The talent pickup for the Baltimore Orioles in the 2024 MLB Draft is further indication of how fully investing in your scouting department can yield results.
The Orioles scouting department continues to display why they are considered among the best in baseball.
While in years past the Orioles’ draft picks that have turned gold have been picked early in the draft rounds, this year Baltimore picked No. 22 and No. 32 on Sunday night, and according to industry sources hit their picks out of the park.
The Orioles selected Vance Honeycutt of North Carolina, a name painfully familiar to UVA Baseball fans, at 22, and followed up at 32 with another ACC player, Griff O’Ferrall from Virginia.
Honeycutt is the two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year and the Tar Heels single-season home-run record holder, and has superstar potential.
O’Ferrall had an impressive career for Virginia and was high on the Orioles’ list because of his overall athletic ability and his fundamentals being solid.
On an O’s podcast Tuesday afternoon, Jim Bowden of The Athletic said Baltimore may have been the biggest winner of the 2024 Draft, and it wasn’t by luck.
“Baltimore has built perhaps the best overall scouting department in Major League Baseball,” said Bowden.
“The Orioles didn’t pick until No. 22, but were still able to land center fielder Vance Honeycutt out of North Carolina. If he hits, he’ll be a superstar.”
Bowden then further praised the O’Ferrall pick.
“This kid (O’Ferrall) can really hit, and has all the tools of a shortstop, quick feet, and first-step quickness, (and) he is fundamentally sound,” added Bowden.
Baltimore stayed in the ACC with its third pick by selecting another Cavalier, Ethan Anderson.
Not even an hour after grabbing O’Ferrall with the 32nd pick, the Orioles selected Anderson, the UVA catcher/utility player, with the 61st overall pick Sunday night.
Anderson appeared in 178 games over the last three seasons as a Wahoo. Anderson was a first-team All-ACC selection.
According to Bowden, the Orioles drafting the best players available may have been an indication of how Baltimore may approach the upcoming MLB trade deadline.
“By drafting three college players, the Orioles feel they will be ready to play soon. This may allow Baltimore to move some of their top prospects in the next few weeks ahead of the trade deadline,” said Bowden.
The Orioles have been solid for the last three seasons, and every one of their picks in the Top 5 from 2019-2022 have all debuted at the Major League level.
According to Bowden, teams that succeed in the draft aren’t drafting for immediate Major League needs.
The O’Ferrall selection by Baltimore was a result of Gunnar Henderson winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
The Orioles received the additional selection, placed between the first and second rounds and free-agent compensation picks, as MLB’s newly installed prospect promotion program.
Orioles vice president of player development and domestic scouting Matt Blood summed up O’Ferrall by saying, “He’s a gamer, a good baseball player. O’Ferrall can impact the game defensively, on the base paths, and just wreaks havoc with his bat. Our fans are going to love him.”
The wonderful thing about being drafted by Baltimore for Virginia fans is that it’s an easy drive to follow the Cavalier duo along their minor league journey.
The Orioles Single-A affiliates are in Aberdeen, Md., and Salisbury, Md.
Bowie, Md., and Norfolk are the Orioles’ Double-A and Triple A affiliates.
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