The Orioles kept working through the draft on Sunday, using their fifth-round pick on shortstop Jimmy Anderson from Heartland Community College in Heartland, Kansas, then following with Alabama left-hander Zane Adams in the sixth round.
Anderson was no stranger to Baltimore’s draft board. The Orioles took him in the 19th round last year, but he didn’t sign.
This time, they came back for him after a monster season at Heartland. In 59 games, Anderson hit .465 with a 1.574 OPS, along with 26 home runs and 88 RBIs.
He also brings a familiar hometown connection. Anderson is from Joliet, Illinois, the same city as outfielder Nate George, Baltimore’s top-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline. George is currently out with an illness.
Adams gives the Orioles another arm to add to the system. The Alabama lefty went 8-5 with a 4.58 ERA in 17 starts, giving up 97 hits across 90 1/3 innings.
He struck out 100 and walked 30. Baltimore lists a four-pitch mix for Adams, with the changeup standing out as his best pitch.
The draft wraps up Sunday evening with the 20-round process coming to a close.
Before the rest of the day’s baseball gets underway, the Orioles still haven’t announced their starters for the first series after the All-Star break. That set begins next weekend at Houston.
Baltimore has also been stuck on a strange streak note: the club has won three straight eight times, but has lost in its previous seven chances to make it nine.
For Sunday’s game against Kansas City, the Orioles lined up with Gunnar Henderson at shortstop, Taylor Ward at designated hitter, Dylan Beavers in left field, Pete Alonso at first base, Samuel Basallo behind the plate, Blaze Alexander at third, Colton Cowser in center, Leody Taveras in right and Jackson Holliday at second, with Shane Baz on the mound.
The Royals countered with Carter Jensen at catcher, Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop, Jac Caglianone in right, Lane Thomas in center, Vinny Pasquantino at DH, Salvador Perez at first, Michael Massey at second, Josh Rojas at third, Isaac Collins in left and Seth Lugo pitching.
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Orioles Just Doubled Down On Their Biggest Problem Since Cedric Mullins
The Orioles spent their first two draft picks trying to address a spot that has been unsettled since Cedric Mullins moved on, and they did it with a pair of center fielders who fit very different timelines. First came high schooler Eric Booth Jr., a defensive-minded prospect with plenty of tools and the kind of upside clubs dream on in the first round, followed by NC State sophomore Ty Head, a more polished bat who gives Baltimore a second crack at the same position with a different profile.
It is a clear sign the Orioles are not treating center field as a one-off need but as a problem worth attacking from multiple angles. Booth brings the long view and the glove, while Head offers a quicker path if his power keeps coming, but both picks also underline how much development still stands between Baltimore and a real answer in the middle of the outfield. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Suffer Brutal Blaze Alexander Setback Just As Momentum Builds
Blaze Alexanders rise has been one of the more useful developments for Baltimore this season, with the versatile infielder giving the Orioles production and flexibility all over the field. He has been a steady presence in the lineup and a defensive option at multiple spots, which is part of what made his latest setback so frustrating for a club trying to keep momentum going.
The injury came after he was hit by a pitch in the seventh inning against Kansas City, and the aftermath added even more edge to an already tense moment. Baltimore now has to sort through the ripple effects while Alexander waits for further evaluation during the All-Star break, leaving the Orioles to manage a key piece of their roster without knowing how long they will be without him. [Read more 🡒]