O’s make Rutschman prime choose; Witt Jr. goes 2nd
SECAUCUS, N.J. — Adley Rutschman heard the chatter for months that he’d be the highest choose within the Main League Baseball draft.
The switch-hitting Oregon State catcher simply stored slugging on the plate and throwing out would-be base stealers all season from behind it — making it a straightforward name for the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night time.
“It is unbelievable,” Rutschman mentioned from Goss Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon, shortly after changing into the highest choose. “Simply to look again on how I used to be as a child and seeing what my expectations had been, how far I’ve come from there. It is particular.”
The announcement by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred at MLB Community studios marked the second time the Orioles led off the draft — they took LSU pitcher Ben McDonald in 1989.
“I met with all of the groups over the course of the yr and knew the Orioles had been going to be the primary general,” mentioned Rutschman, a 40th-round choose by Seattle three years in the past. “Because the yr progressed and went alongside, it regarded prefer it was a chance an increasing number of. It simply labored out that manner.”
With the No. 2 selection, the Kansas Metropolis Royals grabbed Texas highschool shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., the son of former massive league pitcher Bobby Witt.
The youthful Witt has draft-day bragging rights on his father, who received 142 video games over 16 seasons after being chosen No. Three general in 1985.
“Now I’ve acquired him beat,” Bobby Witt Jr. mentioned.
The Witts grew to become the highest-drafted father-son duo, topping Tom Grieve (No. 6, 1966) and Ben Grieve (No. 2, 1994). They’re the seventh father-son mixture of first-rounders, and first since Delino DeShields (1987) and Delino DeShields Jr. (2010).
“The goals are sort of turning into actuality,” the youthful Witt mentioned.
The 21-year-old Rutschman had been the favourite to go first general since he led Oregon State to the Faculty World Collection championship final yr and was chosen probably the most excellent participant. He adopted that up with a dominant junior season on the plate — and behind it. He hit .411 with a career-best 17 homers to go together with 58 RBIs and a school-record 76 walks, and threw out 13 of 27 runners trying to steal.
Rutschman, a local of Sherwood, Oregon, is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award given to the nation’s prime faculty participant. He was additionally the Pac-12 participant of the yr for the Beavers and the convention’s co-defensive participant of yr.
His choice marks the seventh time a participant drafted as a catcher was taken with the highest choose, and first since Minnesota tabbed Joe Mauer in 2001.
The 6-foot, 180-pound Witt Jr. , thought of a five-tool prospect, turns 19 subsequent Friday. The Colleyville Heritage Excessive Faculty star has spectacular energy whereas making constant contact with a easy right-handed swing.
College of California slugging first baseman Andrew Vaughn went to the Chicago White Sox with the third choose.
Vaughn batted .381 this season with 15 homers, 50 RBIs and a .544 on-base share that ranks among the many nationwide leaders. He additionally confirmed a terrific eye on the plate and struck out simply 74 instances in three faculty seasons.
The 6-foot, 214-pound Vaughn can also be trying to grow to be the primary repeat winner of the Golden Spikes Award after incomes the distinction as a sophomore final yr.
2019 MLB Draft — Prime 10 Picks
TeamPlayerPosition1. OriolesAdley RutschmanC2. RoyalsBobby Witt Jr.SS3. White SoxAndrew Vaughn1B4. MarlinsJJ BledayOF5. TigersRiley GreeneOF6. PadresCJ AbramsSS7. RedsNick LodoloLHP8. RangersJosh Jung3B9. BravesShea LangeliersC10. GiantsHunter BishopOF
The Miami Marlins drafted Vanderbilt outfielder JJ Bleday at No. four, including the Southeastern Convention participant of the yr who has a fast, left-handed swing and leads Division I gamers in residence runs with a school-record 26. A finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, the 6-foot-Three, 205-pound Bleday is hitting .351 and brings a 42-game on-base streak into subsequent weekend’s tremendous regionals spherical of the NCAA match.
With the fifth choose, the Detroit Tigers took Florida highschool outfielder Riley Greene. Gatorade’s Florida state participant of yr hit .422 with eight homers, 27 RBIs and 38 runs as arguably the nation’s prime prep outfielder. He has a easy left-handed swing that produces constant line drives.
Extra draft historical past was made when the San Diego Padres chosen speedy Georgia highschool shortstop CJ Abrams at No. 6, marking the primary time no pitchers had been taken inside the first six picks.
The lefty-hitting Abrams was thought of by many to be the quickest participant within the draft. The Blessed Trinity Catholic Excessive Faculty star batted .418 with eight residence runs and 100 RBIs in his highschool profession.
TCU left-hander Nick Lodolo ended the run on place gamers, going seventh general to the Cincinnati Reds.
Typically thought to be the highest pitching prospect on this yr’s class, Lodolo went 6-6 with a 2.36 ERA and struck out 131 whereas strolling simply 25 in 103 innings for the Horned Frogs. He was the 41st general choose by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016 — the very best choice to go unsigned that yr.
Lodolo additionally grew to become TCU’s highest-drafted participant, topping Lance Broadway (No. 15 by White Sox in 2005). Lodolo will get the complete slot of $5.43 million, sources advised ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Texas Tech third baseman Josh Jung, the co-Massive 12 participant of the yr, was the eighth general choose. He slid over from third to shortstop early this season, so he has some place flexibility, and was among the many convention’s leaders in a number of offensive classes whereas main the Purple Raiders to the NCAA match.
Atlanta took Baylor catcher Shea Langeliers with the No. 9 choose. The Braves acquired the choose as compensation for not signing final yr’s first-rounder pitcher, Carter Stewart, who was eligible for this yr’s draft however as an alternative signed a six-year contract final week with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League that may assure him as a lot as $7 million.
Langeliers is an impressive defensive catcher who threw out 14 of 25 would-be base stealers. He is additionally terrific on the plate; he set an NCAA match document with 11 RBIs in a three-homer sport in opposition to Omaha on Saturday night time.
Arizona State power-hitting outfielder Hunter Bishop went to San Francisco, rounding out the primary 10 picks. The lefty-hitting youthful brother of Mariners outfielder Braden Bishop ranked amongst nationwide leaders in residence runs, RBIs, complete bases and runs scored.
Texas highschool third baseman Brett Baty was the primary of the 4 prospects in attendance to be chosen, going 12th general to the Mets. San Jacinto Junior Faculty right-hander Jackson Rutledge was the second to be drafted, going to Washington at No. 17.
The Related Press contributed to this report.