Orioles select Rutschman with first draft pick (updated)

The mocks didn't miss the mark.

The Orioles were projected by numerous outlets to use the first-overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft tonight on Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman and that's exactly what they did, with the announcement coming on MLB Network.

A round loaded with high-ceiling position players began with the Orioles selecting a catcher for the first time since Matt Wieters went fifth overall in 2007 out of Georgia Tech.

They passed on Texas high school shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., University of California first baseman Andrew Vaughn, Georgia high school shortstop/center fielder C.J. Abrams and Vanderbilt University outfielder J.J. Bleday - all of them posted high on the organization's draft board.

Rumors surfaced over the past day that the Orioles were less inclined to stick with Rutschman and executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias never offered hints in either direction. They came away with a catcher whose been compared to Hall of Famer Johnny Bench.

It seemed that the Orioles couldn't go wrong with Rutschman, tabbed by Baseball America as the best draft prospect since Bryce Harper, or Witt, who's been compared to Alex Rodriguez by MLB.com. And Vaughn is regarded as the top college bat in the draft.

Baseball America has described Rutschman, who's listed at 6-foot-2 and 216 lbs., as having "plus tools across the board with no holes to speak of." There have been whispers within the industry of a sore shoulder, but if true, it certainly didn't impact him at the plate or behind it.

Not in the least.

Rutschman batted .411/.575/.751 with 10 doubles a triple, 17 home runs and 58 RBIs in 57 games this season. He slashed .419/.578/.731 in 29 games in the Pac 12 conference.

Last week, Rutschman was named the National Collegiate Player of the Year a day after being honored as Pac-12 Player of the Year and Pac-12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year.

The switch-hitter, who guided the Beavers to the College World Series championship in 2018, has plus power from both sides of the plate. As for the rest of his game, Baseball America's Carlos Collazo offered the following:

"He has a strong arm, impressive receiving and blocking ability and excellent footwork on throws to second base, with a quick exchange from his glove to his release. Some scouts would like to have seen Rutschman throw more frequently this spring, but teams have run against him infrequently - and for good reason. Like most catchers, speed is Rutschman's weakest tool and the only tool that doesn't project as plus, but that's hardly a concern moving forward.

"Most scouts believe Rutschman has a chance to be an All-Star-level player in the majors as an impact bat in the middle of the order while also bringing plenty of defensive value. With excellent makeup and plenty of natural leadership traits, Rutschman has all the intangibles teams like to see from their backstops. He is the best catching prospect since Buster Posey in 2008 and Matt Wieters in 2007."

The Orioles held the first overall pick for only the second time in club history. They selected LSU pitcher Ben McDonald back in 1989 and the tall right-hander, hyped to the extreme, went 58-53 with a 3.89 ERA and 1.251 ERA in seven seasons with the Orioles and 20-17 with a 3.96 ERA and 1.273 ERA in two seasons with the Brewers. He never made the All-Star team.

Rutschman is the first catcher to go No. 1 overall since Joe Mauer with the Twins in 2001. His advisor is Dan Horwits of Beverly Hills Sports Council.

The Orioles used their first round pick last year to take Texas high school pitcher Grayson Rodriguez. They selected Georgia high school pitcher DL Hall in 2017, Illinois pitcher Cody Sedlock in 2016, Florida State outfielder DJ Stewart in 2015, North Carolina high school pitcher Hunter Harvey in 2013, LSU pitcher Kevin Gausman in 2012, Oklahoma high school pitcher Dylan Bundy in 2011 and Florida high school shortstop Manny Machado in 2010.

The club didn't have a first-round pick in 2014 after signing free-agent pitcher Ubaldo Jiménez.

The top selection this year is slotted at $8,415,300. Rutschman will get a break after playing in the NCAA Regional, where Oregon State was upset at home, and later could be assigned to short-season Single-A Aberdeen or low Single-A Delmarva.

High school picks usually report to the Gulf Coast League.

Shortstop Cadyn Grenier, chosen last year out of Oregon State in the Competitive Balance A Round, offered a strong endorsement of Rutschman at the Winter Meetings.

"I tell everybody, I would love to have Adley with the first pick and be in our organization," Grenier said.

"Rutsch is a beast. I can't wait to see what he's going to do this year and I hope to get to play with him soon. He's a great dude to be around the clubhouse. He had a lot of fun and works his butt off. And when the time comes to be serious, he can be as serious as anybody, but when we're off the field and stuff, he's just a good dude and I'd tell that to anybody."

One of Grenier's favorite beast mode stories about Rutschman involved a foul popup, a collision with the edge of the dugout and a tremendous catch.

"It was like a sharp corner of a concrete overhang and still caught the ball, so we ended up putting a padding around it," Grenier said.

"He does stuff like that all the time. You're kind of like, 'OK, come on, dude.' Mostly, his defense is incredible behind the plate and then add that to being a .400 hitter in the Pac 12 and being a switch-hitter, the dude is really impressive. I love the kid to death."

The Orioles demonstrated their affection for Rutschman with tonight's selection. They hope that he can add more chapters to the stories.

Here's a sampling of comments from Rutschman on tonight's conference call with media and others:

On whether he knew all along that he'd be the top pick: "There's always doubt and you never know how it's going to shape out and what the organization is thinking. There was doubt and you just didn't know what was going to happen, but it ended up working out for the best."

On his interactions with the Orioles and first with Elias and scouts: "I met Elias in person once and then I met with their local scout and area director a couple times. Just had an opportunity to sit down with them and see what they were about. That was huge in the process. Very open and I felt very fortunate to be a part of it."

On what he knows about Orioles and the city: "I've never been to Baltimore. I've heard it's beautiful and I'm excited to get familiar with it. I'm a West Coast guy, so it will be exciting."

On what last 48 hours have been like: "It's been a whirlwind. Today's been crazy, crazy good. My family and friends around for it, it's been special. It's been a great day."

On how soon he wants to start playing: "Honestly, I have no idea. I haven't really talked about it with anyone, but I'm sure all that stuff will get cleared up in the next couple days. But I'm excited to get going."

On pressure to succeed as first overall pick: "Yeah, I considered it. The most important thing for me is focusing on the process and continuing to improve myself and controlling what I can control. That's always been the biggest part of my motto for me as a baseball player to keep me on track."

On what value he brings as a catcher: "I feel like, as a catcher, I work hard and I feel like being able to control a staff is a huge part of being a catcher, and being able to adapt to different pitching personalities and finding out what each one of their strengths is. I want them each to succeed. I feel like that's very important, something I can control every day I come to the diamond."

On if he assesses what level he could play right away: "I really don't know that, but I'm excited to find out and be part of the organization. I trust the front office in Baltimore and I'm sure they're going to make a great decision for me."

On being the face of the rebuild: "It's one of those things that's out of my control. I'm fortunate enough to be able to do it and I'm going to control what I can control and play the best that I can play and work as hard as I can. I think everything else is going to take care of itself. But definitely a huge honor and I'm looking forward to it."

Update: With the first pick in the second round, the 42nd overall pick, the Orioles selected prep shortstop Gunnar Henderson out of John T. Morgan Academy in Selma, Ala. He's a left-handed hitter who plays strong defense. He's still growing into his 6-foot-3, 194-lb. frame, and scouts believe his hit tool will improve as he gains strength.

Update II: The Orioles went with another offensive player with the 71st overall pick, the second selection in Competitive Balance Round B. They selected Stanford center fielder Kyle Stowers, a 6-foot-3, 200-pounder. Stowers flashed a power bat this year, hitting .306/.370/.519 with eight homers and 38 RBIs.

The Orioles' next pick will be No. 79 overall, the first choice in the third round, which starts at noon on Tuesday.