The Orioles predicted an early run on position players in this year’s MLB first-year player draft, and that’s the way the first 10 picks played out Monday night, giving the Orioles a deep list of talented starting pitching options to choose from when their pick came up at No. 11.
And the Orioles used that pick – their highest pick in six years – to continue their recent trend of taking pitchers with their first selection drafting Texas high school right-hander Grayson Rodriguez with the 11th selection.
By selecting Rodriguez, the Orioles have drafted a pitcher with their first-round pick in six over their last seven opportunities, a list that includes Dylan Bundy (2011), Kevin Gausman (2012), Hunter Harvey (2013), Cody Sedlock (2016) and most recently, DL Hall last year.