Ciolek on draft picks, and notes on All-Star Game

The amateur draft resumes this afternoon with the third through 10^th rounds. The Orioles have nine selections, including a Round 3 compensation pick, the 100^th overall, for failing to sign Oklahoma State pitcher Nolan McLean last summer.

The Orioles are choosing 86^th overall, 100^th, 118^th, 154^th, 181^st, 211^th, 241^st, 271^st and 301^st.

They are thrilled with the results at Nos. 17, 53 and 63.

Picking later than ever under executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, the Orioles grabbed Vanderbilt center fielder Enrique Bradfield Jr., North Carolina outfielder Mac Horvath and Florida State strikeout machine Jackson Baumeister – a good nickname when you’re a pitcher.

“Ecstatic,” director of draft operations Brad Ciolek said on a video call.

“Obviously, starting with the selection of Enrique, being a type of guy who can play double-plus defense in center field, blazing speed on the basepaths, high contact. And then adding a couple ACC performers right after that, really happy with how things turned out the first night.”

Ciolek said the Orioles had “high interest” in Horvath last year.

“I think the first thing that really stands out about his game in general is just how good of an athlete he is,” Ciolek said. “He’s a plus runner, he has a plus arm. He split some time this year between third base and center field, and we’re ultimately going to look to kind of capitalize on his athleticism, give him some reps out in center field but also make sure that he’s also getting reps at third base, as far as versatility is concerned.”

A pitcher on the first day is a first with Elias in the front office.

“We’ve been monitoring Jackson for a while now, ever since high school,” Ciolek said. “We’ve always liked the arm that he’s had. He runs it up to 98, sits at 93-94. I think the thing that really made us intrigued with Jackson is how the fastball plays. We think we can maximize his arsenal by having him pitch further up in the zone with his fastball.

“He also has a complete repertoire as far as a starting pitcher is concerned. A sweepy slider that is conducive to getting chases for right-handed hitters. Curveball is a little bit of a softer breaker but we think we can add some velocity to improve that. And we’re also going to look to up his repetition of his changeup. So, just really intrigued overall as far as the arm strength and the secondary weapons are concerned.”

It all began with Bradfield, the speedster who stayed on the board until the Orioles could pounce.

“Whenever you have a player who comes to the SEC and walks more than he strikes out for three consecutive years, that’s the type of guy you want hitting at the top of your lineup,” Ciolek said. “The fact that he is very disciplined, has elite contact skills, and 80 grade speed to go with it … I know in the past we’ve taken a lot of guys who have some power production and this is a little bit of a different look, but having that guy at the top of the lineup to wreak havoc on the basepaths and play a double-plus defense grade in center field really makes you feel good as far as the entire package that you’re getting.

“He’s the type of guy that you probably hate playing against and love having him if he’s on your team.”

* The Orioles won’t reveal their starters for the home series against the Marlins until later in the week. Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish and Cole Irvin are lined up, but the break allows the team to tweak the rotation.

Names could be jumbled. Grayson Rodriguez could be recalled after starting yesterday for Triple-A Norfolk and being removed after three scoreless innings and 56 pitches. It’s anyone’s guess.

A 13^th pitcher could be added after the Orioles optioned left-hander Bruce Zimmermann yesterday and reinstated first baseman Ryan Mountcastle from the injured list.

Going with 12 pitchers seemed safer with the bullpen fairly rested, and it delayed a decision on which position player to axe (or “ax” if you prefer).

Manager Brandon Hyde was asked yesterday about the impact of Mountcastle’s return on first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn. Hyde’s response to the assembled media was, "Not much.”

"Ryan has been swinging the bat extremely well and made a start against just about every right-handed starter so far,” Hyde said. “This just gives us another good player. Yeah, good problem to have. If O'Hearn keeps doing what he's doing, I'm not going to be taking him out."

Could Mountcastle and O’Hearn work in a platoon or something sort of resembling one?

Mountcastle was batting .311/.342/.676 in 82 plate appearances against left-handers before yesterday and .191/.229/.310 in 179 against right-handers. O’Hearn was batting .318/.362/.543 in 141 plate appearances against right-handers and was 1-for-8 against lefties.

The Twins summoned left-hander Jovani Moran from the bullpen yesterday in the fifth inning, Mountcastle pinch-hit for O’Hearn and lined an RBI single into center field. Colton Cowser ran for him.

A teammate patted Mountcastle on the batting helmet as he walked through the dugout. Mountcastle’s reaction was to widen his grin and pretend that it made him woozy. But seriously, don’t touch his head.

* More attention can turn to the All-Star Game with the regular season put on hold. The Home Run Derby is tonight, with eighth seed Adley Rutschman going against top seed Luis Robert of the White Sox.

The Mets’ Pete Alonso is No. 2 and goes against No. 7 Julio Rodríguez of the Mariners. The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts is No. 3 and competes against No. 6 seed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays. The Rangers’ Adolis García is No. 4 and pitted against No. 5 Randy Arozarena of the Rays.

Personally, I don’t get a thrill out of this competition. Haven’t for a long time. But it isn’t about me, and Rutschman’s presence makes it watchable.

Austin Hays, who hit a 434-foot home run yesterday into the second deck at Target Field and added an RBI single in the fifth inning, will be in the American League’s starting lineup Tuesday night. Rutschman will wait on the bench, perhaps able to catch relievers Yennier Cano and Félix Bautista.

Hays is healthy again after bruising his left hip, and injuries to Aaron Judge and Mike Trout enabled him to start tonight.

“It’s been one of the highlights for me this year, seeing the growth and watching him develop and do so much better year to year and stay healthy this year,” Hyde said last week at Yankee Stadium. “He’s an unbelievable guy, really well liked, always a team-first attitude. When you’re a coach and a guy would run through a wall for you, those are the kinds of guys you love, and that’s exactly what Austin is. Just somebody who plays so hard and plays to win. You pull for somebody like that.

“Ever since I’ve been around him since 2019, he’s been that type of guy, and to watch him get a well-deserved All-Star Game and get nationally recognized, it’s a good feeling.”

Bautista would love having Cano get the eighth inning and him the ninth.

The Guardians’ Emmanuel Clase and the Blue Jays’ Jordan Romano began yesterday tied for the AL lead with 25 saves, followed by Bautista with 23. Romano notched No. 26 in a 4-3 win over the Tigers.

The ERAs:

Bautista: 1.07
Romano: 2.87
Clase: 3.38

The WHIPs:

Bautista: 0.93
Romano: 1.12
Clase: 1.15

The strikeouts:

Bautista: 84 in 42 innings
Romano: 44 in 37 2/3
Clase: 38 in 42 2/3

The opponent’s average:

Bautista: .138
Romano: .217
Clase: .228

* The four Orioles All-Star representatives are under 30-years-old, tying the club record.

Chuck Estrada, Jim Gentile, Ron Hansen and Brooks Robinson in 1960.
Davey Johnson, Dave McNally, Paul Blair and Boog Powell in 1969.
Johnson, McNally, Powell and Jim Palmer in 1970.
Chris Davis, Adam Jones, Manny Machado and Chris Tillman in 2013.