The countdown is on for one of baseball’s busiest weekends.
MLB All-Star festivities begin in just a few days, but first comes the opening four rounds of the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday, July 11 at 1 p.m. EST.
The Orioles enter the draft with the No. 7 overall pick in what many evaluators consider one of the deepest draft classes in recent years. Over the past three years, yours truly has successfully identified either the Orioles’ first-round selection or one of their first-round picks prior to draft night. Let’s see if that streak can continue this year.
Here are five draft prospects who make sense for Baltimore on Day 1 (Rounds 1-4) of the 2026 MLB Draft.
DREW BURRESS | OF | GEORGIA TECH
Drew Burress has become one of the most frequently mocked players to the Orioles, and on paper, he may represent the best value if he is available at No. 7.
As a junior, Burress slashed .358/.473/.657 with a 1.130 OPS while setting a career-high with 91 hits. He added 16 home runs and 60 RBIs, while finishing his three-year career at Georgia Tech with a .357 batting average, 60 doubles, 60 home runs and an impressive 160 walks compared to just 122 strikeouts across 179 games.
Ranked No. 7 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 250, the 21-year-old combines elite bat-to-ball skills with legitimate power and profiles as a potential impact corner outfielder at the next level.
This would be a no-brainer selection for the Orioles.
Pro Comparisons: Mookie Betts, Corbin Carroll, Ramón Laureano
DEREK CURIEL | OF | LSU
Another intriguing option at No. 7 is LSU outfielder, Derek Curiel.
After bursting onto the national scene during his freshman season, Curiel followed up by slashing .353/.431/.526 with a .957 OPS as a sophomore. The 21-year-old California native totaled 82 hits, 18 doubles, six home runs and 46 RBIs.
While his offensive production dipped slightly from his freshman campaign, Curiel remains one of the most polished all-around players in the class. He committed just two errors during his collegiate career while posting a .349 career average and .975 OPS.
MLB Pipeline ranks Curiel 12th overall, making him a slight reach at No. 7. However, his combination of offensive upside and defensive value could make him well worth the selection.
Pro Comparisons: Nick Markakis, Christian Yelich, Steven Kwan
BEN BLAIR | RHP | LIBERTY
Looking beyond the first round, Liberty right-hander Ben Blair could become one of the steals of this draft.
Blair, 21, continued to improve throughout his collegiate career, culminating in a dominant junior season. He posted a 3.53 ERA across a career-high 94.1 innings, while setting career-bests with 113 strikeouts, just 17 walks and a .224 opponent batting average.
Over 226.1 collegiate innings, Blair struck out 249 batters while issuing only 70 walks. He did hit 11 batters this season, but his ability to consistently miss bats while limiting free passes makes him one of the more intriguing pitchers in the class.
Currently ranked No. 58 by MLB Pipeline, Blair has been projected as a late first-round selection. If he and his five-pitch mix were to slip into the second round, he would provide serious value for the Orioles.
Pro Comparisons: Logan Webb, Ryan Johnson, Dakota Hudson
TRE PHELPS | 3B/OF | GEORGIA
Georgia third baseman Tre Phelps is another player who may be flying under the radar this draft.
Phelps finished his junior season with a .347 batting average and a career-best .467 on-base percentage. He collected 96 hits, 22 doubles and 71 RBIs while adding 11 stolen bases.
The 22-year-old’s on-base ability is aided by his willingness to wear pitches (he was hit 35 times this season), but that is just part of what makes him an appealing prospect. Phelps owns a .334 collegiate average with 36 doubles and 155 RBIs, giving him the offensive profile of a future table-setter at the professional level.
Ranked No. 121 by MLB Pipeline, Phelps could be an excellent value if he is still available when the Birds make its third-round selection at No. 82 overall.
Pro Comparisons: Spencer Steer, Mark Canha, Ryan Mountcastle
BRENDAN BROCK | C/OF | OKLAHOMA
Last summer, the Orioles selected Ike Irish with one of its three first-round picks. This year, Brendan Brock offers a surprisingly similar profile.
The Oklahoma standout hit .302 during his first season with the Sooners while helping lead the program to the 2026 College World Series Championship. Although his batting average trails Irish’s .364 mark from last season, the similarities are striking.
Like Irish, Brock offers positional versatility, splitting time between catching and the outfield. He also provides gap power, home run ability and athleticism on the bases. Brock, 21, finished with 11 doubles, 13 home runs and 28 stolen bases, compared to Irish’s 13 doubles, 19 home runs and 11 steals in his draft year.
Ranked No. 112 by MLB Pipeline, Brock could be an intriguing developmental selection for Baltimore if he remains available in the middle rounds.
Pro Comparisons: Wilson Contreras, Daulton Varsho, Blake Sabol
OTHER NAMES TO WATCH
Several other prospects could also make sense for Baltimore depending on how the draft unfolds.
- Cameron Flukey: RHP, Coastal Carolina (Projected 1st Round)
- Mulivai Levu: 1B, UCLA (Projected 2nd Round)
- Carson Wiggins: RHP, Arkansas (Projected 3rd Round)
- Tyson LeBlanc: SS, Kansas (Projected 4th Round)
Predicting the MLB Draft is never easy because every front office values players differently. President of Baseball Operations and acting-GM Mike Elias and the rest of the Orioles’ front office could prioritize the best player available, target specific positional needs or simply select the players they believe have the highest long-term upside.
No one outside the draft room truly knows Baltimore’s board, but these are several prospects who make plenty of sense based on their talent, projected draft range and organizational fit. It will be fascinating to see which names ultimately become part of the Orioles’ future.
We will provide coverage of all the players selected throughout the entirety of the weekend. Stay tuned to The Baltimore Battery for our draft recap articles, and make sure to follow us on social media for updates on the Orioles’ selections.
What do you think of our selections? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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