These top-3 Draft picks never made MLB

This browser does not support the video element.

On June 29, 2022, ?Mark Appel? finally made his Major League debut.

The Phillies right-hander did so nine years after the Astros made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 Draft, capping an arduous jersey that included an "indefinite break" from the game. At 30 years and 349 days old, Appel became the oldest No. 1 pick to make his MLB debut. But he got there.

That triumph removed Appel from the short list of top-three picks who haven't made their way to the bigs. Here is a look at that group, which excludes recent selections who remain active.

? The biggest miss at each of the top 30 Draft slots

No. 1 picks

2014: LHP Brady Aiken (Astros)
Aiken, a high school lefty from San Diego, was Houston's third consecutive top pick, coming on the heels of Carlos Correa and Appel. But he never made it into the organization, after failing a post-Draft physical that raised concerns over his elbow. One of three No. 1 picks in Draft history not to sign, Aiken wound up having Tommy John surgery before going back into the 2015 Draft. He was selected 17th overall by Cleveland but struggled to gain traction in the team's farm system, never rising above Class A. Still only 25 years old, Aiken last appeared in a professional game in April 2019.

(The Astros, meanwhile, fared well in the whole saga. Because they didn't sign Aiken, they received the second overall pick in the 2015 Draft as compensation and used that on Alex Bregman).

1991: LHP Brien Taylor (Yankees)
He was 6-foot-3 with a rocket arm and seemed to be a can't-miss star. The Yankees paid him a record $1.55 million signing bonus hoping for big things, and he appeared well on his way until he seriously injured his throwing shoulder in a bar fight in 1993. Taylor missed the entire '94 season, and it went sour for him quickly upon his return in '95, as he never pitched beyond Double-A ball before retiring for good in 2000. Taylor wound up being imprisoned on a federal drug charge, and he was released in '14.

1966: C Steve Chilcott (Mets)
Before Aiken and Taylor, Chilcott was the first No. 1 pick to fall short of the Majors. Picked by the Mets out of Antelope Valley (CA) High School, a shoulder injury suffered in Chilcott's second season at Class A wound up derailing his career. The No. 2 pick in that 1966 Draft? Mr. October, Reggie Jackson.

No. 2 picks

2014: RHP Tyler Kolek (Marlins)
One pick after Houston took Aiken, Miami grabbed another promising high school pitcher. Kolek looked the part -- a strapping 6-foot-5 right-hander from Texas who could reach triple digits with his fastball. But the command just never arrived for Kolek, who walked 124 batters over 163 2/3 Minor League innings, to go with a 5.66 ERA. He never made it to Double-A and last pitched in 2019.

This browser does not support the video element.

1987: OF/1B Mark Merchant (Pirates)
The No. 1 pick that year is also in the Hall of Fame -- Ken Griffey Jr. Merchant was the No. 2 pick, and he toiled in the Minors for the better part of a decade, including the final three at Triple-A, before hanging them up in 1997.

1982: SS Augie Schmidt (Blue Jays)
The Majors' loss has been Carthage College's gain. Schmidt worked his way up the ladder to Triple-A before injuries and talent like Alfredo Griffin and Tony Fernandez in front of Schmidt left him short of the goal. He retired in 1986 after playing for his hometown Class A team in Kenosha, Wis. He has been the head baseball coach for Carthage College there since '88.

1980: SS Gary Harris (Blue Jays)
Another draftee at shortstop who didn't pan out for the Blue Jays, Harris was drafted one spot after Darryl Strawberry in 1980 and had topped out at Double-A by '83 -- his final year of pro ball.

1975: LHP Mike Lentz (Padres)
The 1975 Draft was topped by the only player to be drafted No. 1 overall twice -- Danny Goodwin -- and then Lentz led a run of picks Nos. 2-5 who all fell short of the Majors. Lentz topped out at Double-A, and after shoulder and knee injuries, he wound up finished with baseball in '79.

No. 3 picks

2009: OF Donavan Tate (Padres)
The Padres gave Tate $6.25 million to sign him away from playing both football and baseball at the University of North Carolina. Injuries and drug suspensions, not to mention an inability to make adjustments at the plate, derailed his career. He last played in 2016 and tried to return to football in '17 at the University of Arizona, but he left the school in December to move closer to home.

2003: RHP Kyle Sleeth (Tigers)
Sleeth had a great amateur resume coming out of Wake Forest University and was off to a good start to his career, making it up to Double-A and playing in the 2004 All-Star Futures Game. But then Tommy John surgery derailed him, and Sleeth called it quits at the end of Spring Training in '08.

2002: RHP Chris Gruler (Reds)
A big right-hander who signed out of high school, Gruler ran into shoulder problems and was released by '06 after reaching Class A ball. Other starters drafted in the first round that year include Zack Greinke, Scott Kazmir, Cole Hamels and Matt Cain.

1992: LHP B.J. Wallace (Expos)
After a stellar career at Mississippi State, Wallace was drafted by the Expos, only to top out at Double-A in 1994 after shoulder surgery knocked him off course.

1979: C Jay Schroeder (Blue Jays)
Yes, that Jay Schroeder. He played in the Blue Jays' system while going to UCLA, and he left baseball behind for a career as a quarterback in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl ring as backup QB for Washington in 1988.

1975: OF Les Filkins (Tigers)
After making his way up the ladder to Triple-A and going to Spring Training with the Major League club, Filkins was blocked by talented outfielders in Detroit, including Kirk Gibson. Filkins wound up taking a deal to play in Japan in 1983, his final year in pro ball.

1969: 3B Ted Nicholson (White Sox)
Nicholson was a high-school third baseman out of Mississippi, and he had made it to Class A in two years. But he missed two seasons due to military service, and he was done after trying to come back in '73.

1968: C Martin Cott (Astros)
Cott went 0-for-4 at Triple-A, but he otherwise played only at Class A and was done after 1970. Cott was picked one spot ahead of Thurman Munson, the catcher who went on to become a Yankees icon.

More from MLB.com

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com