Orioles mock draft roundup: Pitcher, potential two-way player among candidates at No. 17 overall
The 2023 Major League Baseball draft will feel a little different for the Orioles.
After four straight years picking in the top five — including two No. 1 overall selections in Jackson Holliday and Adley Rutschman — Baltimore will make its first pick at No. 17 when the first round begins July 9 in Seattle in conjunction with the MLB All-Star Game on July 11.
While much of the focus this season is on the play on the field as the Orioles (48-30) push for their first postseason berth since 2016, the draft remains a critical part of the post-rebuild organization led by executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. Baseball America’s highest-ranked farm system has helped fuel the team’s return to competitiveness, with infielder Jordan Westburg the latest top prospect to make an impact in the major leagues.
With less than two weeks before the picks begin, here’s a look at what experts are saying about who the Orioles might take at No. 17 overall.
Florida right-hander Hurston Waldrep
MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo: “The Orioles are looking at a variety of possibilities here and with Waldrep’s postseason performance, the Gators’ starter could be gone by now. They could also consider college hitters like [Stanford shortstop Tommy Troy] and Florida Atlantic’s Nolan Schanuel or high school bats like [first baseman-right-handed pitcher] Eldridge or catcher Blake Mitchell.”
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel: “Under GM Mike Elias, the highest the Orioles have drafted and signed a pitcher is the fifth round (they didn’t sign last year’s third-round pick, Nolan McLean). They’re in on Waldrep, though, as well as the bats who fit their power-first-but-with-some-range approach to the draft: [shortstop Colin] Houck, [third baseman Aidan] Miller, [outfielder Chase] Davis and [shortstop Arjun] Nimmala.”
MLB.com’s Jim Callis: “Waldrep has some of the nastiest stuff in the draft and has posted his best back-to-back starts of the spring, allowing one run and striking out 25 in 15 innings in consecutive NCAA Tournament victories. Other potential fits for the Orioles include Nimmala, Miller, Eldridge, Mitchell and Florida Atlantic first baseman Nolan Schanuel.”
TCU third baseman Brayden Taylor
Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo: “This feels like the lower end of outcomes for Taylor, who slumped in the middle parts of the season, but has been on a tear lately. He has one of the better offensive approaches you’ll find in the class, with a solid ability to hit for power to the pull side. His biggest critique entering the season was that he didn’t have enough impact for a third baseman, but he’s quietly been an excellent home run producer throughout his career, with 48 career home runs, including 23 this season. I would not be surprised to see Taylor off the board inside the top 10 picks. Bryce Eldridge could make some sense with the Orioles as well.”
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter: “With their window of contention finally opening, it would make sense for the Orioles to focus on college players, and Taylor is part of a group in this section of the draft that also includes Jacob Gonzalez, Tommy Troy and Brock Wilken. The TCU star hit .308/.430/.631 with 15 doubles, 23 home runs and 70 RBI, and he has also seen time at second base. Two-way prep standout Bryce Eldridge could be a dark horse here.”
Baseball Prospect Journal’s Dan Zielinski III: “Taylor was inconsistent at times this spring, but he showed encouraging signs in the NCAA Tournament. The potential is there, especially from the offensive side, where he projects as an impact left-handed bat in pro ball. He is young for a college player and still has a lot of projection left.”
Strawberry Crest High (Florida) shortstop Arjun Nimmala
The Athletic’s Keith Law: “This seems like the floor for the 17-year-old Nimmala, who is one of the draft’s youngest players and has shown strong exit velocities, two things the Orioles definitely value in the draft. I’ve heard them on Bryce Eldridge, another big EV guy, and I think they’d be a player for Brock Wilken if those high school bats were gone. As usual, no word around them taking a pitcher in the first.”
Sporting News’ Edward Sutelan: “Plenty of models will like Arjun Nimmala because of his power, approach and age heading into the draft. The Orioles have found success with prep shortstops lately (Jackson Holliday and Gunnar Henderson), and Nimmala could become the latest in what has become a strong farm system. Nimmala could go much earlier in the draft, with some thinking he might be a top 10 pick. While the Orioles are deep in their system at shortstop, at this stage, getting a player with Nimmala’s skill set and age at a premium position might be too much to pass up.”
James Madison High (Virginia) first baseman-pitcher Bryce Eldridge
CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa: “The O’s have had a lot of success developing hitters with premium ball-tracking data and Eldridge, who owns perhaps the best raw power in the high school ranks this draft, fits the mold. He is considered a better hitting prospect than pitching prospect, though Eldridge has pro potential on the mound, and he’s reportedly told teams he wants to give being a two-way player a try. I assume whichever team drafts him will give it a go. Either way, Eldridge has the enormous raw thump the Orioles typically target on draft day.”
