Top 20 Prospects: Baltimore Orioles
1. Dylan Bundy, RHP, A
Bundy has done nothing but dominate this year after being selected with the 4th overall selection in the 2011 draft. As of now, he is the number one prospect in all of the minors. Bundy has been a little more human since being promoted to high-A ball from low-A, as he has actually allowed earned runs, 9 in his first 5 starts. Even so, he has elite, ace level stuff, with the potential for four above average to plus-plus pitches and solid command for a pitcher in his first season out of high school.
2. Kevin Gausman, RHP, B+/A-
Gausman is a power arm with an outstanding changeup out of LSU who was selected 4th overall in this year’s draft. We had him as a top 2 player in this year’s class and he certainly has frontline starter upside. Whether he reaches that potential will be determined by whether or not his curveball comes along as we expect it to, but he should be a mid rotation starter at worst.
3. Jonathan Schoop, SS/2B, B-
Schoop is a very talented second baseman on both sides of the ball, hailing from the same city in Curacao as Rangers top prospect Jurickson Profar. He has some power, speed and can hit, but has a very raw approach at the plate and does not make enough consistent contact at this stage.
4. Adrian Marin, SS, B-
Marin is a very good athlete with a very good feel for the game. He sees the ball very well and approaches the game the right way in all aspects. He has gap power and plus speed and if he has the tools to stick at short, as the Orioles believe he does, Marin will be extremely valuable and could receive a much higher grade next year.
5. Nick Delmonico, INF, B-
Delmonico was a highly touted prospect for a long time in high school, but fell to the 6th round of the 2011 draft. A catcher in high school, Delmonico was
supposed to transition to third this year, but has played first and second in his first pro season. He is more of a bat first guy who will need to find a position, but his bat should play. He has a very advanced approach for a guy in his first year out of high school and really knows how to play the game. He doesn’t have great speed, but he does have 6 steals this year without getting thrown out. He has a pro build and once he fills out some more he will tap into his good raw power, which is playing as gap power at this stage.
6. L.J. Hoes, OF, B-
Hoes has been converted to fully playing the outfield this year, which is where many expected him to end up while he was still in high school. He has good speed and an excellent arm which would play anywhere on the diamond. He can hit for average, has a good approach and flashes power. If he shows he can stick in center, he will be much more valuable.
7. Robert Bundy, RHP, B-
Older brother of Dylan, Bobby does not have the type of stuff that his brother has. Bobby has not been great since he moved to AA late last year and throughout this year. He has been more hittable, while also walking more batters and striking out less. He could, however, still develop into a mid-back end of the rotation starter at the big league level.
8. Jason Esposito, 3B, C+
Esposito has been a disappointment this year after being selected in the 2nd round of last year’s draft out of Vanderbilt. He will turn 22 in a few weeks and is still scuffling in low-A ball, so he will have to turn it around pretty quickly if he wants to remain a highly regarded prospect.
9. Branden Kline, RHP, C+
Kline closed for UVA and has a very good two pitch mix with solid command. He could certainly work out of the back end of a bullpen at the next level.
10. Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP, C+
11. Glynn Davis, OF, C+
12. Tyler Kelly, 2B, C+
13. David Baker, RHP, C+
14. Clay Schrader, RHP, C+
15. Oliver Drake, RHP, C+
16. Christian Walker, 1B, C+
17. Dan Klein, RHP, C+
18. Parker Bridwell, RHP, C+
19. Torsten Boss, OF, C+
20. Mike Wright, RHP, C+
21. Trent Mummey, OF, C+
22. Mychal Givens, SS, C+
Bundy has done nothing but dominate this year after being selected with the 4th overall selection in the 2011 draft. As of now, he is the number one prospect in all of the minors. Bundy has been a little more human since being promoted to high-A ball from low-A, as he has actually allowed earned runs, 9 in his first 5 starts. Even so, he has elite, ace level stuff, with the potential for four above average to plus-plus pitches and solid command for a pitcher in his first season out of high school.
2. Kevin Gausman, RHP, B+/A-
Gausman is a power arm with an outstanding changeup out of LSU who was selected 4th overall in this year’s draft. We had him as a top 2 player in this year’s class and he certainly has frontline starter upside. Whether he reaches that potential will be determined by whether or not his curveball comes along as we expect it to, but he should be a mid rotation starter at worst.
3. Jonathan Schoop, SS/2B, B-
Schoop is a very talented second baseman on both sides of the ball, hailing from the same city in Curacao as Rangers top prospect Jurickson Profar. He has some power, speed and can hit, but has a very raw approach at the plate and does not make enough consistent contact at this stage.
4. Adrian Marin, SS, B-
Marin is a very good athlete with a very good feel for the game. He sees the ball very well and approaches the game the right way in all aspects. He has gap power and plus speed and if he has the tools to stick at short, as the Orioles believe he does, Marin will be extremely valuable and could receive a much higher grade next year.
5. Nick Delmonico, INF, B-
Delmonico was a highly touted prospect for a long time in high school, but fell to the 6th round of the 2011 draft. A catcher in high school, Delmonico was
supposed to transition to third this year, but has played first and second in his first pro season. He is more of a bat first guy who will need to find a position, but his bat should play. He has a very advanced approach for a guy in his first year out of high school and really knows how to play the game. He doesn’t have great speed, but he does have 6 steals this year without getting thrown out. He has a pro build and once he fills out some more he will tap into his good raw power, which is playing as gap power at this stage.
6. L.J. Hoes, OF, B-
Hoes has been converted to fully playing the outfield this year, which is where many expected him to end up while he was still in high school. He has good speed and an excellent arm which would play anywhere on the diamond. He can hit for average, has a good approach and flashes power. If he shows he can stick in center, he will be much more valuable.
7. Robert Bundy, RHP, B-
Older brother of Dylan, Bobby does not have the type of stuff that his brother has. Bobby has not been great since he moved to AA late last year and throughout this year. He has been more hittable, while also walking more batters and striking out less. He could, however, still develop into a mid-back end of the rotation starter at the big league level.
8. Jason Esposito, 3B, C+
Esposito has been a disappointment this year after being selected in the 2nd round of last year’s draft out of Vanderbilt. He will turn 22 in a few weeks and is still scuffling in low-A ball, so he will have to turn it around pretty quickly if he wants to remain a highly regarded prospect.
9. Branden Kline, RHP, C+
Kline closed for UVA and has a very good two pitch mix with solid command. He could certainly work out of the back end of a bullpen at the next level.
10. Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP, C+
11. Glynn Davis, OF, C+
12. Tyler Kelly, 2B, C+
13. David Baker, RHP, C+
14. Clay Schrader, RHP, C+
15. Oliver Drake, RHP, C+
16. Christian Walker, 1B, C+
17. Dan Klein, RHP, C+
18. Parker Bridwell, RHP, C+
19. Torsten Boss, OF, C+
20. Mike Wright, RHP, C+
21. Trent Mummey, OF, C+
22. Mychal Givens, SS, C+
2012 Draft Review: Baltimore Orioles
Overall Draft Grade: A-
The Orioles did quite well in 2012 and collected a nice class with good balance and some solid upside throughout. Gausman is a very good selection at the top and Kline, Poche and Rutledge add some interesting arms to the system. We like Marin a lot, especially as a shortstop if he sticks, and Christian Walker out of South Carolina is a solid hitter across the board. Torsten Boss is good value in the 8th and this draft looks good from top to bottom. They've got plenty of money to work with and everyone here should be signable within their budget.
1st Round (4): Kevin Gausman, RHP, Louisiana State University (SO), 6'4", 195
Gausman was the first pitcher off the board in 2012 and certainly merited the selection in our opinion. He has good present stuff and the potential to fill out a little more and add a tick or two to his already strong velocity. His change-up has the chance to be plus at the next level and his curve has also shown flashes of potential. He has all the makings of a durable, frontline starter at the next level and the Orioles did well here.
The Orioles did quite well in 2012 and collected a nice class with good balance and some solid upside throughout. Gausman is a very good selection at the top and Kline, Poche and Rutledge add some interesting arms to the system. We like Marin a lot, especially as a shortstop if he sticks, and Christian Walker out of South Carolina is a solid hitter across the board. Torsten Boss is good value in the 8th and this draft looks good from top to bottom. They've got plenty of money to work with and everyone here should be signable within their budget.
1st Round (4): Kevin Gausman, RHP, Louisiana State University (SO), 6'4", 195
Gausman was the first pitcher off the board in 2012 and certainly merited the selection in our opinion. He has good present stuff and the potential to fill out a little more and add a tick or two to his already strong velocity. His change-up has the chance to be plus at the next level and his curve has also shown flashes of potential. He has all the makings of a durable, frontline starter at the next level and the Orioles did well here.
2nd Round (65): Branden Kline, RHP, Virginia University (JR), 6'3", 185
Kline closed for Virginia this year and had some success thanks to a solid two pitch mix. He throws a fastball that sits comfortably in the low-90s, though there may be a little bit more in there. His curve is good second pitch and he commands both well. He's certainly a candidate to rise quickly through the Baltimore system and will likely find a place in the back end of a bullpen at the next level.
3rd Round (99): Adrian Marin, SS, Gulliver Prep School (FL), 5'10", 165, R/R
We had Marin as an outfielder in our scouting reports, but we would like him even more if he has the tools to stay at short. The Orioles obviously think he does as he was announced as a shortstop, and the bat is definitely intriguing from the middle infield. He's a strong athlete with an above-average arm and plus speed. There are a lot of tools to work with here, and Marin has shown potential with all five of them.
Kline closed for Virginia this year and had some success thanks to a solid two pitch mix. He throws a fastball that sits comfortably in the low-90s, though there may be a little bit more in there. His curve is good second pitch and he commands both well. He's certainly a candidate to rise quickly through the Baltimore system and will likely find a place in the back end of a bullpen at the next level.
3rd Round (99): Adrian Marin, SS, Gulliver Prep School (FL), 5'10", 165, R/R
We had Marin as an outfielder in our scouting reports, but we would like him even more if he has the tools to stay at short. The Orioles obviously think he does as he was announced as a shortstop, and the bat is definitely intriguing from the middle infield. He's a strong athlete with an above-average arm and plus speed. There are a lot of tools to work with here, and Marin has shown potential with all five of them.
4th Round (132): Christian Walker, 1B, University of South Carolina (JR), 6'0", 220, R/R
Walker can flat out hit and he's shown that he can do so against some of the best competition in the country. He hit for power and average at South Carolina and showed a good approach with more than a 2:1 BB:K ratio. He doesn't have much athletically and isn't as physical as some teams would like, but Walker can flat-out hit, and he's good value here.
5th Round (162): Colin Poche, LHP, Marcus HS (TX), 6'3", 185
Poche is a projectable lefty who will be a fairly difficult sign away from the University of Arkansas. He sits in the high-80s while touching the low-90s, but he's got the physicality to add a couple more ticks of velocity as he develops and fills out. He's a classic projectability pick here and an interesting arm to pair with the two college arms above him.
6th Round (192): Lex Rutledge, LHP, Samford University (JR), 6'2", 205
Rutledge is a solid college lefty who will come out of the pen at the next level. His fastball is Major League average, but he comes at hitters with a good curveball that has the potential to be an out pitch at the next level.
7th Round (222): Matthew Price, RHP, University of South Carolina (SR), 6'2", 215
8th Round (252): Torsten Boss, OF, Michigan State University (JR), 6'0", 195, L/R
Boss has great value here as a player that has shown flashes of all five tools. He can hit for some power, has good speed, and is athletic enough to hold down a corner outfield spot. Nice selection here.
9th Round (282): Brady Wager, RHP, Grand Canyon University (JR), 6'1", 200
10th Round (312): Joel Hutter, SS, Dallas Baptist University (SR), 6'1", 210
Walker can flat out hit and he's shown that he can do so against some of the best competition in the country. He hit for power and average at South Carolina and showed a good approach with more than a 2:1 BB:K ratio. He doesn't have much athletically and isn't as physical as some teams would like, but Walker can flat-out hit, and he's good value here.
5th Round (162): Colin Poche, LHP, Marcus HS (TX), 6'3", 185
Poche is a projectable lefty who will be a fairly difficult sign away from the University of Arkansas. He sits in the high-80s while touching the low-90s, but he's got the physicality to add a couple more ticks of velocity as he develops and fills out. He's a classic projectability pick here and an interesting arm to pair with the two college arms above him.
6th Round (192): Lex Rutledge, LHP, Samford University (JR), 6'2", 205
Rutledge is a solid college lefty who will come out of the pen at the next level. His fastball is Major League average, but he comes at hitters with a good curveball that has the potential to be an out pitch at the next level.
7th Round (222): Matthew Price, RHP, University of South Carolina (SR), 6'2", 215
8th Round (252): Torsten Boss, OF, Michigan State University (JR), 6'0", 195, L/R
Boss has great value here as a player that has shown flashes of all five tools. He can hit for some power, has good speed, and is athletic enough to hold down a corner outfield spot. Nice selection here.
9th Round (282): Brady Wager, RHP, Grand Canyon University (JR), 6'1", 200
10th Round (312): Joel Hutter, SS, Dallas Baptist University (SR), 6'1", 210
Orioles Draft Strategy: An Overview
The Orioles have taken a high schooler with their first pick in each of the last three years, but took 17 college players out of their first 21 picks in 2011 and generally follow up their prep selections with a mainly college players. This either displays that the O’s like to go with players with high ceilings at the top and then mostly play it safe the rest of the way, or that they just go for best available in their opinion at the top, and the past three years those have happened to be high schoolers. The Orioles this year have the most money to spend for a team with only ten selections in the top 10 rounds, and are have a good draft position with the number 4 overall pick. Assuming the Orioles continue to go for a high schooler or the best player available, our mock selection of Carlos Correa makes some sense, as he arguably has the highest ceiling out of anyone in the draft, while playing a premium position. This wouldn’t exactly be a need pick, with Manny Machado in the system already, but there are some scouts who believe Correa will need to move to third, and although we do not necessarily believe this, it would make for a very exciting infield to watch in the future. Additionally, the Orioles do not have a particular tendency with respect to taking pitchers versus hitters and seem to balance the two out pretty well.
Mock Draft Selection: Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
Mock Draft Selection: Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
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