritis.
Player: Nate Rombach, C, Dallas Baptist
Drafted: No. 525 overall, Nationals
Relative: Deron Rombach (father, former Braves scout)
Deron, a national crosschecker for the Braves, had a 30-year scouting career that included stints with the Astros and Orioles.
Player: Stone Russell, C, IMG Academy (Fla.)
Drafted: No. 529 overall, Royals
Relative: Jack Russell (10 MLB seasons, former Pirates manager)
As a catcher and outfielder, Jack was the 13th overall pick by the Phillies in the 1982 Draft. His best season came in 1986, when he had 13 home runs in 93 games for Philadelphia. He moved across the state for his managerial career, though, serving as the Pirates manager from 2008-10.
Player: Tanner Witt, RHP, Texas (No. 76 prospect)
Drafted: No. 541 overall, Orioles
Relative: Kevin Witt (father, five MLB seasons)
Kevin, a first-round pick by the Blue Jays in 1994, spent parts of five seasons in the big leagues, suiting up for the Blue Jays, Padres, Tigers and Rays.
Player: Drew Bowser, 3B, Stanford
Drafted: No. 596 overall, Cubs
Relative: Yvette Lee Bowser (mother, television writer), Kyle Bowser (father, Senior VP at NAACP)
Yvette is a long-time television writer and producer, and in the 1990s she was the first Black woman to develop her own primetime series, Living Single. Kyle has been an entertainment executive for over two decades and now runs the NAACP's Hollywood Bureau.