Former Orioles' top prospect on the move ahead of trade deadline
Hunter Harvey, a first-round draft pick in 2013, had high upside, but injuries stalled his career in Baltimore
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When the Orioles selected prep pitcher Hunter Harvey with the 22nd overall pick in the 2013 draft, they saw the right-hander with a big-league pedigree as a key piece of the future. A late-night deal on the eve of draft day proved that Harvey still has first-round value, if not in the way the Orioles’ envisioned.
On Saturday night, the Nationals dealt Harvey to Kansas City in exchange for minor leaguer Cayden Wallace and the 39th pick in the 2024 draft, part of Competitive Balance Round A. Washington then used that pick to acquire catcher Caleb Lomativa from UC Berkeley.
Hunter Harvey's elite velocity makes him a strong bullpen presence, but his frequent injuries have limited his promising career
Harvey’s road from first-round pick to Camden Yards was winding. He established himself as a standout prospect, representing the Orioles in the 2014 Futures Game and earning recognition as an MiLB.com All-Star that season. However, injuries quickly stymied his growth, and he missed the next two seasons while battling elbow injuries and recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Harvey, son of All-Star closer Bryan Harvey, made his MLB debut with the Orioles in 2019. Despite eye-popping velocity, Harvey struggled to stick in Baltimore and bounced between Double-A, Triple-A, and the Majors in part due to frequent injuries. Baltimore placed the former top prospect on waivers after the 2021 season; he was claimed, then waived, by San Francisco before landing with the Nationals.
Still bit by the injury bug, Harvey turned in two serviceable seasons with Washington’s bullpen. Last season, he earned 10 saves and had a 0.94 WHIP as the Nationals’ setup man. Harvey still flashes elite velocity and will be a boon for the Royals’ weak bullpen.
The 2013 draft may well be remembered as “The one where everyone missed out on Aaron Judge,” which takes a bit of the sting out of Harvey’s failure to reach his full potential. After all, everyone except the Yankees probably looks back in anger at that draft class. Luckily, the Orioles have had much better luck transforming first-round draft picks into big-league assets in recent history. Baltimore certainly hopes to replicate the more recent results with 2024 pick Vance Honeycutt.
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