MLB Draft its in The Bloodline

[Bill22]

It's in the blood
Round
Team
Player
MLB Player
Relation
1 BOS Reymond Fuentes Carlos Beltran Cousin
3 LAD Brett Wallach Tim Wallach Father
3 BOS David Renfroe Laddie Renfroe Father
4 OAK Max Stassi Myril Hoag Uncle
6 DET Daniel Fields Bruce Fields Father
6 TOR Kristopher Hobson Butch Hobson Father
6 TEX Ruben Sierra Jr. Ruben Sierra Father
6 SEA Brian Moran B.J. Surhoff Uncle
12 BAL Steven Bumbry Al Bumbry Father
14 TOR Lance Durham Leon Durham Father
16 SD Griffin Benedict Bruce Benedict Father
16 BOS Luke Bard Daniel Bard Brother
18 DET Eric Roof Gene Roof Father
19 NYY Luke Murton Matt Murton Brother
20 DET James Gulliver Glenn Gulliver Father
24 LAA Taylor Kinzer Matt Kinzer Father
29 TOR Zach Outman Josh Outman Brother
30 TEX Anthony Hutting Jamie Shields Cousin
Aaron Rowand Cousin
30 KC Josh Worrell Todd Worrell Father
30 TB Marcus Proctor Marcus Jensen Father
32 TEX Reggie Williams Jr. Reggie Williams Father
34 TOR Jonathan Fernandez Tony Fernandez Father
34 WAS Shane McCatty Steve McCatty Father
36 BOS Mike Yastrzemski Carl Yastrzemski Grandfather
38 PHI Cory Wine Robbie Wine Father
Bobby Wine Grandfather
40 LAD Ryan Christenson Gary Christenson Father
40 PHI Robert Amaro Ruben Amaro Uncle
41 ARI Cade Kreuter Chad Kreuter Father
42 OAK Blake Crosby Bobby Crosby Brother
43 DET Andrew Allen Rod Allen Father
43 CWS Tyler Williams Ken Williams Father
44 WAS Hoby Milner Brian Milner Father
45 ARI Beau Amaral Rich Amaral Father
45 TOR Brandon Kaye Scott Richmond Half-brother
45 CWS Harold Baines, Jr. Harold Baines Father
45 BOS Kyle Arnesberg Brad Arnesberg Father
46 LAA Philip Bando Chris Bando Father
Sal Bando Uncle
46 WAS Seth Greene Tommy Greene Father
47 SEA David Holman Brian Holman Father
47 CHC Joseph Jocketty Walt Jocketty Father
48 DET Jake Porcello Rick Porcello Brother
48 KC Kevin Kuntz Rusty Kuntz Father
49 COL Mark Tracy Chad Tracy Brother
Jim Tracy Father

[zammos1]

Mike Flacco, brother of Joe, was drafted in the 31st Round by the Orioles.

[ohiomike]

It's in the blood

43 CWS Tyler Williams Ken Williams Father
47 CHC Joseph Jocketty Walt Jocketty Father
48 DET Jake Porcello Rick Porcello Brother


I found these 3 to be the most... um, entertaining. First you have a clear case of nepotism with the White Sox GM taking his son. But then you have the Cubs taking the Reds GM's son!?! I would not let dad live that one down if I were Joseph. Then finally you have the token brother taken by the same team that signed the big name prospect... whatever happened to Jake Mauer anyway?

[VinnyH]

Sometimes it's a courtesy pick when it's the late rounds. It reinforces some teams sense of family to look after the offspring of their players. It may not happen as much now but 20 years ago I knew guys who were drafted mostly because of their relations in the late rounds. It's the home organization giving them a shot.

IMHO

Best to All,
Vinny

[Bobcat88]

It's not a big deal. Boston wouldn't waste their first round pick on Fuentes if they didn't think he was going to be good, whether he's Beltran's cousin or not. The same is true for all the higher picks. Renfroe is considered a very, very good ballplayer, as is Stassi, etc... At the top it's also more a cause of correlation as oppose to causation. It's not surprising that a decent share of ballplayers have fathers/uncles/brothers that played pro ball. Having that in the family makes it all the more likely that the recent draftee would play ball, get good instruction, and have available baseball resources and such.

In the lower rounds, most of the picks are just token picks. Ken Williams taking his own son, for example. Once you get into the late rounds, 30's and 40's for example, most of the picks are either filler (you need to fill rookie league teams after all, even if not all the players are prospects), guys that aren't going to sign, or just tokens of good faith. An example of this would be the Red Sox drafting Josh Papelbon (brother of Jonathan) a couple years back, who has no future in the majors as a submarinie-throwing reliever that tops out in the low/mid-80's.

Luke Bard, Dan's brother, will actually be a tough sign as he is relatively likely to go to college. It would actually be a great pick if the Red Sox could sign him. The same is true for Mike Yastrzemski. Both of those guys are legitimate prospects but likely to go to college which is why they fell.

The Tyler Williams pick is obviously just because he's Ken's son, but I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I doubt anyone from round 43 of this year's draft (unless there is a signability pick that dropped, I haven't checked -- but that's totally different) will even sniff the bigs. Why not take your GM's kid? I'm sure he's a decent player at least.

Another one you missed would be Regan Flaherty. He's the younger brother of Cubs prospect SS Ryan Flaherty (Vanderbilt), who was drafted last year. Regan has a scholarship to go to Vandy as well, but the Mariners drafted him in the 29th and are apparently willing to make him a pretty decent offer this summer.