Orioles select outfielder DJ Stewart in first round of 2015 draft

The Orioles tonight selected outfielder DJ Stewart of Florida State University with their first selection as the 25th overall pick of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft. The Orioles also selected shortstop Ryan Mountcastle at No. 36 overall from Hagerty (FL) High School and right-hander Jonathan Hughes at No. 68 overall from Flowery Branch (GA) High School.

Stewart, 21, batted .318/.500/.593 (68-214) with 15 home runs, 59 RBI, and 62 runs scored in 64 games in 2015 as a junior with the Seminoles. The 6-foot, 225 pound left-handed hitting outfielder was the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Player of the Year and a 2014 All-ACC First Team selection after leading the conference in batting average (.351), slugging percentage (.557), and on-base percentage (.472) as a sophomore. He also played in 28 games with the USA Collegiate National Team in the summer of 2014. In 2013, Stewart led Florida State in batting average (.364), slugging percentage (.560), hits (82), and doubles (25), and was named a Freshman All-American by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game, and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). As a high school student at The Bolles School in Jacksonville, FL, Stewart won a combined five state championships (three in football, two in baseball) and was named the 2012 Player of the Year in Baseball for the North Florida region. His father, Reggie Stewart, was a 13th round selection of the San Diego Padres in 1991 as a switch-hitting outfielder and played three minor league seasons in the San Diego organization.

Mountcastle, 18, is a 6-foot-3, 180 pound, right-handed hitting shortstop. He was a 2015 Perfect Game First Team All-American and a Florida All-Region First Team. He was also named a 2014 Perfect Game Underclass First Team.

Hughes, 18, is a 6-foot-2, 190 pound, right-handed pitcher. He was a 2015 Perfect Game Third Team All-American and a Southeast All-Region First Team. He was also named a 2014 Perfect Game Underclass First Team.

The Draft will continue Tuesday, June 9, on MLB.com with rounds 3-10, beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET, and conclude on Wednesday, June 10, with rounds 11-40 starting at 12:00 p.m.