Who was the first overall pick in the first MLB draft, held in 1965?

Rick Monday was the first overall pick in the first Major League Baseball draft, held in 1965.

The Kansas City Athletics selected Monday first in the inaugural amateur draft, which was created to give clubs a more orderly way to acquire amateur talent and to reduce bidding competition. Monday was an outfielder from Arizona State University and became the first player chosen at the top of the new system. The New York Mets selected the next first overall pick, Steve Chilcott, in 1966.

Monday reached the majors with Kansas City in 1966 and later played for the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers. He made All-Star teams in 1968 and 1978 and became especially associated with the Dodgers after hitting a go-ahead home run in the decisive fifth game of the 1981 National League Championship Series. The common mix-up is to name a famous later first pick such as Reggie Jackson, who was selected second overall in 1966—not first in the inaugural draft.