Remembering draft day: The O's took Dylan Bundy No. 4 in 2011

The Orioles are now days away from making the first pick in the first round of the First-Year Player Draft. That selection will be made on Monday night. The Orioles hold the No. 1 overall pick for just the second time since the draft began in 1965. In 1989 they chose LSU right-hander Ben McDonald 1/1.

In the Orioles clubhouse this week the player that can most relate to being taken with the first pick is pitcher Dylan Bundy, who came close to that. He was the No. 4 overall pick out of Owassa (Okl.) High School in 2011.

Bundy said it certainly is special for any player that will be selected so high on draft night.

"Absolutely. When you get drafted in the first round it is a life-changing experience. It is a journey that you will remember forever, that is for sure," he said Monday in the Orioles clubhouse.

"It is a hard feeling to describe. Just kind of anxiety leading up the draft. It was around 6 or 7 p.m. on June 6 and you're sitting around all day to hear your name. It is a very humbling experience and an honor to be drafted by a major league team," he said.

Bundy's minor league journey didn't begin untii the 2012 season, which began with him throwing 30 dominant innings allowing two unearned runs and just five hits with 40 strikeouts for Single-A Delmarva. Tommy John surgery and shoulder issues were challenging later on and set him back, but tonight he'll make his 84th career MLB start when the Orioles host Detroit.

Bundy has an incredibly even-keel demeanor and that kept him grounded early in his pro career. He somehow avoided feeling the extra pressure and high expectations that high picks encounter.

"I never really felt that," he said. "I felt they picked me for a reason. Your job is to show up and contribute right away. That was my goal and it was great to continue to play the game that I love. I just tried to not think about all that stuff. Anytime you start to feel that pressure you have to remember it's just a game and they picked you for a reason."

So if any player that expects to hear their name called early next Monday would seek Bundy's advice on what happens after they get picked, what would it be?

"Just relax and enjoy it. It is an honor to be drafted by a major league club. Enjoy every minute of it and soak it all in," he said.

More good pitching on the farm: It is becoming a daily and nightly occurence - good starting pitching on the O's farm. Single-A Delmarva right-hander Grayson Rodriguez threw his latest strong outing Monday as the Shorebirds beat Hagerstown 2-1. He went a career-high seven innings, allowing two hits and one run to go to 6-0 with an ERA of 1.47.

The 19-year-old right-hander needed exactly 100 pitches to mow down the Suns and finished strong by setting down 13 of the final 14 hitters he faced. He has allowed one earned run or less in seven of his eight starts and two earned runs in the other one. In 43 innings Rodriguez has walked 12, fanned 61 and has a WHIP of 0.84.

A scout who worked the game yesterday told me in Rodriguez he saw "definite top of rotation talent." He said he threw an easy 93 mph fastball that touched 95 and 96. He saw an outstanding changeup, both with very good arm speed and movement and a plus curveball. He put a future grade of 65 on his changeup and 60 on the curveball. Of his eight strikeouts yesterday, Rodriguez got four on the curve, two on the change and two on his fastball. The scout's take was pretty glowing about Rodriguez, who he feels is one of the best Baltimore pitching prospects he's seen in years.

Delmarva improved to 39-11 and continues to hold the best record among 120 teams in full-season minor league baseball.

Double-A lefty Alex Wells pitched seven scoreless in Bowie's loss to Erie. Wells walked no one and fanned six and has an ERA of 1.72 for the year. It was important to see Wells throw well after he left his previous start in the third inning when he took a liner off his pitching arm. Wells has thrown 16 scoreless innings his past three starts with one walk and 14 strikeouts.

Right-hander Michael Baumann pitched six scoreless innings as the Single-A Frederick Keys lost to Potomac. Baumann, who has an ERA of 3.23 in eight starts, gave up four hits with one walk and six strikeouts. For the year, he has walked 11 and fanned 61 in 39 innings. He's allowed two earned runs or less in five of his starts.

Finally in a win for Triple-A Norfolk, left-hander Keegan Akin allowed one run over five innings with eight strikeouts. Akin is 3-2 with a 3.70 ERA. Over his past four starts his ERA is 2.11 and he has eight walks and 30 strikeouts over 21 1/3 innings.