Draft's first day nets three prospects for Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles tonight selected center fielder VANCE HONEYCUTT from the University of North Carolina with their first selection as the 22^nd overall pick of the 2024 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The Orioles also selected infielder GRIFF O’FERRALL at No. 32 overall from the University of Virginia and catcher ETHAN ANDERSON at No. 61 overall out of the University of Virginia.

Honeycutt, 21, slashed .318/.410/.714 (81-for-255) with 13 doubles, two triples, 28 home runs, 88 runs scored, 70 RBI, 36 walks, and 28 stolen bases in 62 games during his junior season. He is the first two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year in league history (2023 & 2024). He broke the UNC record for home runs in a career (65) and single season (28, 2024). Honeycutt was named a First-Team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), College Baseball Foundation, D1Baseball.com, and Perfect Game and recognized as a Second-Team All-American by Baseball America. A native of Salisbury, N.C., Honeycutt attended Salisbury High School, where he helped the school win the 2021 North Carolina High School Athletic Association baseball 2A state championship. He was drafted in the 20^th round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft by the San Francisco Giants but did not sign. He was ranked as the No. 13 overall draft prospect by Baseball America and No. 22 by MLB Pipeline.

O’Ferrall, 21, slashed .324/.367/.454 (92-for-284) with 20 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 64 runs scored, 52 RBI, 22 walks, and 17 stolen bases in 63 games during his junior season. He won the Brooks Wallace Award in 2024, annually bestowed on the nation’s top shortstop by the College Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the first Wallace Award winner in program history. O’Ferrall earned First-Team All-ACC honors for the second consecutive season. He struck out once every 11.8 at-bats, statistically the toughest hitter to strike out in the ACC. He attended St. Christopher’s High School (Va.), where he was named Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year. He was ranked as the No. 38 overall draft prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Anderson, 20, slashed .331/.435/.508 (82-for-248) with 20 doubles, eight home runs, 67 runs scored, 40 RBI, 40 walks, and five stolen bases in 63 games during his junior season. He earned First-Team All-ACC honors at utility and was recognized as a semifinalist for the Buster Posey Award, given annually to the nation’s top catcher. Anderson was also named a 2024 D1Baseball.com Preseason Second Team All-American after setting the program record with 26 doubles in 2023. He attended Frank W. Cox High School (Va.). He was ranked as the No. 59 overall draft prospect by Baseball America and No. 78 by MLB Pipeline.

The Draft continues with Day Two on July 15, with rounds 3-10, and Day Three on Tuesday, July 16, with rounds 11-20, with each day beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET on MLB.com.

ROUND        PLAYER                          POS      SCHOOL                                           HOMETOWN                       D.O.B.                             HT         WT B/T                                                 Scout

1 (22)            Vance Honeycutt         CF         University of North Carolina       Salisbury, NC                       5/17/2003                     6-3        205                                                    R/R                         Boyd

PPI (32)         Griff O’Ferrall                INF       University of Virginia                     Richmond, VA                       2/2/2003                        6-1        195                                                    R/R                         O’Dowd

2 (61)            Ethan Anderson            C           University of Virginia                    Virginia Beach, VA                       9/21/2003                     6-2        215                                                    S/R                         O’Dowd