Two more names to toss into the draft mix

As we binge on mock drafts, fight the confusion and wish that we could gain some clarity, the Orioles are attached to multiple players depending on the hour and who's doing the predicting.

The consensus in my informal poll remains Vanderbilt third baseman/center fielder Austin Martin with the second overall pick. But there's some hedging.

Baseball America's Carlos Collazo and The Athletic's Keith Law, to name just two, have heard that the Orioles could go under slot.

Baseball America's 6.0 version on Wednesday had Florida prep outfielder Zac Veen going No. 2, but read on and the blurb begins with the following line:

"We still believe Austin Martin is more likely to be the No. 2 pick for Baltimore ... "

And then there's the finish:

"... but if this was our final mock, Martin would probably still be the name based on the information we have at hand."

So it's still Martin, but keep an eye on Veen.

Law is sticking with Martin, placing Veen at No. 4 to the Royals, but he also addressed the under-slot buzz and wrote that the Orioles would "consider" Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad, using the savings to go over-slot on the 30th and 39th picks.

New Mexico State shortstop Nick Gonzales also is viewed as a possibility, but again, Martin is the favorite.

The chances of a pitcher going No. 2, whether it's Texas A&M's Asa Lacy, Minnesota's Max Meyer or Georgia's Emerson Hancock, are downplayed by many who are tracking the draft. I'm still saying that Lacy can't be dismissed. Not a lefty with impressive size and four above-average pitches, two that are plus to plus-plus.

If the Orioles pass on him, the Marlins seem certain to grab him at No. 3.

(I'll also repeat the Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson likely goes to the Orioles if the Tigers do the unexpected and pass on him.)

The smart money for me is on the Orioles traveling the college route, but Veen is a left-handed hitter with a commitment to the University of Florida who's lauded for his batting eye, plate discipline and increasing power. I've also heard him described as a "loose and fluid" athlete.

He's been soaring up boards and mocks.

The "swing-and-miss" tendencies are noted by Baseball America, which also joins the chorus that believes the kid will have to move from center field to a corner spot.

"Veen has one of the more high-upside tools profiles in the class thanks to his power potential, swing and frame," the publication writes. "After entering the season toward the back of the first round, the Florida commit is now one of the favorites to be the first high school player selected in a class that's heavy on college players at the top."

Law has used the catchy phrase, "Zac Veen, the hitting machine." The Orioles marketing department should be rooting for Veen to be drafted for that reason alone.

Would Kjerstad be a reach at No. 2? Baseball America slots him 13th in its draft rankings and projects him to go 10th to the Angels.

Kjerstad, a left-handed hitter from Texas, led Team USA last summer with a .395/.426/.651 slash line, but he strikes out a lot and isn't viewed as more than an adequate defender in the corners. He was batting .448/.513/.791 with five doubles, six home runs and 20 RBIs in 78 plate appearances as a junior at Arkansas before the sport shut down.

From Baseball America: "He's hit better than .330/.400/.550 in each of his first two seasons with Arkansas and was off to another hot start in his junior campaign. That type of consistency gives him one of the higher floors among hitters in the 2020 draft class. He's a middle-of-the-order type bat but might be more power over pure hit, with 70-grade future raw power and the ability to leave a ballpark in any direction. His swing is a bit unorthodox, with a two-piece action and a pause with a big leg kick that interrupts his timing. The complex mechanics might be why he's historically struck out at a high clip."