Presenting the best and funniest names of the 2017 MLB Draft
There were 1,215 players selected in this year's MLB Draft, from prep school star Royce Lewis at No. 1 to the Twins to the last man off the board, a Lipscomb University righthander named Jeffrey Passantino who's now a member of the defending champion Cubs. Some of those 1,000-plus players will be future All-Stars, MVPs or World Series heroes; most will never step foot on a major league diamond. But no matter where they were picked, a select few can already call themselves part of a truly special group: the best names in the draft.
Taking a cue from our National Signing Day list of the best names to join college football's top programs, we've collected the funniest and strangest monikers called in by MLB scouting departments over the last three days and grouped them thematically. Reminder: All the names you're about to read are 100% real. No Bradens, Braedens, Braydens, Braydyns, Braedyns or Braeydns were hurt in the making of these lists.
Supermarket Sweep Division
Cade Lemons, RHP, Brewers
Jonathan Lecroix, OF, Astros
Zach Pop, RHP, Dodgers
Frankie Tostado, OF, Giants
Deadball Era Division
Packy Naughton, LHP, Reds
Hagen Owenby, C, Braves
Rollie Lacy, RHP, Cubs
Dillon Persinger, 2B, Indians
Asa Lacy, LHP, Indians
MacLeod Lozer, RHP, Mets
Aptonym Division
Cannon Chadwick, RHP, Mets
Janson Junk, RHP, Yankees
Miller Hogan, RHP, Brewers
Must See TV Division
Kramer Robertson, SS, Cardinals
Chandler Newman, RHP, Padres
Mid-2000s Game Show Division
Cash Case, SS, Reds
Star Wars: Episode IX Character Division
Bligh Madris, OF, Pirates
Obie Ricumstrict, SS, Rangers
Daulton Varsho, Brewers, C
Maverik Buffo, RHP, Blue Jays
Main Stage at Ozzfest Division
Logan Warmoth, SS, Blue Jays
Hunter Wolfe, SS, Pirates
Brock Deatherage, OF, Pirates
Best Witness Protection Program Choices Division
Phoenix Sanders, RHP, Rays
Jose Caballero, SS, Diamondbacks
Trevor Casanova, C, Mariners
Antoine Mistico, OF, Tigers
Ernie De La Trinidad, OF, Diamondbacks
Kevin Santa, SS, Mariners
Preston Grand Pre, SS, Dodgers
Franklin Van Gurp, RHP, Dodgers
Bernabe Camargo, SS, Angels
A.J. Bumpass, OF, Reds
Bennett Sousa, LHP, Nationals
Edmond Americaan, OF, Rangers
Boyd Vander Kooi, RHP, Diamondbacks
Blaxploitation Star Division
Canaan Smith, OF, Yankees
Dante Mendoza, RHP, Indians
Tate Blackman, 2B, White Sox
Bodice Rippers Division
Evan Steele, LHP, Royals
Jacob Heatherly, LHP, Reds
Colton Hathcock, RHP, Rockies
Montana Parsons, RHP, Marlins
Mason House, OF, Padres
Landon Gray, C, Phillies
Baron Radcliff, OF, Braves
19th Century Southern Senators Division
Pearson McMahan, RHP, Rockies
Landon Leach, RHP, Twins
Griffin Canning, RHP, Angels
Bowden Francis, RHP, Brewers
Lincoln Henzman, RHP, White Sox
Brigham Hill, RHP, Nationals
Jackson Tetreault, RHP, Nationals
Alternative Spellings Division
Kade McClure, RHP, White Sox
Ryley Widell, LHP, Twins
Kobie Russell, C, Blue Jays
Kutter Crawford, RHP, Red Sox
Ledgend Smith, LHP, Brewers
Korry Howell, SS, Royals
Kodi Whitley, RHP, Cardinals
Kaylor Chafin, LHP, Mets
Not Quite Major Leaguers Division
Trey Turner, RHP, Nationals
Addison Russ, RHP, Phillies
Jake Taylor, C, Braves