Leftover thoughts on early rounds of draft

FLUSHING, N.Y. - While wondering if the Eagles will invite Alanis Morissette to sing "Uninvited" before their home opener ...

I'm getting asked about the Orioles' decision to select Texas high school pitcher Grayson Rodriguez with their first pick in the draft. It felt like a reach considering the more highly rated pitchers still on the board, including Matthew Liberatore, Brady Singer, Cole Winn and Shane McClanahan, but let's not pretend that this is an exact science.

It is not - more than any other sport.

I always challenge people to Google any MLB draft, scroll through the names in the first round and count how many you actually recognize, let alone ones who made it to the majors.

Rodriguez was the pitcher targeted all along, according to scouting director Gary Rajsich, who referred to the right-hander as "our top guy." The only ratings the Orioles cared about were their own.

"The first thing you notice is he has a big, strong, durable body and he's an advanced high school pitcher that is a unique combination of power and polish. That attracts you right away," Rajsich said during a conference call with the media.

"All of us watched him this spring and he was a consistent performer. He held up very well through the spring and we all saw him great. He was consensus pick for us in the first round. We all loved him and were thrilled he was there for us at pick 11."

Seemed like a slam dunk. I didn't see him listed as a Top 10 pick in any of the mock drafts I perused. But let's continue:

"He has a good, advanced delivery that he can repeat," Rajsich said. "His arm action is nice and clean and the ball comes out of his hand very well. He has advanced command of four pitches and he just pounds the strike zone. We just love the competitor in him. He has poise and composure on the mound. He is just out there to take care of business."

That includes in the weight room.

Rodriguez was deemed in need of a better body. His conditioning was a bit of a concern. And we all flashed back simultaneously to Matt Hobgood, except Rodriguez took care of it right away by hiring a personal trainer in September and the reduced fat and increased muscle pumped more life into his fastball.

"The ball felt different coming out of my hand," he said. "It was jumping out of my hand and it felt like half the effort it did before to throw it as hard as I wanted to. I definitely didn't have to try to throw hard. It just kind of came a lot more natural.

"I worked with a pitching coach down in Houston, David Evans, to work on my mechanics. Everything just worked so much more fluent. The ball would just jump out of my hand. When I threw a fastball I could hear it right before it hit the mitt."

You've got a better shot at getting your selection to the majors if he's making the smaller jump from a college program. There were safer picks. But the Orioles love Rodriguez's power arm, makeup and upside. He's termed a "helium" prospect, and not because of a high-pitched voice.

Now, just keep him healthy.

Oregon State shortstop Cadyn Grenier was the choice with the 37th overall pick. He attended Bishop Gorman High School in Nevada, which also produced Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard. They're both rooting for the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup finals.

As if Rickard hasn't done enough losing this year. But seriously ...

A team that goes with the best player on the board as opposed to addressing specific "needs" must feel that it accomplished both Grenier, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year who could be Manny Machado's successor. And really, J.J. Hardy's, since the Orioles need to get back to defense-first mode.

Whatever Grenier hits will be deemed a bonus, and he made progress in his junior year. The Orioles knew that teammate Nick Madrigal would be off the board by the 11th pick and the White Sox grabbed him at No. 4, but they've liked Grenier for a long time.

They've tired of relying on minor league free agents to fill out middle infield openings at the upper levels of the system. The hope here is that Grenier is more than a utility player in the majors, as one site labeled him.

You know the glove's going to play if he was able to move Madrigal off shortstop at Oregon State.

The Orioles have selected eight pitchers among their first 10 picks. The draft concludes today with rounds 11-40.