After drafting Vanderbilt outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. within the first spherical of the MLB draft Sunday night time, Orioles govt vice chairman and common supervisor Mike Elias detailed the boldness he has within the group’s scouting of faculty gamers.
“We pour a ton of data analysis resources into college statistics and college data,” Elias mentioned, “so anytime we can take an elite college player, we feel good about the work that’s gone into that.”
But Bradfield was just the start of the Orioles’ run on faculty gamers. Each of Baltimore’s first 12 choices had been faculty gamers, together with North Carolina outfielder-third baseman Mac Horvath and Florida State right-hander Jackson Baumeister on Day 1 and 9 extra on Day 2.
Baumeister’s choice was considerably of a shock contemplating the Elias regime’s desire to select place gamers early in drafts. At No. 63 total, Baumeister turned the primary pitcher Baltimore has drafted inside the first three rounds since Elias took over in November 2018. The Orioles drafted six extra faculty pitchers on Day 2.
With the three faculty gamers on Day 1, Orioles director of draft operations Brad Ciolek mentioned he was “ecstatic” about how the start of the draft went.
Here’s a breakdown of Baltimore’s choices from the second day of the MLB draft.
Round 3 (86th total): Washington right-hander Kiefer Lord
Skinny: Somewhat greater than a yr in the past, Lord was a Division III pitcher for Carleton College in Minnesota. He transferred to Division I Washington for his junior season, incomes a popularity as a hard-throwing righty with upside. With the Huskies, Lord went 6-5 with a 6.19 ERA and 1.316 WHIP, however he struck out 78 batters in 75 2/3 innings versus simply 17 walks. Lord, 21, joins Baumeister as the one two pitchers the Orioles have chosen within the first three rounds since Elias’ first draft in 2019. Baseball America ranked Lord because the 97th-best prospect within the draft pool.
Recommended bonus slot: $808,200
Round 3 (a centesimal total): Arkansas outfielder Tavian Josenberger
Skinny: When the Orioles drafted pitcher Nolan McLean within the fourth spherical of the 2022 draft, that was the best Elias had chosen a pitcher. However, Baltimore and McLean couldn’t come to an settlement after the draft, and the compensatory choose the Orioles acquired in consequence was used to draft Josenberger. The 21-year-old performed his first two faculty seasons at Kansas earlier than transferring to Arkansas for the 2023 marketing campaign. While he had success with the Jayhawks, Josenberger, who performed each outfield and second base in his faculty profession, had his greatest season with the Razorbacks, slashing .287/.414/.490 — good for a .904 OPS. He turns into the second Arkansas participant to be drafted by the Orioles previously 4 years, becoming a member of 2020′s No. 2 total choose Heston Kjerstad, who has zoomed by means of the minors over the previous yr and is now in Triple-A. Baseball America ranked Josenberger because the 246th-best prospect within the draft pool.
Recommended bonus slot: $671,800
Round 4 (118th total): Texas State right-hander Levi Wells
Skinny: As a freshman at Texas Tech, Wells walked 23 batters in 17 2/3 innings as a reliever. The 6-foot-2 righty transferred to Texas State and immediately discovered his command as a starter, decreasing his stroll charge from 25% in 2021 to eight.4% between in 2022 and 2023. After posting a 3.07 ERA as a sophomore, he recorded a 5.02 mark this spring, however he improved his strikeout charge, punching out 98 batters in 80 2/3 innings. Wells, 21, was ranked by Baseball America because the 111th-best prospect within the draft pool.
Recommended bonus slot: $563,600
Round 5 (154th total): UNC Charlotte outfielder Jake Cunningham
Skinny: After struggling as an 18-year-old freshman in 2021, Cunningham emerged as one among Conference USA’s high sluggers the previous two seasons. In 2022, the middle fielder hit 16 dwelling runs, stole 16 bases and posted a whopping 1.005 OPS. Cunningham, who turned 21 final week, hit 11 lengthy balls with an .878 OPS as a junior in 2023. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound outfielder was ranked by Baseball America because the One hundred and fortieth-best prospect within the draft pool.
Recommended bonus slot: $396,700
Round 6 (181st total): Samford right-hander Jacob Cravey
Skinny: Cravey was one among 12 Division I pitchers to throw greater than 100 innings this spring, and the 6-foot-6 righty struck out extra batters than all however eight pitchers. In 104 2/3 innings, Cravey struck out 126 batters whereas strolling 40 and posting a 3.10 ERA and a 9-2 document. Baseball America ranked the 21-year-old because the 321st-best prospect within the draft pool.
Recommended bonus slot: $312,300
Round 7 (211th total): Coastal Carolina right-hander Teddy Sharkey
Skinny: His distinctive identify isn’t what intrigued the Orioles, however as a substitute his plus stuff out of the bullpen. With a fastball that touches 98 mph, Sharkey was a dominant reliever for the Chanticleers this spring. In 49 2/3 innings throughout 27 appearances, the 6-foot righty went 7-2 with 11 saves and a 2.90 ERA. Sharkey, 21, bounced again from a poor 2022 to strike out 35.7% of the batters he confronted. Baseball America ranked Sharkey because the 395th-best prospect within the draft pool.
Recommended bonus slot: $244,400
Round 8 (241st total): Dallas Baptist right-hander Braxton Bragg
Skinny: Bragg largely struggled throughout his three seasons as a reliever at Nebraska, the place he was teammates with Orioles farmhand Cade Povich, however he broke out in 2023 as a starter after transferring to Dallas Baptist. The 6-foot-2 righty went 9-2 for the Conference USA faculty with a 4.19 ERA. In 86 innings, Bragg struck out 92 batters and walked simply 17. He was unranked on Baseball America’s draft prospect listing.
Recommended bonus slot: $197,800
Round 9 (271st total): Troy right-hander Zach Fruit
Skinny: Somewhat greater than three years in the past, Fruit was pitching for Lansing Community College. After transferring twice, first to Eastern Michigan for 2 seasons after which to Troy for his senior marketing campaign in 2023, Fruit turned the seventh pitcher the Orioles drafted within the first 10 rounds of the draft. For the primary time by means of 12 picks underneath Elias, the Orioles have taken extra pitchers than place gamers. The 6-foot-4 23-year-old went 6-1 for Troy this spring with a 6.46 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings. He was unranked on Baseball America’s draft prospect listing.
Recommended bonus slot: $177,100
Round 10 (301st total): Southern Mississippi outfielder Matthew Etzel
Other notable choices
Maryland star Matt Shaw was drafted within the first spherical Sunday, however two different Terps had been chosen on Day 2.
Catcher Luke Shliger was chosen No. 180 total within the sixth spherical by the San Francisco Giants. In every of the previous two seasons, Shliger hit over .333 with an OPS above 1.000. Right-hander Jason Savacool, one of many Terps’ high beginning pitchers the previous three years, was taken 5 picks later by the St. Louis Cardinals after going 24-11 with a 4.20 ERA in 278 2/3 profession innings at Maryland.
However, Maryland wasn’t the one native faculty with a participant drafted on Day 2. Towson right-hander Ethan Pecko was drafted No. 194 total with the ultimate choose of the sixth spherical by the Houston Astros. Pecko posted a 3.21 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 42 innings with the Tigers this spring.
This story shall be up to date.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com