Baltimore Orioles 2011 Draft Recap
With the fourth pick in the draft, the Orioles selected right-handed pitcher Dylan Bundy from Owasso High School in Oklahoma. Dylan is the younger brother of right-handed pitcher Robert Bundy, who was drafted by the Orioles in the eighth round of the 2008 first year player draft and is currently a starter for the Frederick Keys.
Dylan was considered to be one of the top high school pitching prospects in the draft, as he throws three above-average pitches. He throws a fastball that touches 98 mph and sits at 95 mph and complements it with two good breaking pitches. Bundy went 11-0 with a 0.20 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 71.0 innings for Owasso his senior year.
The Orioles also added some local talent in the middle and later rounds of the draft. Baltimore selected third baseman Kevin Hockaday, who attended The John Carroll School, in Bel Air, Md., in the 14th round. With 31 career home runs, Hockaday broke the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association record set by New York Yankees star Mark Teixeira. Hockaday has committed to attend the University of Maryland. The Orioles added another John Carroll player in the 50th round when they drafted outfielder Brendan Butler, who has committed to attend Towson University.
In the 33rd round, the Orioles drafted right-handed pitcher Sander Beck, who was a junior at the University of Maryland. Beck, who is from Severna Park, Md., went 2-5 with a 5.59 ERA in 13 games (11 starts) for the Terrapins and led the team with 58 strikeouts in 58.0 innings pitched.
A look back at the past few drafts by the Orioles shows some success by the organization and some players that are still working their way through the system. As a new draft class enters the Orioles organization, Baysox fans can expect some of the younger players to begin moving their way up the chain.
In 2010, the Orioles selected shortstop Manny Machado out of Brito Miami Private High School in Florida with the third overall pick in the first year player draft. Machado has spent the 2011 season playing with Single-A Delmarva, where in 28 games, he is batting .311 with five home runs and 22 RBIs.
In 2009, the Orioles drafted right-handed pitcher Matt Hobgood out of Norco High School in California with the fifth overall selection in the first year player draft. Hobgood struggled in Delmarva in 2010, going 3-7 with a 4.40 ERA in 21 starts while striking out 59 batters in 94.0 innings.
The players drafted in the first rounds in 2007 and 2008 are names that Baysox fans and Orioles fans alike should recognize as they both played in Bowie on their way to making their debuts in Baltimore. Catcher Matt Wieters was the fifth overall selection in the 2007 first year player draft and left-handed pitcher Brian Matusz was the fourth overall selection in the 2008 draft.
Baysox Baseball - We'll Knock Your 'Sox Off. The Baysox 19th season as the class Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles is underway. Parking is free at every Baysox home game and tickets are now available at www.baysox.com.