List of Baltimore Orioles first-round draft picks

Mike Mussina (1990) made five all-star appearances with the Orioles.

The Baltimore Orioles are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland. They play in the American League East division. Since the institution of MLB's Rule 4 Draft, the Orioles have selected 58 players in the first round. Officially known as the "First-Year Player Draft",^[1] the Rule 4 Draft is MLB's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to its teams. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with the team possessing the worst record receiving the first pick.^[1] In addition, teams which lost free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded compensatory or supplementary picks.^[2]

Of the 58 players picked in the first round by Baltimore, 30 have been pitchers, the most of any position; 21 of them were right-handed, while 9 were left-handed. Eleven outfielders, eight shortstops, six catchers, two third basemen, and one second basemen were also taken. The team has never drafted a player at first base.^[3] 16 of the players came from high schools or universities in the state of California, and Florida follows with five players.^[3] The Orioles have also drafted two players from Canada, Ntema Ndungidi (1997) and Adam Loewen (2002).^[3] The Orioles have not drafted any players from their home state of Maryland.^[3]

Two players have won a championship with the team; Bobby Grich (1967), who was a part of the 1970 World Series championship team, and Rich Dauer (1974), who was a part of the 1983 World Series championship team.^[4][5] None of the Orioles' first-round picks have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. One pick, Gregg Olson (1988), has won the MLB Rookie of the Year Award; he won the award in 1989.^[6] The Orioles had the first overall selection once in the draft, which they used on Ben McDonald (1989). Jayson Werth (1997) was originally drafted as a catcher, but was converted to a right fielder, and primarily plays that position in the major leagues.^[7]

The Orioles have made 11 selections in the supplemental round of the draft and six compensatory picks since the institution of the First-Year Player Draft in 1965.^[3] These additional picks are provided when a team loses a particularly valuable free agent in the previous off-season,^[2][8][V] or, more recently, if a team fails to sign a draft pick from the previous year.^[9] The Orioles have failed to sign two of their first-round picks, Brad DuVall (1987) and Wade Townsend (2004). They received the 28th pick in 1988 and the 48th pick in 2005 for failing to sign DuVall and Townsend, respectively, as compensation.^[3]

Key

Picks

Bobby Grich (1967) was part of the World Series-winning 1970 Baltimore Orioles team.

Rich Dauer (1974) was one of sixteen players drafted from the state of California by the Orioles.

Jayson Werth (1997) was originally drafted as a catcher, but was converted to a right fielder.

Darnell McDonald (1997) was one of four consecutive outfielders selected by the Orioles in the first round.

Brian Roberts (1999) was the last of seven players the Orioles selected in the first round of the 1999 draft.

Nick Markakis (2003) was one of four players drafted by the Orioles from the state of Georgia.

Matt Wieters (2007) is the first of four consecutive players drafted by the Orioles with a pick in the top five.

Brian Matusz (2008) was one of nine left-handed pitchers drafted by the Orioles.

See also

• Baltimore Orioles minor league players

Footnotes

• ^V Free agents are evaluated by the Elias Sports Bureau and rated "Type A", "Type B", or not compensation-eligible. If a team offers arbitration to a player but that player refuses and subsequently signs with another team, the original team may receive additional draft picks. If a "Type A" free agent leaves in this way his previous team receives a supplemental pick and a compensation pick from the team with which he signs. If a "Type B" free agent leaves in this way his previous team receives only a supplemental pick.^[9]
• ^a The Orioles lost their first-round pick in 1979 to the Chicago White Sox as compensation for signing free agent Steve Stone.^[56]
• ^b The Orioles lost their first-round pick in 1981 to the Boston Red Sox as compensation for signing free agent Jim Dwyer.^[57]
• ^c The Orioles lost their first-round pick in 1985 to the California Angels as compensation for signing free agent Fred Lynn.^[58]
• ^d The Orioles lost their first-round pick in 1986 to the California Angels as compensation for signing free agent Juan Beníquez.^[59]
• ^e The Orioles gained a compensatory first-round pick in 1987 from the Cleveland Indians for losing free agent Rick Dempsey.^[60]
• ^f The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1987 for losing free agent Rick Dempsey.^[60]
• ^g The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1988 for failing to sign draft pick Brad DuVall.^[61]
• ^h The Orioles lost their first-round pick in 1994 to the New York Mets as compensation for signing free agent Sid Fernandez.^[62]
• ⁱ The Orioles lost their first-round pick in 1996 to the Toronto Blue Jays as compensation for signing free agent Roberto Alomar.^[63]
• ^j The Orioles gained a compensatory first-round pick in 1997 from the New York Yankees for losing free agent David Wells.^[64]
• ^k The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1997 for losing free agent David Wells.^[64]
• ^l The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1998 for losing free agent Randy Myers.^[65]
• ^m The Orioles gained a compensatory first-round pick in 1999 from the St. Louis Cardinals for losing free agent Eric Davis.^[66]
• ⁿ The Orioles gained a compensatory first-round pick in 1999 from the Texas Rangers for losing free agent Rafael Palmeiro.^[66]
• ^o The Orioles gained a compensatory first-round pick in 1999 from the Cleveland Indians for losing free agent Roberto Alomar.^[66]
• ^p The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1999 for losing free agent Roberto Alomar.^[66]
• ^q The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1999 for losing free agent Eric Davis.^[66]
• ^r The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 1999 for losing free agent Rafael Palmeiro.^[66]
• ^s The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2000 for losing free agent Arthur Rhodes.^[67]
• ^t The Orioles gained a compensatory first-round pick in 2001 from the New York Yankees for losing free agent Mike Mussina.^[68]
• ^u The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2001 for losing free agent Mike Mussina.^[68]
• ^v The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2005 for failing to sign draft pick Wade Townsend.^[69]
• ^w The Orioles gained a supplemental first-round pick in 2006 for losing free agent B. J. Ryan.^[70]

References

General references

• "MLB First Round Draft Picks". ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved August 10, 2010. 
• "Baltimore Orioles 1st Round Picks in the MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved August 10, 2010. 

In-text citations

External links

• Baltimore Orioles official website