What Chicago fans need to know for the MLB Draft

What Chicago fans need to know for the MLB Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, the Baltimore Orioles select…

In just a matter of time, those words are set to hit the stage when the latest edition of the MLB draft begins. 

This year’s draft will take place in Los Angeles, Calif. in a three-day event as the Orioles pick first overall for the second time in four years after grabbing catcher Adley Rutschman – who made his debut this season – in 2019. 

The Cubs own the seventh pick in the upcoming draft, putting them in position to target best-player-available rather than address a specific. The top-seven picks seem to be a mostly-consensus combination of Druw Jones (CF), Jackson Holliday (SS), Elijah Green (LF), Brooks Lee (3B), Termarr Johnson (2B), Kevin Parada (C), and Cam Collier (3B). It’s likely to be one of the infielders who falls to the Cubs.

The White Sox have the No. 26 pick in the draft and many experts believe they will be eyeing pitching prospects. That could include former Vanderbilt ace Kumar Rocker, who was selected last year by the Mets with the No. 10 pick but failed his physical and was not offered a contract. The 22-year-old spent a season with the independent Tri-City ValleyCats to show he was healthy before re-entering the draft.  

Here’s how you can watch the 2022 MLB Draft:

When is the 2022 MLB Draft?

The 2022 MLB Draft runs from Sunday, July 17, to Tuesday, July 19. Start time for the first two rounds is 7 p.m. ET. The second day will get underway at 2 p.m. ET for Rounds 3-10, and Rounds 11-20 will begin on Tuesday at the same time. 

Where is the 2022 MLB Draft?

As aforementioned, this year’s draft will be in Southern California, as the Los Angeles Dodgers are also hosting the 2022 MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 19. 

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How to watch the 2022 MLB Draft

MLB Network will broadcast the first two rounds of the draft on Sunday. ESPN will air the first round only. All remaining picks will be streamed on MLB.com. 

What is the 2022 MLB Draft order?

The first round of the draft has three compensation picks going out, with the Cincinnati Reds having the last pick before the second round commences. The New York Mets will have two first-round selections at No. 11 and 14 overall, with the former being a compensatory pick. 

Here’s the full order for the first round:

1. Baltimore Orioles

2. Arizona Diamondbacks

3. Texas Rangers

4. Pittsburgh Pirates

5. Washington Nationals

6. Miami Marlins

7. Chicago Cubs

8. Minnesota Twins

9. Kansas City Royals

10. Colorado Rockies

11. New York Mets* (compensation pick)

12. Detroit Tigers

13. Los Angeles Angels

14. New York Mets

15. San Diego Padres

16. Cleveland Guardians

17. Philadelphia Phillies

18. Cincinnati Reds

19. Oakland Athletics

20. Atlanta Braves

21. Seattle Mariners

22. St. Louis Cardinals

23. Toronto Blue Jays

24. Boston Red Sox

25. New York Yankees

26. Chicago White Sox

27. Milwaukee Brewers

28. Houston Astros

29. Tampa Bay Rays

30. San Francisco Giants

31. Colorado Rockies (compensation pick for losing Trevor Story)

32. Cincinnati Reds (compensation pick for losing Nick Castellanos)

*The Mets received the No. 11 overall pick as compensation after failing to sign 2021 No. 10 overall pick Kumar Rocker. 

**The Dodgers don't have a first-round pick because they were penalized for going over the competitive balance tax. Their first pick was pushed back to No. 40 overall, 10 slots away from their original selection at No. 30. 

The rest of the 20-round draft order can be found here.