The top farm system in baseball is not built with ease. It takes strong scouting, top-notch researching and a bit of luck.
Since late 2018, Orioles Executive Vice President and GM Mike Elias has designed a blueprint that will keep a steady flow of prospects coming down through the pipeline for the foreseeable future.
Starting in 2019, the Orioles would begin a run of drafts that have developed a three-year run of the top farm system and culminated with the last three No. 1 overall prospects (Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday).
For the first time in years, the Orioles will not be drafting in the top five spots of the draft. This year, they earned the No. 17 overall pick by virtue of being the first team out of the AL Wild Card hunt last season.
Without further adieu, let’s take a look at who the Orioles drafted with their first few picks from day one of the 2023 MLB Draft.
Rnd 1, No. 17: Enrique Bradfield Jr. – OF – Vanderbilt
Enrique Bradfield Jr. was an All-American at Vanderbilt University. He holds the distinction of being the only Commodore to win the Rawlings Gold Glove twice.
Displaying speed that grades out at an 80 on the scouting scale, Bradfield Jr. set a school record, stealing 130 bases over his career, being caught only 14 times.
“For us, one of the best realistic outcomes for the night,” GM Mike Elias said. “He’s somebody that we had a bit higher than 17th on our board. We understood that he might fall even though he was ranked a little bit higher than our pick.”
At 21 years of age, Bradfield Jr. slashed .311/.426/ .447 while also drawing a walk nearly 15% of the time. He grades out with an average arm but has the speed to make up for it and has drawn comparisons to former All-Star outfielder Kenny Lofton.
At 6’1″ and 170 pounds, Bradfield Jr. is not a home run hitter, but managed to hit 14 of them across 124 games during his sophomore and junior years. He does, however, have the ability to bunt as well as hit for average.
Bradfield Jr. grades out as a 70 in scouting for defense, the ability to cover a lot of ground and have a strong glove. Though his arm grades out as average, the Florida native’s abilities in the field will keep him in center.
“There’s not a ball that’s hit — unless it’s on the ground or over the fence — that I think I can’t catch,” Bradfield Jr. said. “I can go cover ground a majority of people can’t.”
Rnd 2, No. 53: Mac Horvath – OF – North Carolina
Originally a third baseman, Horvath was drafted as an outfielder with the 53rd overall pick. With a power/speed combination, the potential is there for improvement, though scouts did have concerns with his hitting.
As a junior, Horvath slashed .305/.418/.711, displaying above average power. He became the first ACC player since 1999 to hit 20 home runs, 20 doubles and steal 20 bases and was named Second Team All-ACC after he totaled 73 hits, 73 runs, and 66 RBIs. His 24 home runs ranked him 10th in the country.
At 6’1″ and 200 pounds, Horvath finished third on the team in hits and tallied 10 three-hit games this season. As a third baseman, he totaled 87 put outs and 57 assists.
Horvath finished his collegiate career playing in 169 games for the Tar Heels. He totaled 166 hits, 150 runs, 141 RBIs, 47 home runs and 44 stolen bases across three seasons.
Competitive Balance Rnd 2, No. 63: Jackson Baumeister – RHP – Florida State
Baumeister becomes the first pitcher chosen before round four under the Elias regime. The lengthy right-hander turns 21 today, making his birthday gift an early surprise.
Baumeister struck out 95 batters in 69 innings, though his 5.09 ERA raised eyebrows from some. He was not ranked in the top 100 draft prospects, falling in at No. 167 by MLB Pipeline.
Baumeister has a fastball that averaged just under 93 mph, though he has touched 97 mph on occasion. His curveball grades out as a 70, and he also throws a cutter-style slider and a changeup. The offspeed stuff is strong enough to keep batters off-balance.
The biggest concern is the walks and limiting big innings. He has been hit more than expected, and his delivery is simple. There is something Elias saw in Baumeister, to which he was drafted as high as he was.
The Orioles have opened the draft with some strong picks, all at the collegiate level. The draft continues today at 2 p.m. EST with rounds 3-10 taking place. Who will be the next prospects to join the ranks of the Birds’ talented farm system?
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