The Baltimore Orioles have the #1 overall pick in the MLB Draft starting at 7 PM ET, but who will they select?
The Baltimore Orioles have not had the top pick since they drafted Ben McDonald, who never met expectations. This year they get the #1 pick, and it will be key for them to cash in.
Baltimore started their rebuild with the departures of Manny Machado, Zach Britton, and Jonathon Schoop via trades last season.
Although they received good prospects in return, after tonight they will have the best prospect in their system who will be the face of the Orioles in the next few seasons.
Here are their options.
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Adley Rutschmann (Oregon State University)
Adley Rutschmann has been considered by some as the best prospect in the draft since Bryce Harper came out of Southern Nevada in 2009.
Some have said that he will be better than future Hall of Fame catcher Buster Posey.
He definitely has the skills to surpass Posey. He is able to defend and throw well, and he has some power on both sides of the plate.
Rutschmann hit above .400 in his sophomore and junior seasons and nearly hit 20 homers this season in Corvallis for the Beavers.
An opposing pitcher was scared enough of Rutschmann that he intentionally walked him with the bases loaded last weekend.
Rutschmann is the probable #1 pick, and the only weakness he has is (maybe) his speed.
Bobby Witt Jr.
Bobby Witt Jr. is a 5-tool athlete coming out of high school in Texas. The 6’1” shortstop is an outstanding defensive shortstop and can hit.
He has plenty of room to grow when it comes to strength and build, and can play at all defensive positions.
Of course, you may have recognized his name of Bobby Witt, as that is Jr.’s father.
The only negative to Witt Jr. is he is a 19-year-old. Now you might be saying that he isn’t even 20 years old, how is he old?
Well, he is a 19-year-old high school shortstop, and in high school, you usually graduate at 18 years of age, and he obviously isn’t in college, so they believe he may be too old for being a high school prospect.
Who do I think the Orioles will draft tonight?
Adley Rutschmann. He has the tools on the offensive side and the defensive side, and talented catchers like this just don’t come along very frequently, if at all.