2001 Major League Baseball draft


The 2001 Major League Baseball draft, was held on June 5 and 6.

First round selections

PickPlayerTeamPositionSchool
1Joe MauerMinnesota TwinsCCretin-Derham Hall High School (MN)
2Mark PriorChicago CubsRHPSouthern California|USC]
3Dewon BrazeltonTampa Bay Devil RaysRHPTennessee State University|Middle Tennessee]
4Gavin FloydPhiladelphia PhilliesRHPMount Saint Joseph High School (MD)
5Mark TeixeiraTexas Rangers3BGeorgia Tech
6Josh KarpMontreal ExposRHPCalifornia
7Chris SmithBaltimore OriolesLHPCumberland
8John Van BenschotenPittsburgh PiratesRHPKent State
9Colt GriffinKansas City RoyalsRHPMarshall High School (TX)
10Chris BurkeHouston AstrosSSTennessee
11Kenny BaughDetroit TigersRHPRice
12Mike JonesMilwaukee BrewersRHPThunderbird High School (AZ)
13Casey KotchmanAnaheim Angels1BSeminole High School (FL)
14Jake GautreauSan Diego Padres1B-3BTulane
15Gabe GrossToronto Blue JaysLFAuburn
16Kris HonelChicago White SoxRHPProvidence Catholic High School (IL)
17Dan DenhamCleveland IndiansRHPDeer [Valley High School (California)|Deer Valley High School (CA)]
18Aaron HeilmanNew York MetsRHPNotre Dame
19Mike FontenotBaltimore Orioles2BLSU
20Jeremy SowersCincinnati RedsLHPBallard High School (KY)
21Brad HennesseySan Francisco GiantsRHPYoungstown State
22Jason BulgerArizona DiamondbacksRHPValdosta State
23John-Ford GriffinNew York YankeesRFFlorida State
24Macay McBrideAtlanta BravesLHPScreven County High School (GA)
25Bobby CrosbyOakland AthleticsSSLong Beach State
26Jeremy BondermanOakland AthleticsRHPPasco High School (WA)
27William HorneCleveland IndiansRHPMarianna High School (FL)
28Justin PopeSt. Louis CardinalsRHPUCF
29Josh BurrusAtlanta BravesSSWheeler High School (GA)
30Noah LowrySan Francisco GiantsLHPPepperdine

Supplemental first round selections

PickPlayerTeamPositionSchool
31Bryan BassBaltimore OriolesSSSeminole High School (FL)
32Michael WoodsDetroit Tigers2BSouthern
33Jeff MathisAnaheim AngelsCMarianna High School (FL)
34Bronson SardinhaNew York YankeesSSKamehameha High School (HI)
35J. D. MartinCleveland IndiansRHPSherman E. Burroughs High School (CA)
36Michael GarciaparraSeattle MarinersSSDon Bosco Technical Institute
37John RheineckerOakland AthleticsLHPSouthwest Missouri State
38David WrightNew York Mets3BHickory High School (VA)
39Wyatt AllenChicago White SoxRHPTennessee
40Richard LewisAtlanta Braves2BGeorgia Tech
41Todd LindenSan Francisco GiantsOFLSU
42Jon SkaggsNew York YankeesRHPRice
43Mike ConroyCleveland IndiansOFBoston College High School (MA)
44Jayson NixColorado RockiesSSMidland High School (TX)

Background

On June 1, 2001, Rolando Viera, a Cuban baseball pitcher who had recently left Cuba, attempted to enjoin Major League Baseball from including him in the 2001 draft so that he could instead sign as a free agent. Viera, represented by attorney Alan Gura and agent Joe Kehoskie, claimed that the MLB draft was discriminatory because it had different signing rules for Cubans than for other foreign players. On June 4, federal judge James D. Whittemore ruled that whatever financial loss Viera suffered from being subject to the draft did not satisfy the federal injunction requirement of irreparable harm. Viera was picked by the Boston Red Sox that same week in the seventh round of the draft.
The Minnesota Twins selected St. Paul, MN native Joe Mauer with the number one pick in the 2001 draft. The 18-year-old Mauer, a catcher from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, became the seventh Minnesotan to be selected in the first round and the first to be chosen number one overall. The back-stop was a member of the USA Junior National Team and won a gold medal at the world tournament in Taiwan in 1999. He was also a High School football standout as a quarterback and signed a letter of intent to play football at Florida State University before being drafted.
Right-handed pitcher Mark Prior of the University of Southern California was selected by the Chicago Cubs with the second overall pick in the draft. Prior, who was previously selected in the supplemental first round of the 1998 draft by the Yankees, was the first college player chosen in the 2001 draft. Prior won numerous National Player of the Year awards after going 15–1 with a 1.69 ERA and 202 strikeouts to lead the Trojans to a College World Series berth in his junior year.

Other notable players

NFL players drafted