Day two of the 2024 MLB draft is officially complete for the Orioles. It was a busy day for Mike Elias and company, as they selected eight players in rounds three through eight. Day two of the draft is not usually littered with top-name guys, so let’s take a look at what each guy can bring to Baltimore.
The O’s selected Austin Overn with the 97th pick in the third round. Overn played centerfield for the USC Trojans from 2023-24. Overn is a bit of a unique prospect because he only played two seasons of college baseball, whereas most prospects usually play three years minimum. His sophomore season was a very memorable one, however. Overn was a 2024 All-Pac-12 honorable mention and a member of the All-Pac-12 defensive team. He showcased his blazing speed recording the third-most triples in the Pac-12 and 19th-most in all of Division-1 with five. Overn also had 17 stolen bases this season, good for the second-most in the Pac-12. Overn’s game is very similar to Cedric Mullins in how he runs the bases, plays good defense, and can hit for a little power and average.
Baltimore addressed their pitching need in the fourth round, taking Chase Allsup out of Auburn University. The Auburn Tigers mainly used Allsup as a reliever in his first two seasons but put him in the starting rotation in 2024. Allsup has great ability to strike batters out, as he recorded 74 strikeouts in 62 innings pitched. He keeps the walks down as well, with only 16 of those in 2024. He doesn’t use it all the time, but when he needs to, he can get his fastball up to 100+ mph.
The Orioles used their fifth-round selection on Cal Poly catcher Ryan Stafford. Stafford isn’t your traditional catcher, as he’s listed at 5’10, 180 lbs. He also doesn’t hit for a ton of power like most MLB catchers do. He is very similar to current O’s catcher Adley Rutschman, as he is a very good hitter. Stafford hit .368 last season for the Mustangs this season with 26 walks and 32 extra-base hits. The strikeout to walk ratio is a little concerning, however (39k/26bb).
The O’s drafted another player to potentially backup a star in the sixth round. The team selected SS DJ Layton out of Charlotte Christian HS in North Carolina. Layton did a little bit of everything for Charlotte Christian in 2024. He had a .449 batting average with four home runs as a batter, and a 3.86 ERA as a pitcher. Layton’s main position was at shortstop throughout high school, and that’s where the Orioles will likely keep him as he develops through the system.
Mike Elias decided to go with a pitcher in the seventh round. He went with Florida State lefty Carson Dorsey with the 219th overall pick. Dorsey was a very important piece for a Seminoles team that went to the College World Series. He struck out 88 batters and walked 37 in 76.2 innings. Dorsey’s known for his longevity, completing 6+ innings five times, including a season-high 8.2 innings of two-run baseball against Stetson on May 31st. Another bright spot is that he’s very good at keeping the ball in the yard, allowing just 10 home runs on the season.
Baltimore went with another catcher in the eighth round, this time with Tulane catcher Colin Tuft. Tuft is similar to the earlier-mentioned Ryan Stafford, as he strikes out a decent bit (64 strikeouts to just 44 walks). Tuft does have a little more power however, as he had 12 home runs in 2024.
The O’s used their ninth and tenth round selections on pitchers. Illinois pitcher Jack Crowder and Cal State Fullerton’s Christian Rodriguez. Crowder doesn’t utilize the strikeout as much as other prospects do (80 Ks in 90.1 IP). He does do a good job of not allowing home runs (16) and limiting walks (38). Christian Rodriguez pitched to an ERA north of five in 2024 for Cal State Fullerton.
The Orioles definitely made the most of their selections in the later rounds today. It will be interesting to see where these players fit into place as the major league club looks to head into the second half strong.
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