Baltimore Orioles 2019 Draft Highlights: 3B Toby Welk

The Baltimore Orioles 2019 draft class will always be remembered for the number one overall pick, catcher Adley Rutschman, but it was full of impressive picks.  Birds Watcher takes a look at several draft picks whose play should put them on the radar.

By far, the most surprising and impressive performance to come out of the Baltimore Orioles 2019 draft class, at least in my mind, belongs to third baseman Toby Welk.  Earlier this season I pointed out the first impression he was making for himself within the organization.

I am even willing to go out on a limb and make the “bold prediction” that Welk will become the second most remembered member of the 2019 draft class and one of General Manager Mike Elias’ signature picks.

Welk was drafted in the 21st round of the MLB Draft out of Penn State Berks (PSU) in Reading Pennsylvania.  Following his signing with the Orioles on June 11th, the 6′ 2″, 205 lb. native of Dowingtown, PA was assigned to the Aberdeen Ironbirds (A-Short) where he immediately made his presence known.

Welk’s professional debut saw him get a hit in 12 of his first 15 games and reach base safely in 13 of those games.  He opened his career with a .389/ .444/ .489/ .926 slash line while hitting an impressive .477 on balls he put into play.  Scoring eight runs during that hot start, Welk produced three doubles, one triple, and 10 RBI while walking five times and striking out 12 times; he went 1-2 in stolen base attempts, as well.

Welk finished his time in Aberdeen as a New York-Penn League All-Star and earned a promotion to Delmarva (A-Low) following that appearance.  His season with the Ironbirds lasted 48 games and produced a .344/ .397/ .500 slash line with 22 runs scored, four home runs and 28 RBI.  Despite not playing the entire season in Aberdeen, he led the team in hits (62), RBI, total bases (90) and batting average, while placing second in runs scored and doubles (13) at season’s end.  He was named NYPL Player of the Week for the week ending 8/18 and was the Ironbirds MVP.

Welk arrived in Delmarva in time for the stretch run into the playoffs and managed to hit .250/ .333/ .281 with two runs scored and two RBI over nine games.  He also went 0-3 with one strikeout over two Delmarva playoff games.

More from Birds Watcher

• Baltimore Orioles Sign RP Mychal Givens
• Gunnar Henderson: Destroyer of Four-Seam Fastballs
• Which Current Baltimore Orioles Pitchers Have the Best Curveballs?
• Orioles News: Should the O’s Pursue Eovaldi? + More MLB News
• Should the Baltimore Orioles Consider Signing Nathan Eovaldi?

His combined stats for 2019 are a line of .330/ .388/ .467/ .855 with 24 runs scored, 19 extra-base hits (including four home runs), 30 RBI, 20 walks and 50 strikeouts while stealing three bases in five attempts.

In relation to the entire 2019 draft class, Welk had the second-best batting average and slugging percentage, the third-best on-base %, and his OPS of .855 was the best among the 2019 draftees, with 150 or more at-bats.

Welk laid quite a foundation in 2019 and one can only wonder what 2020 has in store for him as he, in all likelihood, returns to Delmarva.

I encourage you to check out the first three pieces published in this series. Those are linked below.

• Shayne Fontana makes the impressive jump from D-II to pros.
• With the last name Hammer, you have to like RHP Dan Hammer out of Pittsburgh.
• Can OF Johnny Rizer be a fast riser in the system? (sorry, had to).