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The Orioles entered the All-Star break at 46-51, sitting fourth in the AL East. It has been a rough first half, and the front office knows it.
But while the big league club tries to find its footing, Mike Elias quietly made a move that could reshape the franchise's future. He changed the way he drafts.
For years, Elias and the Orioles have been known for loading up on college position players, and it became their signature.
Since the 20-round format started in 2021, Baltimore averaged eight college position players per draft and never took fewer than six.
It worked, too.
Names like Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Colton Cowser all came through that pipeline.
This year, the Orioles drafted just three college position players across all 20 rounds, and only one, NC State outfielder Ty Head in the second round, came from a Division I school.
That is the lowest total of the entire Elias era dating back to 2019, even lower than the shortened five-round draft in 2020.
On the flip side, the Orioles went all in on high school talent.
Baltimore used eight of its 20 picks on prep players, meaning 40% of the draft class came straight out of high school.
That ties the Elias-era high set in 2019, which is wild when you consider that draft had twice as many rounds.
From 2021 through 2025, Baltimore averaged just 2.4 high school picks per draft and never took more than four, which makes this year's total a massive outlier.
The headliner of this youth movement was Eric Booth Jr., the Oak Grove High School outfielder Baltimore grabbed at No. 7 overall.
He is only the second high school hitter Elias has taken in the first round, joining Jackson Holliday back in 2022.
The reasoning ties back to where the organization is right now.
After a 75-87 finish in 2025 and a below-.500 start this year, the Orioles are not in win-now mode the way they were two years ago.
Drafting high school players is a longer play.
These kids need more time to develop, but their ceilings tend to be higher.
By swinging for upside over safety, Elias is betting the player development system can turn raw prep talent into impact big leaguers down the road.
The front office also loaded up on pitching, taking 11 arms across the 20 picks.
Combined with the aggressive offseason moves Baltimore already made, this draft class signals that Elias is building for a window still a few years out, and he is doing it his way, even if that way looks nothing like anything we have seen from him before.
Continue reading...
But while the big league club tries to find its footing, Mike Elias quietly made a move that could reshape the franchise's future. He changed the way he drafts.
The College Bat Factory Shut Down
For years, Elias and the Orioles have been known for loading up on college position players, and it became their signature.
Since the 20-round format started in 2021, Baltimore averaged eight college position players per draft and never took fewer than six.
It worked, too.
Names like Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Colton Cowser all came through that pipeline.
This year, the Orioles drafted just three college position players across all 20 rounds, and only one, NC State outfielder Ty Head in the second round, came from a Division I school.
That is the lowest total of the entire Elias era dating back to 2019, even lower than the shortened five-round draft in 2020.
High Schoolers Take Center Stage
On the flip side, the Orioles went all in on high school talent.
Baltimore used eight of its 20 picks on prep players, meaning 40% of the draft class came straight out of high school.
That ties the Elias-era high set in 2019, which is wild when you consider that draft had twice as many rounds.
From 2021 through 2025, Baltimore averaged just 2.4 high school picks per draft and never took more than four, which makes this year's total a massive outlier.
The headliner of this youth movement was Eric Booth Jr., the Oak Grove High School outfielder Baltimore grabbed at No. 7 overall.
He is only the second high school hitter Elias has taken in the first round, joining Jackson Holliday back in 2022.
Why the Change?
The reasoning ties back to where the organization is right now.
After a 75-87 finish in 2025 and a below-.500 start this year, the Orioles are not in win-now mode the way they were two years ago.
Drafting high school players is a longer play.
These kids need more time to develop, but their ceilings tend to be higher.
By swinging for upside over safety, Elias is betting the player development system can turn raw prep talent into impact big leaguers down the road.
The front office also loaded up on pitching, taking 11 arms across the 20 picks.
Combined with the aggressive offseason moves Baltimore already made, this draft class signals that Elias is building for a window still a few years out, and he is doing it his way, even if that way looks nothing like anything we have seen from him before.
Continue reading...
