Feeling a draft: The Orioles have four of the top 100 selections

After he heads out to scout an NCAA regional tournament this weekend, Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich will head to the warehouse at Camden Yards for about a week's worth of meetings leading up to another First-Year Player Draft.

This will be Rajsich's sixth draft with the Orioles. He took right-hander Kevin Gausman with his initial first-round pick (No. 4 overall) in 2012 and right-hander Cody Sedlock (No. 27 overall) with his top pick last June. He has taken pitchers with four of his previous top five selections. The only exception was outfielder DJ Stewart taken 25th overall in 2015.

The 2017 draft will be held from Monday, June 12 through Wednesday, June 14. The first night's selections will be made through the second round and competitive balance round B. On June 13, rounds three through 10 will be held and the next day the draft concludes with rounds 11-40. Minnesota has the overall No. 1 pick for the first time since 2001.

The Orioles had four top 100 selections in 2013 and 2016 and they have four this year with picks at No. 21, 60, 74 and 98. The Orioles have 11 picks over the first 10 rounds and a pool allotment of $6,846,700 to sign their top 10 round selections.

So how good does the top 100 look this year?

"I would say pitching, high school and college and high school position players would be the strength of the draft," Rajsich said. "Out of that top 100, there is kind of a premium on college position players because there are just not too many of them.

"We are mostly worried about clubs with multiple picks before our second pick. That is always a concern. Because a lot of good players will be gone between our first and second picks."

The allotted slot amount to sign the No. 21 pick is $2,892,400. Do the Orioles figure to get a player for about that signing bonus amount?

"We are always open for it to be higher or lower," Rajsich said. "We expect to be around the slot but it depends on who is there and what their situation is. And what we are trying to do after that pick. There are a lot of variables there. We try to allow for difference scenarios."

Rajsich said he and his staff have not yet compiled a short list of players to focus on that they might select 21st. But that paring down of talent will happen very soon in their draft room.

With the major league team in win-now mode, especially with some key players due to hit free agency after 2018, does that impact this draft for Baltimore?

"Not really," he said. "We are still going to go with the same philosophy we've always gone with. To take the next best guy available. I know we took a lot of pitchers last year but we felt we needed to strengthen the pitching depth in the organization. Last year we took 27 pitchers out of 40. We addressed that and some outfield depth last year. So, we're just trying to go to the strength of the draft and fill needs we have. We want to strengthen our system overall."

From 2006 through 2012, the Orioles first selection was No. 9 or higher. For the last six years of that run they picked between third and fifth every year. But since 2013 their highest picks have been No. 22 (Hunter Harvey), No. 90 (Brian Gonzalez), No. 25 (Stewart) and No. 27 (Sedlock).

In his latest mock draft for MLBPipeline.com, Jim Callis projected the Orioles would take Missouri right-handed pitcher Tanner Houck, but also listed several college hitters he feels should be on their radar along with North Carolina prep shortstop Greg Jones. Baseball America's latest mock had the Orioles selecting UCLA right-hander Griffin Canning. The Orioles were earlier said to have interest in University of North Carolina shortstop Logan Warmoth.

Teams can bring some players in to their stadium right before the draft for workouts and meetings. The players have to pay their own way but the team selecting them could reimburse them later for expenses. The Orioles will do this to take a close-up look at some potential draftees.

"We will have a workout. It's by invitation only. It's not an open tryout. We will bring in less than a dozen guys to get our eyes on them and get a feel for them with our staff here."

Rajsich said the Orioles put a premium on a player's makeup, which involves things like attitude and character.

"Makeup for me is just as important as talent. You have to have both," he said.