PHILADELPHIA -- MLB Develops continues to live up to its name.
Four alumni from the program were selected in the first round -- including three of the first 14 picks -- of Sunday’s MLB Draft, bringing the total to 22 MLB Develops first-rounders since 2022.
“It’s important to the game, to MLB as an organization, to MLB Develops as a pipeline to the next level of competition,” said Tony Reagins, MLB’s chief baseball development officer. “It demonstrates that the league is creating opportunities for the next generation of amateur players.”
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Zion Rose went No. 6 overall to the Royals, AJ Gracia went No. 9 to the Braves, Jacob Lombard went No. 14 to the Marlins and Cade Townsend went No. 23 to the Cubs.
Rose, a 21-year-old outfielder from the University of Louisville, was the first MLB Develops alumnus selected on Sunday.
Rose has a lengthy connection to MLB Develops, first participating in the 2018 Hank Aaron Invitational. Since then, Rose also took part in the 2019 and 2022 Hank Aaron Invitational, the 2019 and 2022 Breakthrough Series, the 2020 and 2023 Dream Series and the 2022 High School All-American Game.
“To know the kid at a young age, we were around him when he was 14 years old and you could see the makings of a Major League Baseball player,” Reagins said. “The thing that stood out to our staff was his leadership and athletic ability. Knowing that he was selected at the top is great; he’s a kid who deserves it, he’s a kid who’s worked tirelessly.”
Rose is the 16th Dream Series participant to be selected in the first round since 2017, joining a list that includes Hunter Greene, Jordan Walker, Justin Crawford and Kumar Rocker. Also on that list are current MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospects Braden Montgomery (No. 23) and Kayson Cunningham (No. 70), the latter of whom was taken by the Diamondbacks in the first round last year.
“We’re really proud of Zion, being from Chicago and coming through our Develops programs,” said Del Matthews, MLB’s senior vice president of baseball development. “He fittingly won our Rob Picciolo sportsmanship and leadership award. What he’s contributed as a player and student-athlete, flourishing at Louisville and being named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, he’s been a great representative of MLB Develops. When you look at his development, it’s been tremendous to see him being drafted sixth overall. It’s a testament to the continued growth and success of our programs.”
Gracia, an outfielder from the University of Virginia, was selected at No. 9 by the Braves. The 21-year-old participated in the 2022 Hank Aaron Invitational.
“It’s a really good way to grow the game, for sure,” Gracia said. “There’s a lot of good exposure for everyone. There’s a ton of good competition. You play against them in high school and then run into them throughout college. You build a lot of friendships along the way in MLB Develops and that even was amazing. One of my favorite baseball experiences, for sure.”
With the No. 14 pick, the Marlins selected local product Lombard, an infielder from Gulliver High School in Miami. The 18-year-old is the son of former Major Leaguer George Lombard and younger brother of Yankees No. 1 prospect George Lombard Jr.
Lombard took part in three MLB Develops events: the 2024 Hank Aaron Invitational, the 2025 High School All-American Game and the 2025 High School Home Run Derby.
Townsend was selected by the Cubs at No. 23, making him the fourth MLB Develops player taken in the first round. Townsend, a 21-year-old right-hander from the University of Mississippi, participated in the 2022 States Play Invitational, a program established in 2018 to help identify many of the nation’s premier young talents.
Aiden Ruiz, an infielder from Stony Brook High School in Long Island, New York, was selected in the second round (No. 44) by the Pirates. Ruiz participated in the 2023 and 2025 Hank Aaron Invitational, the 2025 Breakthrough Series and the 2025 High School All-American Game.
First baseman Myles Bailey from Florida State University was selected at No. 75 by the Cubs; Bailey participated in the 2023 Hank Aaron Invitational.