Baltimore Orioles Receive Positive Draft Grade Following Solid Strategy

The Baltimore Orioles continue to draft well under Mike Elias, even when they pick later.

Jun 18, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center fielder Vance Honeycutt (7) catches a fly ball for an out against the Florida State Seminoles during the fifth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles have been praised for their ability to draft under General Manager Mike Elias. They've had picks at the top of the draft and consistently hit on those players. This year, they picked much later than they're used to. With the 2024 draft closed, they still received good feedback despite picking in the 20s instead of in the top ten. According to CBS Sports, their draft haul was a B grade.

The Orioles had two picks in the top 35, with their first selection being outfielder Vance Honeycutt. Honeycutt is a college hitter who is very athletic and has a ton of power, but the knack for hitting isn't quite there yet. In 2024, he hit 28 home runs, but struck out 83 times to just 36 walks. If he can figure out a better approach at the plate, he could be an All-Star centerfielder.

Their second pick was another college bat in the form of shortstop Griff O'Ferrell, who is basically the exact opposite of Honeycutt. A grinder on defense and a player with a good hit tool, he has very little power. In 186 career games at Virginia, O'Ferrall only hit eight home runs, but he walked more than he struck out.

Both of their first two picks were ranked in the top 40 by MLB Pipeline. After O'Ferrall, they doubled up on Virginia players by selecting his teammate Ethan Anderson. The 20-year-old is a switch hitting catcher with a good feel for hitting, but it's still to be determined if he can stick behind the plate. There are questions surrounding his defensive ability, with about an average arm and below average feel for the position paired with his size, he might have to move to first.

The trend of college players continued, with Baltimore not selecting a high school player until the sixth round. They took DJ Layton, a high school shortstop from North Carolina. In all, the Orioles only selected four high school players out of their 21 picks.

This trend is nothing new for Baltimore. After selecting players like Heston Kjerstad, Adley Rutschman and Colton Cowser near the top of the draft, they have a good track record developing college bats. The hope for Baltimore is that they can do the same with Honeycutt and his above average tools in the future.

A B grade is another job well done by the O's front office, especially considering their first pick was 22 overall. They took risks at the top, but there is still high upside. Baltimore drafted five players who were ranked in the top 250 by MLB Pipeline, and Mike Elias and company continue to crush the draft.