In the 2021 draft, the Red Sox took then-Florida outfielder Jud Fabian exactly one pick before the Orioles selected. A persistent rumor is that the O’s wanted Fabian. He never signed with Boston and one year later, the Orioles grabbed Fabian with a pick they acquired from trading Cole Sulser and Tanner Scott to the Marlins. As prospect origin stories go, “spurned the Red Sox and joined the Orioles” is a good one.
If Fabian had performance that was on the same level as that origin story, he’d be on every fan’s favorite Orioles prospects list right now.