Cardinals News: 7 notable players who were drafted 7th overall

Max Fried

Max Fried was another player who was drafted straight out of high school seventh overall. He was chosen in the 2012 draft by the San Diego Padres from Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles, a hotbed of baseball talent. Players such as Lucas Giolito, Jack Flaherty, and Pete Crow-Armstrong also attended the high school. Fried ended up playing for the Atlanta Braves via a 2014 trade with the Padres that sent Justin Upton to San Diego.

As a high school senior, Max Fried started 12 games, he had an 8-2 record and a 2.02 ERA, and he struck out 105 batters in just 66 innings pitched. The southpaw was known for his height, athleticism, and two-plus pitches in his fastball and breaking ball. Choosing him at seven overall was an easy decision for the Padres.

Fried is in just his eighth season in the majors this year, but he already has a lengthy resume. He had a perfect 7-0 record in 2020, and he's led the league in shutouts twice (2021 and 2023). For his career, Fried has a 3.04 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 1.163 WHIP, and 792 strikeouts in 818 innings. Max Fried has accumulated 22.9 bWAR in just 8 seasons, two of which were partial seasons due to debuting in August in his rookie season (2017) and the COVID-shortened 2020 season. If he continues to pitch at a similar level, he could have a decent case to be a Hall of Famer someday.

Max Fried was pivotal in the Braves' pursuit of the World Series in 2021. He started 5 games, had a 2-2 record in the playoffs, and he finished with a 4.23 ERA and 29 strikeouts. He was an All-Star in 2022, and he was chosen to replace Ranger Suarez on this year's roster. He's a three-time Gold Glove recipient, and he also has a Silver Slugger Award on his resume.