For a five-year stretch between 2018 and 2022, draft day was the highlight of Birdland’s in-season calendar. While the on-field product was going through the growing pains of a total rebuild, the draft provided a moment of unmitigated hope as the Orioles started to build a better future.
With the Orioles squarely entrenched in the upper echelon on MLB teams, that better future is now. With the current lineup centered around five Mike Elias draft picks, the drafts from those dark days are now the backbone of a true World Series contender.
This drastic shift in the team’s success means both the front office and fans now see the draft differently.