Orioles draft Preston Palmeiro in seventh round

The Orioles are bringing another Palmeiro into the organization.

In the seventh round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft, the Orioles used the 211th overall pick on first baseman Preston Palmeiro of North Carolina State. He's the youngest son of former Oriole Rafael Palmeiro.

We're not talking just another player's son.

Preston batted .337 with 20 doubles, nine home runs and 55 RBIs in 59 games as a junior. Some scouts question his power potential, but they like his ability to hit.

The youngest Palmeiro was named second-team All-ACC in 2015 and made the academic honor roll for the second straight year. He's listed at 6 foot 1 and 185 pounds, no longer the pudgy little kid who used to roam the home clubhouse at Camden Yards and field ground balls from his father.

Rafael Palmeiro collected 3,020 hits and 569 home runs over a 20-year major league career, but he fell off the Hall of Fame ballot following his suspension in 2005 for testing positive for the anabolic steroid Stanozolol. The Orioles' season collapsed and cost manager Lee Mazzilli his job.

PrestonPalmeiro6.jpg

Palmeiro spent seven of his seasons with the Orioles, the end coming in 2005. He never played again in the majors and continues to profess his innocence.

Palmeiro hit 223 of his home runs with the Orioles. He also won two of his three Gold Gloves, but hasn't been voted into the club's Hall of Fame.

Patrick's selection today isn't the only family connection to the organization since Raffy retired.

Patrick Palmeiro, the oldest son and a third baseman, signed a minor league deal with the Orioles in February after he played for the independent Sugar Land Skeeters in 2015. The Orioles released him from minor league camp toward the end of spring training.

In the eighth round: The Orioles used the 241st overall pick on Texas Tech right-hander Ryan Moseley, a right-handed hitter listed at 6 foot 3 and 190 pounds.

Here's the Baseball America scouting report on Moseley:

"A catcher early in his prep career, Moseley didn't become a full-time pitcher until he was a senior in 2013 but quickly showed top-five-rounds upside on the mound. He slid to the Rays in the 36th round because he was set on attending Texas Tech, where he moved into the rotation late in his freshman year and didn't allow an earned run in four NCAA playoff starts as the Red Raiders advanced to the College World Series. His solid sophomore season and spectacular fall had scouts thinking he'd emerge as a first-round pick this June, but he lasted just three starts this spring before getting pulled from the rotation. There's no doubt that Moseley has enough pitches to start. His primary weapon is a 91-95 mph fastball with power sink. Both of his low-80s secondary pitches can be at least above-average offerings at their best, with his lively changeup more consistent than his slider. The problem is that Moseley's control and command aren't sharp, which gets him in trouble because he's more hittable than he should be and runs up his pitch counts too quickly. His stuff is more electric in shorter stints, so he could become a high-leverage reliever in the big leagues, but pro clubs aren't ready to give up on him as a starter."

In the ninth round: The Orioles took Texas State right-hander Lucas Humpal. The Indians selected him in the 37th round last year, but he returned to school.

The Orioles have chosen five college pitchers and two high school pitchers within the first nine rounds.

In the 10th: The Orioles' final draft pick of the day was right-hander Cody Dube out of Keene State College. That puts the tally at six college pitchers and two high school pitchers in the first 10 rounds.





Dylan Bundy on his strong outing last night and in...
Yard Work podcast: Episode 5
 

By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.masnsports.com/