Orioles take Haskin 39th, Westburg talks selection (updated)

The wait for the Orioles to select a pitcher in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft is continuing.

They passed yesterday on the arms with the second and 30th overall picks and used the 39th this afternoon in the second round to nab Tulane outfielder Hudson Haskin.

MLB.com ranked Haskin, who's sophomore-eligible, as the 74th-best talent in the draft. But Baseball America had him 211th.

Haskin, 21, is a right-handed hitter described as a toolsy center fielder who was chosen by the Athletics in the 39th round in 2018. MLB.com's Jim Callis described him as a potential 20-20 guy.

The Orioles have selected college players with their first three picks and Haskin is the second outfielder, joining Arkansas's Heston Kjerstad.

Haskin was 22-for-66 (.333) with six doubles, a triple, a home run and 14 RBIs in 17 games prior to the shutdown. He hit .372/.459/.647 with 19 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs and 52 RBIs in 245 plate appearances as a freshman.

In 32 games with Newport in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, Haskin slashed .306/.340/.500 with three doubles, four triples, five homers and 23 RBIs.

The 39th pick carries a slot value of $1,906,800. The 74th pick in the third round has a value of $844,200.

The 103rd selection in the fourth round has a slot value of $565,500 and the 133rd in the fifth is $422,300.

The Tigers opened the second round by selecting Ohio State catcher Dillon Dingler.

Day 1 of the draft began for the Orioles with the selection of Kjerstad with the second overall pick, which garnered most of the attention based on the slot and shifting away from the mocks.

Mississippi State shortstop Jordan Westburg, taken 30th overall as the draft moved into the Competitive Balance A phase, had to play a supporting role. But an athlete with his credentials warrants some attention.

Westburg, 21, slashed .317/.432/.517 (19-for-60) with six doubles, two home runs, 11 RBIs and 17 runs scored in 16 games as a junior before baseball shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. He led the Bulldogs in doubles and slugging percentage and tied for first in home runs, runs and total bases (31).

While making 66 starts at shortstop as a sophomore, Westburg batted .294/.402/.457 (78-for-265) with 21 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 61 RBIs and 68 runs scored. He ranked sixth in the Southeast Conference in runs and finished seventh in doubles and RBIs.

As part of his favorable makeup, Westburg was named to the Spring Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll a year after being named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.

A productive stint last year in the Cape Cod League, where he ranked as the No. 4 prospect, might have sealed the deal for the Orioles. He slashed .326/.385/.516 with six doubles and four home runs in 25 games with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks.

"It meant the world," Westburg said earlier today in a Zoom call with the media. "I really think that's kind of what propelled me to be in the position that I am today was my summer in the Cape. It definitely boosted my confidence, it definitely made me realize that I have plenty of ability and talent to take off from here on out. It just meant the world and I was really excited that I had that opportunity and I was very happy and felt blessed that I could perform on a high level when I was up there."

Baseball America ranked Westburg, whose advisor is agent Scott Boras, as the No. 33 overall draft prospect and MLB.com had him 37th.

Pitchers who would have enticed the Orioles with the 30th pick were gone and they stuck to their board.

"I think probably the best part of my game is my athleticism," said Westburg, the highest-drafted shortstop in Mississippi State history. "The athleticism allows me to be versatile in the field. I think it allows me to play an explosive type of baseball. And I think that explosive ability is what's going to get me to the big leagues."

Westburg stated his preference to play shortstop, but knows that he could move away from it. That's a big part of his appeal.

"I think of myself first as a shortstop," he said. "I want to stick at that position for as long as possible, but I understand that the game is evolving and the game is changing, and because of my athleticism I feel like I can play anywhere on the diamond. I played some third, I spent a lot of time at second, as well, in my career, and I just really feel that wherever the team and the organization thinks I best fit at, I'm going to attack that and play to the best of my abilities there."

The Orioles didn't make an early push for Westburg, but they were the boldest club as he stayed on the board.

"I heard from them that Friday before the week of that draft and it was over Zoom call, which is kind of what every team was doing," he said. "To have them be the last team that I talked to and then have an opportunity to be drafted by them just made it special. It made it feel like they were thinking of me that whole entire week leading up to the draft."

Westburg has demonstrated some late-developing power.

"I think it was just a matter of cleaning up my swing a little bit, staying a little bit shorter to the ball and more compact," he said. "I think if we had the chance to play out the full spring, I think my power definitely would have shown up more than it had my first two years in college. And I was excited to try to showcase that. It's just a shame that we got cut short."

A rebuilding club placing a tremendous emphasis on homegrown players can provide an opportunity that otherwise might be lacking.

"It's super exciting," Westburg said. "It makes you feel like you've got a chance to be part of something special. I know that Heston (Kjerstad) was drafted before me and then Adley (Rutschman) last year. Just being able to have my name up with those two guys and have the chance to kind of rise through this organization and try to make an impact is something special."

Kjerstad and Westburg come from the Southeastern Conference, enabling the latter to provide a nice scouting report today.

"Don't throw him anything in the zone. The dude can really hit," Westburg said.

"I got a special opportunity to kind of hang out with him also when we were at the Team USA trials, and he's a special dude. A great kid, a great teammate. He's going to be a great friend and he can really hit. He can play defense. I think there's a reason why he was drafted No. 2. I could go all day just saying great things about him and I think he's just going to back that up with his play and the way he carries himself on and off the field."

Update: The Orioles used their third round pick, the 74th overall, on University of Mississippi shortstop Anthony Servideo. A left-handed hitter and plus runner, and the latest collegiate player chosen by the Orioles in this draft.

Servideo played center field and right field as a sophomore and had a horrendous stint in the Cape Cod League, slashing .149/.228/.277. But he moved to shortstop as a junior and his bat came alive.

Servideo slashed .390/.575/.695 with three doubles, five home runs, 17 RBIs, nine steals in 10 attempts and 24 walks in 87 plate appearances before the shutdown.

In Servideo's first game, he had a single, double and walk against Louisville left-hander Reid Detmers, one of the top pitchers in the draft.

Scouts like his defense at short and the versatility could at least make him a utility-type player.

MLB.com rated Servideo as the 110th best talent in the draft and Baseball America had him 91st.

The Orioles stayed in the SEC.

Update II: The Orioles went the prep route in the fourth round but again passed on pitching. They chose Stoneman Douglas (Fla.) third baseman Coby Mayo.

Mayo has committed to the University of Florida. He's listed at 6 foot 5 and 215 pounds, and he possesses a plus arm.

Whether Mayo stays at third depends on his footwork and hands, but scouts agree that he has a cannon for an arm and raw power from the right side of the plate.

Baseball America has Mayo 79th in its talent rankings and MLB.com placed him 132nd.

Mayo was 10-for-22 (.455) with one double, two home runs and six RBIs in 31 plate appearances before the shutdown. He posted a .391 average as a junior with a double, triple, four home runs and 21 RBIs in 88 plate appearances and a .388 average as a sophomore with eight doubles, a triple, seven home runs and 23 RBIs in 94 plate appearances.

I've heard rumblings that the Orioles already have a deal done with Mayo, but am waiting for confirmation.

Mayo was a sophomore at Stoneman Douglas at the time of the February 2018 shootings at the school.

Update III: The Orioles wrapped up the 2020 First-Year Player Draft by selecting their only pitcher, right-hander Carter Baumler from Dowling Catholic High in Iowa, in the fifth round.

MLB.com's Jim Callis said the pick is a steal if the Orioles can sign him. Baumler has committed to TCU.

Baumler has a fastball in the 90-94 mph range. The curveball has the potential to become a plus pitch.

Thirteen Division I schools offered him a scholarship when he was a freshman.

MLB.com rated Baumler as the 102nd-best talent in the draft. He made only one appearance this spring before the shutdown.