Wrapping up the Orioles' 2015 First-Year Player Draft

Another First-Year Player Draft is in the books for the Orioles. They selected 41 players over the last three days - 21 position players and 20 pitchers. After taking seven high school players the first two days in the first 10 rounds, the Orioles selected five among 30 selections on Wednesday.

So overall, the Orioles drafted 29 college players and 12 from high schools. They selected 13 right-handed pitchers, seven left-handers, eight infielders, eight outfielders, four catchers, and one utility player.

Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich completed his fourth draft with the organization and then updated reporters on how he felt about the draft's final day and the O's haul of 41 players overall.

"We got a lot of guys we liked and we filled a lot of holes that we needed in the organization so that we can put competitive teams on the field," he said. "It was a good day overall. We feel really good about this draft. I don't how many we will sign, 30, 32 probably. We added a lot of bats to our organization, athletes and guys we really like."

How did this draft compare to previous years?

"This one has been deeper," he said. "We were able to get a lot more high school talent with this one. Indications are that we'll sign most of the ones we do want to sign. So from that standpoint, it is an exciting year for the Orioles I think."

On Tuesday, Rajsich said he felt the Orioles had a chance to get some players on the final day that the club had scouted more heavily and was more involved with than other teams. Did that happen?

"Yes we did and we're happy," he said. "We were able to do what we wanted to do and not let the board dictate what we did. While there were other players we really wanted, we could put those players off a bit and take them later and still sign them. The dynamic of the draft today was a lot more comfortable, in that we felt like we were more in control of the board than say yesterday."

With their first selection Wednesday, which was in Round 11, they selected Radford University's closer, right-hander Ryan Meisinger, a 6-foot-4, 240-lb. junior. He was all Big South first team and shared the national saves lead with 17. Over 39 innings, he gave up 24 hits and fanned 66 with just eight walks.

In the 32nd round, the Orioles took a local product when they drafted right-hander Cody Morris out of Resevoir High School in Howard County, Md. Morris recently underwent Tommy John surgery and has what sounds like a strong college commitment to South Carolina, and could be tough to sign.

"He is a promising young prospect," Rajsich said of Morris. "We wanted to do that, whether or not it was a courtesy draft. We haven't talked to him but we know he really wants to go to South Carolina. We took him to recognize he's a local kid, a prospect and a promising young starting pitcher. Last summer I think we saw him up to 94 (mph).

"Whether or not we can do anything with him now, we wanted to acknowledge the fact we knew he was right in our backyard. If he changes his mind, who knows?"

In the 37th round, the Orioles drafted Jake Pries, a high school outfielder from California. He is the grandson of Don Pries, an Orioles Hall of Famer and former scout and front office executive.

In the 38th round the O's drafted Jack Graham, a second baseman from Slippery Rock University (Pa.). His father Brian is the Orioles' director of player development and was in the draft room when the O's called his son's name.

The Orioles seem very likely to sign most, if not all, their picks from the draft's top 10 rounds. One player that will likely get well overslot money is seventh-round pick, right-handed pitcher Gray Fenter, from West Memphis (Ark.) High School.

The assigned slot value for that pick is $178,000, but Fenter, if he signs, could wind up with $700,000 or more. He is likely to get the club's fourth largest bonus behind the top three picks - DJ Stewart, Ryan Mountcastle and Jonathan Hughes.

The Orioles should reach some agreements with picks as soon as the next few days, and they will have some draft picks begin to take their physicals on Monday.

The pen is mightier: The O's have beaten Boston back-to-back nights and the Orioles bullpen has been outstanding in this series. In the two wins, the bullpen has combined for 8 2/3 scoreless innings on one hit with 10 strikeouts. Boston batters have gone 1-for-26 against the O's 'pen in the series.