MLB Draft Odds: Lines Shift Dramatically For 2022 No. 1 Pick

Termarr Johnson is the new betting favorite to go No. 1

by

Jul 17, 2022

The Baltimore Orioles have the No. 1 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, and it seems as though they aren't set on who they'll pick -- with odds continuing to shift just hours before the start of the event.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, high school second baseman Termarr Johnson (-330) is the new favorite to be taken with the No. 1 pick. He is trailed by Cal Poly shortstop Brooks Lee (+250), high school outfielder Druw Jones (+400), high school shortstop Jackson Holliday (+800) and high school outfielder Elijah Greene (+6500).

Johnson (No. 4), Lee (No. 5), Jones (No. 1), Holliday (No. 2) and Greene (No. 3) are the top five prospects in MLB.com's 2022 draft prospect rankings.

Those odds are dramatically different than the ones that DraftKings opened the day with, as Lee (-400) was the original favorite in the lines posted on Sunday morning. Jones (+290), Holliday (+450), Johnson (+600) and Greene (+5000) still rounded out the top five, just in a very different order.

Part of the reason for Johnson's dramatic shift in odds is price, as it is expected the Orioles would need to spend significantly less money to sign Johnson to a contract rather than one of the other prospects. That's not to say he's not worthy of a top selection, as MLB.com has said he could be one of the best pure prep school hitters in decades.

Jones -- the son of former Atlanta Braves legend Andruw Jones -- and Holliday -- the son of Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals legend Matt Holliday -- are expected to cost a significant amount of money if they are to be selected with the top pick.

If the recent NBA Draft was any indicator, the MLB Draft could provide some drama throughout the early picks. The event is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Thumbnail photo via Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports Images

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