These 2023 Draft prospects have famous family ties

These 2023 Draft prospects have famous family ties

July 6th, 2023

Last year, the sons of two big-leaguers -- Matt Holliday's son, Jackson, and Andruw Jones' son, Druw -- were the first two players off the board for the first time in MLB Draft history. They were two of 12 first-rounders with legacies behind them, lending the youth-focused event an air of nostalgia.

While this year's Draft class has a different feel, there are still plenty of names you'll recognize when they're called this week. Here's a look at some of the 2023 Draft-eligible players with famous relatives, in baseball and elsewhere.

• Draft Central | Order | Bonus pools and pick values | Top 250 Prospects | Latest mock

TOP 250 DRAFT PROSPECTS

Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon (No. 10 prospect)
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.

Yohandy Morales, SS, Miami (No. 20 prospect)
Relative: Andy Morales (father, Cuban baseball star)
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.

George Lombard Jr., SS, Gulliver Prep School (Fla.) (No. 31 prospect)
Relative: (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.

Jake Gelof, 3B, Virginia (No. 35 prospect)
Relative: (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.

Paul Wilson, LHP, Lakeridge HS (Ore.) (No. 51 prospect)
Relative: Trevor Wilson (father, pitcher, 8 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.

Tai Peete, SS, Trinity Christian HS (Ga.) (No. 53 prospect)
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.

Myles Naylor, 3B, St. Joan of Arc Catholic SS (Ontario) (No. 64 prospect)
Relatives: Josh and Bo Naylor (brothers, teammates on the Cleveland Guardians)
Make way for another Naylor. Myles' older brothers were both 1st-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.

Will Gasparino, OF, Harvard-Westlake HS (Calif.) (No. 75 prospect)
Relative: Billy Gasparino (father, Dodgers VP of amateur scouting)
Billy is in his ninth season working for the Dodgers and his fourth as the club’s vice president of amateur scouting. He previously worked for the Padres, Blue Jays and Guardians. He was a 17th-round Draft pick of the Rockies in 1999.

Tanner Witt, RHP, Texas (No. 76 prospect)
Relative: (father, 5 MLB seasons)
Kevin, a 1st-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.

Caden Sorrell, OF, Marcus HS (Texas) (No. 79 prospect)
Relatives: Billy Sorrell and Tom Griffin (grandfathers, both played in MLB)
Caden’s baseball lineage is quite unique. Billy Sorrell, his paternal grandfather, was the 10,000th player in MLB history. He played one season each for the Phillies, Giants and Royals. Maternal grandfather Tom Griffin was drafted fourth overall by the Astros in 1966 and spent 14 years in the Majors.

Homer Bush Jr., OF, Grand Canyon (No. 94 prospect)
Relative: (father, 7 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.

Wyatt Crowell, LHP, Florida State (No. 112 prospect)
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.

Cole Miller, RHP, Newbury Park HS (Calif.) (No. 121 prospect)
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.

Andrew Walters, RHP, Miami (No. 124 prospect)
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.

Parker Detmers, RHP, Glenwood HS (Ill.) (No. 131 prospect)
Relative: (brother, Angels pitcher)
While Parker is a right-hander, his oldest brother, Reid, is a lefty in the Angels’ starting rotation. He was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 Draft and debuted with Los Angeles the following year.

Kyle Karros, 3B, UCLA (No. 136 prospect)
Relative: (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, is a pitcher in the Dodgers' system.

Gavin Grahovac, OF/C, Villa Park HS (Calif.) (No. 146 prospect)
Relative: Garrett Mitchell (cousin, Brewers outfielder) and Mike Grahovac (father, 3 MiLB seasons)
The No. 20 pick in the 2020 Draft, Mitchell was ranked the club’s No. 4 prospect entering the 2023 season but hasn’t played since April due to a shoulder injury. Gavin's dad, Mike, was a 4th-round pick by the Giants in 1989.

Jack Payton, C, Louisville (No. 148 prospect)
Relatives: Dave (father, 3 seasons in Minors) and (brother, 3 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.

Jonah Cox, OF, Oral Roberts (No. 161 prospect)
Relative: Darron Cox (father, 1 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.

Connor O’Halloran, LHP, Michigan (No. 164 prospect)
Relative: Greg O'Halloran (father, 1 MLB season)
While his son is a ranked prospect, 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.

Kevin Sim, 1B, San Diego (No. 180 prospect)
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.

Nathan Dettmer, RHP, Texas A&M (No. 198 prospect)
Relative: John Dettmer (father, 2 MLB seasons)
John was also a pitcher, and although his career was brief, he did make 12 appearances with the Rangers from 1994-95.

Drue Hackenberg, RHP, Virginia Tech (No. 200 prospect)
Relative: Christian (brother, former NFL player), Brandon (brother, professional soccer player) and (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.

OTHERS OF NOTE

Jaden Agassi, RHP, USC
Relatives: Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf (parents, former pro tennis players)
Of all the relatives on this list, none have been more successful in their sport than Agassi and Graf, two of the greatest players tennis has ever seen. Agassi won eight Grand Slam singles titles -- a distant second in his own family to Graf (22).

Derrick Mayes II, OF, Maryland Eastern Shore
Relative: Russell Wilson (cousin, NFL player)
Not only is Wilson a Super Bowl champion and nine-time Pro Bowler, but he was also a fourth-round Draft pick by the Rockies back in 2010, spending two seasons in Colorado’s Minor League system as a second baseman. He has continued to dabble in baseball since.

Kevin Madden Jr., 3B, South Carolina
Relative: Joe Flacco (cousin, NFL player)
A longtime NFL quarterback, most notably for the Ravens, Flacco was the MVP of Super Bowl XLVII, leading Baltimore to a title. Madden has played collegiately for Virginia Tech and South Carolina and entered the NCAA transfer portal earlier this year.

Brody DeLamielleure, OF, Bartram Trail HS (Fla.)
Relative: Joe DeLamielleure (distant cousin, NFL Hall of Famer), Richard DeLamielleure (1 MiLB season)
Although Brody has said he's never met Joe, his grandfather, Richard, also had a brief career in professional sports, appearing in 45 games in the Twins' farm system in 1961.

Braden Halladay, RHP, High Point
Relative: (father, 16 MLB seasons, 2019 Hall of Fame inductee)
Braden's dad is a man who needs no introduction. In his career, spent with the Blue Jays and Phillies, Roy was an eight-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young Award winner (2003, 2010), and threw the second no-hitter in postseason history (2010 NLDS Game 1) and the 20th perfect game in AL/NL history (May 29, 2010 vs. Marlins.) He was posthumously elected into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Orlando Hernandez, RHP, Florida International
Relatives: (father, 9 MLB seasons), (uncle, 17 MLB seasons).
“El Duque” carved out a lengthy career in the Majors, despite not arriving from Cuba until he was 32. A right-handed pitcher like his son, he made over 200 starts and became known as a terrific postseason performer, posting a 2.55 ERA in more than 100 playoff innings that yielded four World Series championships. As for Livan, he was a two-time All-Star and also was at his best when the lights shined brightest, winning World Series MVP in 1997 with the Marlins.

Luke Bell, RHP, Xavier
Relative: Mike Bell (father, 1 MLB season, former coach/executive), David Bell (uncle, Reds manager, 12 MLB seasons), Buddy Bell (grandfather, 18 MLB seasons, former manager), Gus Bell (great-grandfather, 15 MLB seasons)
The Bells are one of five families to have three generations play Major League Baseball, but no family has ever produced a fourth-generation Major Leaguer -- yet. Luke's late father, Mike, was serving as the Twins' bench coach at the time of his passing in 2021.

Cole Roberts, SS, Loyola Marymount
Relative: Dave Roberts (father, Dodgers manager)
Dave transitioned from a pivotal base-stealer over 10 MLB seasons to one of the most successful managers in today’s game. The Dodgers have won more than 60 percent of their games under his watch.

Teddy Cashman, SS, Avon Old Farms (Conn.)
Relative: Brian Cashman (father, Yankees GM/senior vice president)
Dad Brian took over as general manager in New York in 1998, well before Teddy was born, and is now MLB”s longest-tenured head baseball operations executive.

Jaxon Goldberg, SS, Blue Valley North HS (Kan.)
Relative: Lonnie Goldberg (father, Royals' VP of Player Personnel)
Jaxon's dad spent four seasons in the Minors before turning to a career in scouting. Lonnie is now in his 16th season in the Royals' front office, having served as the club's Director of Scouting and Director of Baseball Ops during his tenure.

Erubiel Candelario Jr., RHP, Pittsburgh
Relative: (cousin, Nationals third baseman)
Jeimer, an infielder, was originally signed by the Cubs at age 16 and has since appeared in parts of eight seasons with Chicago, Detroit and Washington.

Gavin Casas, 3B, South Carolina
Relative: (brother, Red Sox first baseman)
Gavin and Triston are separated in age by just over a year, but Triston, the 26th overall pick of the 2018 Draft, elected to sign out of high school.

Zach Joyce, RHP, Tennessee
Relative: (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.

Benjamin Vespi, RHP, Central Florida
Relative: (brother, Orioles pitcher)
Nick, an 18th-round pick by the Orioles in 2015, made 25 appearances with the club in 2022 and has spent the majority of the 2023 season putting up great numbers for Triple-A Norfolk.

Alex Overbay, 3B, Tumwater HS (Wash.)
Relative: (father, 14 MLB seasons)
Lyle had a long and successful big league career, hitting 151 home runs across 14 seasons spent between the D-backs, Brewers, Blue Jays, Pirates, Braves and Yankees organizations.

Amari Bartee, OF, Marshall
Relative: (father, 6 MLB seasons, former MLB coach)
Amari's dad, Kimera, was a 14th-round pick by the Orioles in 1993 and turned to coaching following his playing career, making it back to the Majors with the Pirates, Phillies and Tigers. At the time of his passing in 2021, he was serving as Detroit's first-base coach.

Caden Marcum, RHP, no school
Relative: (uncle, 9 MLB seasons)
In Shaun’s heyday with the Blue Jays and Brewers from 2008-’12, the righty pitched to a 3.57 ERA over 671 1/3 innings. Caden was a 13th-round pick of the Rangers last year but didn’t sign.

Mason Greer, 3B, Missouri State
Relative: (father, 9 MLB seasons)
Rusty was a near-constant presence in the Rangers outfield in the late '90s, ending his career with a .305/.387/.478 line.

Jack Harnisch, 2B, Santa Clara
Relative: (father, 14 MLB seasons)
Jack’s dad accomplished plenty over his long career, logging nearly 2,000 innings and earning a selection to the 1991 NL All-Star team.

Hoss Brewer, RHP, Arkansas-Little Rock
Relative: (brother, Yankees pitcher)
Currently at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Colten Brewer has pitched 99 1/3 career MLB innings with the Padres, Red Sox and Yankees since 2018.

Garrett Bevacqua, 3B, St. Cloud State
Relative: Kurt Bevacqua (father, 15 MLB seasons)
Garrett's dad was a pinch-hitter extraordinaire for 15 big league seasons with six different teams from 1971-85. Bevacqua's career highlight was the 1984 World Series with the Padres -- San Diego fell to the juggernaut Tigers, but a 37-year-old Bevacqua hit .412 with a pair of homers.

Solen Munson, C, Hempstead HS (Iowa)
Relative: Eric Munson (father, 9 MLB seasons)
Solen’s father saw time at third base, first base, catcher and even the outfield during his nine-year Major League career, which was spent with the Tigers, Rays, Astros and A’s.

Jaxon Willits, SS, Ft. Cobb-Broxton HS (Okla.)
Relative: (father, 6 MLB seasons, former MLB coach)
Jaxon’s dad was an Angel in the outfield for six years, finishing fifth in 2007 AL Rookie of the Year Award voting after stealing 27 bases for the Halos that year. He was the Yankees' first base coach from 2018-21.

Anthony Susac, RHP, Arizona
Relative: (cousin, A's No. 4 prospect), (cousin, 6 MLB seasons)
Andrew Susac caught for the Giants, Brewers, Orioles and Pirates during his Major League career. Daniel, also a catcher, is currently at High-A Lansing in the A’s farm system.

Jackson Dannelley, RHP, Purdue
Relative: (cousin, 5 MLB seasons)
Sampson turned in a solid career for the Astros, totaling more than 350 innings -- most of them in relief -- across five years in Houston.

Tyler LaRue, C, Houston Christian
Relative: (father, 12 MLB seasons)
Tyler got his affinity for catching from dad Jason, who was known for his defense – his career-high 61% caught stealing percentage in 2001 has only been topped twice since.

Elijah Jackson, SS, Chico State
Relative: (father, 11 MLB seasons)
Damian was selected by Cleveland in the 44th round -- which no longer exists -- but beat the odds to put together a long career as an infielder, most notably with San Diego.

Jaison Andujar, OF, Culver-Stockton College
Relative: Joaquin Andujar (father, 13 MLB seasons)
Joaquin, who passed away in 2015, has a home among the finest Dominican-born pitchers in MLB history -- he made four All-Star appearances and won a World Series in 1982.

Jace Norton, SS, Auburn HS (Ala.)
Relative: (father, 13 MLB seasons, former MLB coach)
Greg racked up 600 hits and 89 home runs over a 13-year career in which he played for six different teams. He spent his first five years with the White Sox, his longest stint with any team.

Nate Rombach, C, Dallas Baptist
Relative: Deron Rombach (father, Braves scout)
Deron, a national crosschecker for the Braves, had a 30-year scouting career that included stints with the Astros and Orioles.

Cole Gabrielson, OF, USC
Relative: Len Gabrielson (grandfather, 9 MLB seasons)
Playing all three outfield spots as well as first base, Len was a versatile fielder for the Milwaukee Braves, Cubs, Giants, Angels and Dodgers. Len’s father and Cole’s great-grandfather, who was also named Len, appeared in five games for the 1939 Phillies.

Finley Bates, SS, Douglas County HS (Colo.)
Relative: Jason Bates (father, 4 MLB seasons)
Finley’s father spent the 1995-1998 seasons with the Rockies, hitting a career-high eight home runs during his rookie season in 1995.

Chris Brito, 1B, Rutgers-New Brunswick
Relative: Tilson Brito (father, 2 MLB seasons)
The elder Brito made his debut with the Blue Jays in 1996, playing in 92 games with Toronto and Oakland across two seasons before nine productive years in Korea and China.

Kris Armstrong, 3B, Jacksonville
Relative: Jack Armstrong (father, 7 MLB seasons)
Jack, a right-handed pitcher, was an NL All-Star with the Reds in 1990, going 12-9 with a 3.42 ERA. He spent four years with Cincinnati and also played for Cleveland, the Marlins and the Rangers.

Mason Eckelman, C, Walsh Jesuit HS (Ohio)
Relative: Alex Eckelman (father, 9 MiLB seasons, Guardians' VP of hitting)
Alex was an infielder in the Cardinals and Astros systems, but he's put together an even more successful career as a scout and coach with Cleveland.

Cashel Dugger, C, Valor Christian HS (Colo.)
Relative: Keith Dugger (father, Rockies' head athletic trainer)
Keith has been working as a trainer in professional baseball for over 30 years and has been in his current role as Colorado's head athletic trainer since 2005.

Hale Sims, RHP, UNC Charlotte
Relative: Phil Roof (grandfather, 15 MLB seasons), Eric, Jonathan and Shawn Roof (cousins, former MiLB players)
Hale's grandfather was a catcher in the 1960s and 70s, spending time with eight clubs. Each of his cousins also played pro ball -- Eric caught in the Tigers' system, Jonathan was a utility player with the Rangers, Padres, Phillies and Red Sox, and Shawn was an infielder with the Tigers and Twins.

Lucas Braun, RHP, Cal State Northridge
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.

Drew Bowser, SS, Stanford
Relative: Yvette Lee Bowser (mother, television writer), Kyle Bowser (father, Senior VP at NAACP)
Mom 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. Dad Kyle has been an entertainment executive for over two decades and now runs the NAACP's Hollywood Bureau.

Braydon Runion, 3B, New Mexico
Relative: Tony Runion (uncle, 15 MiLB seasons), Mike Mitchell (uncle, former NFL player)
Braydon's uncle Tony had a long career as a relief pitcher both in the Minors and in Indy ball; uncle Mike spent ten years in the NFL with the Raiders, Panthers, Steelers and Colts.

TJ McKenzie, OF, Vanderbilt
Relative: (brother, Guardians pitcher)
TJ's older brother is Guardians starter Triston, who had an excellent 2022 season but has missed much of the 2023 season due to an elbow injury.

Cade VanAllen, RHP, San Jose State
Relative: Mark VanAllen (father, former NFL player), Cory VanAllen (cousin, 7 MiLB seasons)
Cade's dad was on the 1987 Raiders' replacement roster, and cousin Cory was a 5th-round pick by the Nationals in 2006.

Keegan Pulford-Thorpe, LHP, Wayne State
Relative: Paul Thorpe (father, 7 MiLB seasons), Bob Pulford (uncle, former NHL player)
Paul, a right-hander, spent his entire Minor League career with the Orioles, advancing as high as Triple-A. Keegan's uncle, Bob, had a 16-year career in the NHL and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Joey Mundt, RHP, Oregon State
Relative: Johnny Mundt (brother, NFL player)
Johnny, who went to the University of Oregon -- awkward -- was a member of the 2021 Super Bowl Champion Rams and is currently with the Vikings.

Joseph Mannelly IV, LHP, Georgia Tech
Relative: Patrick Mannelly (uncle, former NFL player)
Patrick had a long career with the Chicago Bears, spanning 16 seasons from 1998-2013, and the award given each year to the top NCAA DI long snapper bears his name. And, since Joseph is a pitcher, we'd be remiss not to mention that Patrick's wife, Tamara, is Tommy John's daughter. Yes, that Tommy John.

Rob Ready, RHP, UNC Greensboro
Relative: Sean Landeta (uncle, former NFL player)
Landeta was an NFL punter for 22 seasons from 1985-2006 and was a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Giants in 1986 and 1990.

Anthony Herron Jr., 1B, New Orleans
Relative: Noah Herron (cousin, former NFL player)
Noah was the Steelers' 7th-round pick in 2005 and played in parts of two seasons with Pittsburgh and Green Bay.

Joshua Rolling, SS, Cal State Sacramento
Relative: Henry Rolling (father, former NFL player)
Josh's dad, Henry, was a 5th-round pick by the Buccaneers in 1987 and had a seven-year career in the NFL with the Bucs, Chargers and Rams.

Owen Diodati, OF, Oregon
Relative: Doug Rombough (grandfather, former NHL player)
Doug, who passed away in 2015, spent six years in the NHL (1972-76) with the Sabres, Islanders and Stars.

Nick Wallerstedt, RHP, Long Beach State
Relative: Brett Wallerstedt (father, former NFL player)
His son is a pitcher, but Brett was a linebacker, logging time with the Cardinals, Broncos, Bengals and Rams in a five-year NFL career.

Ben Peterson, RHP, North Carolina
Relative: Doug Peterson (father, former All-ACC kicker)
Ben's dad, Doug, was Duke's kicker for three seasons (1986-88) and holds the fourth-highest field goal percentage in Blue Devils program history.