| MLB First Round Draft Picks - 1972 | ||||
| PICK | PLAYER | POS | TEAM | SCHOOL/HOMETOWN |
| 1 | Dave Roberts | 3B | San Diego Padres | U of Oregon |
| 2 | Rick Manning | SS | Cleveland Indians | Niagara Falls, NY |
| 3 | Larry Christenson | RHP | Philadelphia Phillies | Marysville, WA |
| 4 | Roy Howell | 3B | Texas Rangers | Lompoc, CA |
| 5 | Bob Goodman | C | Montreal Expos | Memphis, TN |
| 6 | Danny Thomas | 1B | Milwaukee Brewers | Southern Illinois U |
| 7 | Larry Payne | RHP | Cincinnati Reds | Bedias, TX |
| 8 | *-Dick Ruthven | RHP | Minnesota Twins | Fresno State U |
| 9 | Steve Englishbey | OF | Houston Astros | Houston, TX |
| 10 | Dave Chalk | 3B | California Angels | U of Texas |
| 11 | Preston Hanna | RHP | Atlanta Braves | Pensacola, FL |
| 12 | Mike Ondina | OF | Chicago White Sox | Rancho Cordova, CA |
| 13 | Richard Bengston | C | New York Mets | Peoria, IL |
| 14 | Scott McGregor | LHP | New York Yankees | El Segundo, CA |
| 15 | Brian Vernoy | LHP | Chicago Cubs | Westminster, CA |
| 16 | Joel Bishop | SS | Boston Red Sox | Sacramento, CA |
| 17 | John Harbin | SS | Los Angeles Dodgers | Newberry College |
| 18 | Jamie Quirk | SS | Kansas City Royals | Whittier, CA |
| 19 | Rob Dressler | RHP | San Francisco Giants | Portland, OR |
| 20 | Jerry Manuel | SS | Detroit Tigers | Rancho Cordova, CA |
| 21 | Dan Larson | RHP | St. Louis Cardinals | Alhambra, CA |
| 22 | Chet Lemon | SS | Oakland Athletics | Los Angeles, CA |
| 23 | Dwayne Peltier | SS | Pittsburgh Pirates | Anaheim, CA |
| 24 | Ken Thomas | C | Baltimore Orioles | Bellville, OH |