Former Atlanta Braves No. 1 pick and Arizona State icon Bob Horner has died at the age of 68, the Braves announced on Tuesday.
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— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 26, 2026
“Bob Horner built a career out of being first. He was the first overall pick in the 1978 draft after an illustrious collegiate career. He was the first Braves draftee to skip the minor leagues entirely and debut directly in the majors,” the statement read. “The National League Rookie of the Year in 1978 and an NL All-Star in 1982, Horner teamed with Dale Murphy to form one of the most feared power duos in the game for nearly a decade.”
In three seasons with Arizona State, Horner cracked 58 home runs, an NCAA record at the time. He became an icon for the Sun Devils and earned All-WAC honors in all three seasons.
He went on to lead them to three appearances in the College Baseball World Series and a national title in 1977. Horner took home the very first Golden Spikes Award the following season.
As the No. 1 pick to the Braves in 1978, he never played a single game in the minor leagues, winning National League Rookie of the year that season. He ultimately spent nine of his ten seasons with the Braves, battling a number of injuries throughout his career.
Horner finished his career in the majors with a .277 batting average with 218 home runs across 1,020 games.
“The Atlanta Braves extend sincere sympathies to his wife, Chris, two sons, Tyler and Trent, and his numerous friends and fans across the game.”
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
