O's sign top draft pick, UNC outfielder Vance Honeycutt

The Orioles this morning announced that they have signed their top draft pick, University of North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt, taken No. 22 overall in round one. Today is the final day for clubs to sign 2024 MLB Draft selections.

According to MLB.com’s Jim Callis, Honeycutt signed a $4 million dollar bonus. The listed slot amount for the No. 22 pick was $3,802,200.

Orioles vice president of player development and domestic scouting Matt Blood, said the club has signed 20 of 21 drafted players.

The lone unsigned selection is 17^th rounder, Cowley County (Kan.) Community College lefty pitcher Iziah Salinas.

“We have one more to go,” said Blood on a team Zoom call, with the deadline to sign picks at 5 p.m. ET today. “Our goal is to sign as many players as we can. We’ll see what happens here.”

A center fielder for the Tarheels, and right-handed batter, Honeycutt hit .318/.410/.714 with 13 doubles, two triples, 28 homers, 70 RBIs and with an OPS of 1.124 over 62 games in his junior season. The homer total was a single-season school record. He also was named the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year two straight years, a first in the conference.

Honeycutt was ranked No. 13 for this draft by Baseball America and No. 22 by MLBPipeline.com.

The rookie-level Florida Complex League season is complete, but Honeycutt is now set to report to Sarasota, Fla. for orientation and he could later begin his pro career with Low-A Delmarva.

“Step one is to get him to Florida,” said Blood. “Get him acclimated with our staff down there, we’ll have a full support team. Our other signed players are there. That’s the first step. There is some season still left in (Low-A) Delmarva and at our affiliates. We’ll assess where the players are and if they are ready to go. We want to try to get players to Delmarva. That is definitely a possibility,” he said.

For his UNC career, over 176 games, Honeycut batted .293/.412/.638/1.050 with 55 homers and 170 RBIs.

“Super exciting day," said Honeycutt, 21. "Super exciting last couple of weeks. You know just kind of felt like part of your journey, a chapter is kind of closing, and you start a new chapter. Just trusting the process, trust representation. It’s been great.

“Have heard nothing but great things about their player development in those guys that came through the system. So super exciting to have an opportunity to be able to do that. Looking forward to getting going."

His agent, Scott Boras, was also on the Zoom call. 

"Vance is not a center fielder, he's an athletic center fielder. He has explosion, he has grace, he has the ability to track a baseball at high levels. That is a separator for us. We think that Vance defensively in the last 10 or 15 drafts is in a place by himself what he can do defensively. And then you have the component of power. He has real explosive power in the batter's box and the outfield. Having a five-tool athlete of this nature adding to your existing roster of other five-took players is a pretty rare occurrence," said Boras, who also reps the O's Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday.

MLB.com provided a 60 scouting scale grade for Honeycutt's arm and a 70 for fieldling.

Blood was asked who is the better center fielder - Honeycutt or High-A Aberdeen's Enrique Bradfield Jr., their top pick last year?

“Great question. We’ll find out. They are both fantastic defensive players. It’s sort of like going to a really nice restaurant and trying to choose between the best two things on the menu. They are both a lot of fun to watch play out there," he said.

While Honeycutt got a 60 grade for power and 65 for running from MLB.com, his hit tool was graded at only 40 with higher strikeout rates a challenge for him. He had a 28 percent strikeout rate last season, which is above major league average.

That is the clear area on the stat sheet he needs to improve in the pro ranks.

"It is something that is definitely on the areas to work on," said Honeycutt. "I think getting to Florida and getting exposed to that coaching and knowledge, I'm very open to it. Excited to learn and get better in that area and other areas in the game."

Gunnar honored: The O's Gunnar Henderson today was named one of 30 team winners of the Heart and Hustle Award. This honor created by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.  

The award honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit, and traditions of the game. The Heart and Hustle Award is also the only award in MLB that is voted on by former players. Voting is conducted prior to the All-Star break.

The overall winner will be announced in mid-November on MLB Network.