Yankees' Cam Schlittler Was Playing Xbox When He Got Drafted and More Untold MLB Draft-Day Stories

Even though MLB has taken to inviting top prospects to the draft since 2009, still to this day most of them experience the biggest moment of their professional lives in a more personal setting.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers collected stories from many current top stars to hear what they were doing when they were drafted.

For instance, Cam Schlittler told Rogers he was playing Xbox when he got the call from the New York Yankees that they were taking him in the seventh round of the 2022 draft:

"I was just at my house [in Walpole, Massachusetts] with my family. I wasn't really watching the draft. I just kind of didn't really want to throw it on. I think I was playing Xbox with my friends.

"I think [we were playing] Fall Guys. Fall Guys, some stupid game. It was fun. I found out in the fifth round that I was going in the seventh, but I didn't say anything because I didn't want to jinx it or whatever because everyone gets told all this stuff."

Jacob Misirowski's untold story also indicated that his agent was trying to steer him toward the Milwaukee Brewers in 2022 by avoiding phone calls from other teams:

"I was told not to pick up the phone from any other teams and wait for this number. It's always a nerve-wracking experience to sit there and wait. It was a handful of picks before, so you get a heads-up to tell the family to watch the TV. There wasn't much time, but there was a possibility between two teams. So when the first team didn't pick me, it was 'OK, you're going next.'"

The Brewers nabbed Misirowski with their second-round pick at No. 63 overall. It's safe to say things have worked out since he's arguably the favorite to be the NL starting pitcher in the 2026 All-Star Game with an MLB-best 1.47 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 17 starts this season.

Ben Rice, another Yankees draftee from their 2021 class, waited until the 12th round and was watching the draft in a library with his dad and a cameo appearance from the librarian:

"We needed WiFi, and we knew the picks went really fast on Day 3. Thankfully, I didn't last too long because I went in the 12th round. So [that day] started with Round 11 and then 12 and then just saw my name pop up on the screen. They called me right after I saw [my] name pop up.

"I mean, we were hugging, crying tears of joy. The librarian was like, 'What's going on?' We tried to explain to her. She was like, 'OK.'"

Things were much less chaotic and stressful for Nick Kurtz, who was regarded as a top prospect in the 2024 draft and wound up going No. 4 overall to the Athletics.

Kurtz told Rogers he spent the day before the draft on a boat, brought friends over "until the draft happened" and then had a party afterward.

"The day before, we went out on a boat, trying to be really relaxed because we knew the next day was going to be stressful," Kurtz said. "Had some people over, hanging out until the draft happened. Afterwards, we had a party."

Pete Crow-Armstrong admitted his family "probably broke some rules" because he was part of the 2020 draft that took place amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was weird. It was COVID. I'm sure we broke some rules getting some people together. That was the coolest part for me. Having my high school coach and friends and family there."

Crow-Armstrong also noted if he didn't get drafted soon as the first round kept moving along, then he was prepared to go to college with a commitment to Vanderbilt.

"I was thinking, if it doesn't happen soon, I'll go to Vanderbilt," he said. "We played pickup basketball afterwards. That was it. It was definitely weird, but I would not have wanted to do my draft party any other way."

The Mets ended Crow-Armstrong's wait by taking him at No. 19 overall. He wound up getting traded to the Chicago Cubs 13 months later for Javier Báez and Trevor Williams.

Another member of the 2020 draft class, Jordan Walker, had a small affair with his parents and siblings that ended with them celebrating "by eating tacos" when the St. Louis Cardinals selected him with the 21st pick.

More recently, MLB has shifted the entire draft to be part of the All-Star week festivities. It has been held at a venue in the same city as the All-Star Game since the 2021 season.

This year's event will take place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Sunday. The 2026 MLB All-Star Game will be held at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.