Baltimore Orioles Mock Draft 1.0: Who do they take a No.1?

The 2022 MLB draft is just a few months away, and all eyes in Birdland are looking at what the Baltimore Orioles could do with the number one overall pick.

The Baltimore Orioles have had the No.1 overall pick twice in their franchise history. In 1989, they selected Ben McDonald as No.1 out of LSU, and then in 2019; they drafted Adley Rutschman from Oregon State. When July 17th hits, the Baltimore Orioles will have more than a few tough choices to pick from.

Last year, the Orioles selected Colton Cowser, an outfielder from Sam Houston State University, with the No.5 overall pick. Now up with Aberdeen, Cowser has been everything that the Baltimore Orioles had hoped he’d be. However, there is some grace in getting a No.5 pick wrong; selecting a No.1 overall pick incorrectly could be detrimental to the organization’s rebuild moving forward.

Baltimore Orioles Mock Draft 1.0: Who do they take a No.1?

Of course, this is all easier said than done, but with that in mind, who should the Baltimore Orioles select in this year’s draft? The national media (mlb.com and Jonathan Mayo) has put out their first mock draft with the Baltimore Orioles selecting a shortstop. More specifically:

Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly (No. 5) 

Hit: 65 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 60

I can understand why the national media would think to select Lee here because the O’s last five selections have all been college players. Cadyn Grenier, 2018; Adley Rutschman, 2019; Heston Kjerstad, 2020; Jordan Westburg, 2020; and the Colton, as mentioned earlier by Cowser last year.

The Baltimore Orioles are stacked in the shortstop department, including two of their last five draft picks. Brooks Lee is a beast and has a great baseball name, but it just feels like there are so many other options out there that could better fill the need in Baltimore.

The four best prospects coming out of this years draft are all teenagers about to graduate high school, and the Baltimore Orioles are heavily scouting all of them. High schoolers can be wildcards, but the O’s have done well in that department too (I.E., Ryan Mountcastle, D.L. Hall, and Grayson Rodriguez). Here are a few options that the Orioles could take in two months with that in mind.

Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy, Fla. (No. 2)

Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 60

Green doesn’t come from a baseball pedigree, but he has sports in his blood. His father, Eric Green, was a professional football Tight End, and Elijah will undoubtedly look to follow in his footsteps of getting to the top. Green is a giant coming in at 6’3, weighing 225. The average age for O’s outfielders is 27, meaning he would have time to grow in the minors before getting the call.

Termarr Johnson, 2B, Mays HS, Ga. (No. 3)

Hit: 70 | Power: 60 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 60 

If Termarr Johnson were going to stay as a shortstop, I would caution the Baltimore Orioles in taking the 5’10 infielder from Georgia. However, due to his average, not great arm, he has already made the move to playing 2B in the pros. Johnson is the No.3 prospect, but he has the best hitting grade in the class. With the move to 2B, this would be smart for the O’s.

Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday

Baltimore Orioles Mock Draft 1.0: Who do they take a No.1?

Jackson Holliday, SS, Stillwater HS, Okla. (No. 4)

Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 60 

The No.4 overall prospect rounds out our list (kind of, keep reading) of high school prospects that the Baltimore Orioles could pick up. Jackson Holliday has an amazing baseball pedigree, with his father being seven-time All-Star Matt Holiday. His above-average speed, hitting, and power make him a triple threat player coming into the draft.

Jacob Berry, 3B/OF, Louisiana State (No. 6)

Hit: 60 | Power: 65 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 60

Berry follows Lee as the No.6 overall prospect and has the potential to be the No.1 overall selection easily. Last year at LSU, Jacob Berry won freshman of the year honors, and he has been keeping up with that honor this season. The only downside, if any, is his defensive play. His best position is 3B, but his arm is average, if not below average.

Jace Jung, 2B, Texas Tech (No. 7)

Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 60

Jace Jung, the brother to the Rangers’ No.2 prospect, Josh Jung, has been following in his brothers’ footsteps at Texas Tech. The former Big12 Conference player of the year sits in a position of need for the Baltimore Orioles. Teams will get the most band for their buck with Jung’s hitting, as he has been, of average, a .300 hitter with 30 homers each season.

Baltimore Orioles Mock Draft 1.0: Who do they take a No.1?

We have come to the time of this article, where we get to play Mike Elias and select the Baltimore Orioles No.1 pick for this year’s draft. If you have been reading this and wondering where a particular name is and why you haven’t read about him yet, wait no more.

With the 1st pick in the 2022 MLB draft, the Baltimore Orioles “should” select:

Druw Jones, OF, Wesleyan HS, Ga. (No. 1)

Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Arm: 65 | Field: 70 | Overall: 60 

The son of the five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove award winner Andruw Jones has all of the pedigree and promise that his father came with. His fielding, arm strength, and speed are all at the top of the prospects list, making him the easy pick for No.1 overall. Druw has all the promises to be a 5-tool guy and keeps getting better week by week.

This is a “no-brainer” move for Mike Elias and the front office of the Baltimore Orioles. The O’s have depth when it comes to pitching, infield, and catching, but what is needed as the years progress will be a solid outfielder that knows the game. Druw Jones is that player, and he won’t let the big stage scare him off. Now, can the Orioles get it right on the 17th of July? Let’s hope so!