Summary Of Players That Have Been Mocked To The Orioles

I went through all the recent mock drafts I could find and gathered a list of all the names that have shown up at pick 27 for the Orioles. Scouting reports are taken from MLB.com

T.J. Zeuch - RHP - Pittsburgh

After a very strong showing in the Cape Cod League last summer, scouts were very excited to see Zeuch in action as a junior at Pitt. A groin injury kept him out the first month of the season, but upon his return, Pittsburgh became a popular destination for scouts.

Zeuch has a four-pitch mix, all thrown with steep angle from his 6-foot-7 frame that could add more strength. He uses a relatively easy delivery to fire fastballs that have touched 96-97 mph since his return. He'll sit in the 92-94 mph range and his fastball has good run and sink to it. Zeuch will use both a slider and a curve effectively, with his breaking stuff occasionally flashing plus, though it's been inconsistent. He tinkers with a changeup in the bullpen, but doesn't have a ton of feel for it and doesn't use it much in games. He throws strikes with all of his offerings.

With the weather warming in Pennsylvania and the chance to see Zeuch start against ACC competition, he was getting a lot of looks as the spring progressed. There's some helium here, with his name coming up often in first-round conversations.

Eric Lauer - LHP - Kent State

Lauer was the best high school prospect in Ohio in 2013 -- and an all-state wide receiver as well -- but his commitment to Kent State dropped him to the Blue Jays in the 17th round. After performing well in college and leading the Cape Cod League with in strikeouts (50 in 39 2/3 innings) last summer, he has a chance to become the first Golden Flashes starter drafted in the first round since Dustin Hermanson went third overall in 1994. The 2016 MAC pitcher of the year had a spectacular junior season, allowing just three earned runs in his final 12 starts and leading NCAA Division I with a 0.69 ERA that's the lowest for a starter at that level since 1979.

Lauer has four effective pitches and mixes them well. His best offerings are a low-90s fastball that reaches 94 mph and features some cutting action and nice downhill plane, and a solid 78-83 mph slider. Lauer also possesses a mid-70s curveball and a changeup with some sink and fade

Lauer's athletic, effortless delivery allows him to repeat his mechanics and throw quality strikes. While he doesn't have a true out pitch or a lofty ceiling, he may have a higher floor than any left-hander in the 2016 Draft. Lauer projects as a mid-rotation starter.

Alex Kiriloff - OF - Plum HS (PA)

A product of the Southwest Pennsylvania high school ranks, Kirilloff put himself firmly on the map with a fine showing on the summer showcase circuit. With the weather warming up and scouts running in to see him, he has the chance to be the highest-drafted Pittsburgh area prepster since Neil Walker went in the first round in 2003.

Teams interested in Kirilloff will be buying the bat. While there is a little length to his swing, he's shown the ability to barrel the ball consistently and has considerable raw power, which he put to use while winning the Perfect Game All-American Classic home run derby over the summer. He's more athletic than one would think given his size and plays center field for his high school team. He'll have to move to a corner spot at the next level, but moves more than well enough to stay there. He has a strong arm, one that fires 87-90 mph fastballs from the mound.

For him be an everyday corner outfielder, Kirilloff will have to fit the offensive profile. The team that takes him, perhaps as early as the middle of the first round, believes the Liberty University commit will do just that.

Anthony Kay - LHP - Connecticut

The University of Connecticut has produced some excellent pro talent, headlined by George Springer, Nick Ahmed and Matt Barnes. Kay, the Huskies' Friday night starter, could be the next in line.

Kay fits the mold of the advanced pitchability college lefty, one with a track record of success, not only at UConn, but also in the Cape Cod League in 2014 and with Team USA in 2015. Kay succeeds by filling the strike zone and keeping hitters guessing, albeit with the lack of a true out pitch. He'll top out at 94-95 mph with his fastball, though he pitches more effectively at around 91 mph. He has a consistently reliable changeup, though he telegraphs it at times by lowering his arm slot. His breaking ball is fringy.

College performers like Kay tend to do well on Draft day. He could be seen as a poor man's Mark Buehrle type, one who could perhaps add a cutter at the next level to give him a four-pitch mix, helping him to be a quick to the big leagues back-end starter.

Kyle Muller - LHP - Jesuit HS (TX)

Though he has battled for the national high school lead in home runs all spring, Muller has been more impressive on the mound and thrust himself into first-round consideration as a pitcher. He set a national prep record by striking out 24 consecutive hitters over two games in March, including the first 18 batters in a contest in which he finished with 21 whiffs over eight innings.

Muller's fastball sat around 86-87 mph on the showcase circuit last summer, and he looked like a projectable left-hander who'd be best off attending college at Texas. That outlook has changed since he added significant strength during the offseason, giving him a heater that now sits in the low 90s and climbs as high as 95 mph. His fastball features some sink and tail, and he uses his 6-foot-5 frame to create angle and plane that are difficult for hitters to handle.

Muller's curveball is inconsistent because his delivery can get a bit methodical, but it should give him a solid second offering. He also shows feel for a changeup with some fade and tumble that he'll need to use more at the next level. A quality athlete who already has a big league build -- "If there's a better body in the Draft," one crosschecker said, "I'd like to see it" -- he repeats his delivery well and throws strikes.

Josh Lowe - 3B/RHP - Pope HS (GA)

The most talented two-way player in the 2016 Draft, Lowe almost certainly will be drafted in the first round as a position player. Nevertheless, there are scouts who think he may be the best high school arm to come out of Georgia since Zack Wheeler went sixth overall to the Giants in 2009. The state's Gatorade player of the year, he led Pope High (Marietta) to the Georgia 6-A finals.

It's hard to ignore what Lowe brings to the table as a position player. He can be streaky at the plate but his quick, controlled left-handed swing and the leverage in his long frame produce considerable raw power. The Florida State recruit also has plus speed and arm strength, which should translate into solid defense at third base or in center field.

While there's more projection involved when evaluating Lowe as a pitcher, it's easy to dream on an athletic 6-foot-4, 190-pounder with a loose arm and relatively clean delivery. He works at 91-93 mph and can hit the mid-90s with his fastball, which plays up thanks to its downward plane, run and sink. Lowe's three-quarters breaking ball lacks consistency, but it has the makings of a solid slider, and he has some feel for a sinking changeup that gets too firm at times.

Buddy Reed - CF - Florida

One of the best all-around athletes in the class, certainly among college hitters, Reed has the chance to be a dynamic performer on both sides of the ball. Just how much teams think he'll hit at the next level will determine when he comes off the board.

The switch-hitter has a tall, athletic build with the potential to do a lot of things well on the baseball field. A multisport standout in the Rhode Island high school ranks, Reed has plus speed that works on both sides of the ball. He should be a basestealing threat and can definitely stay in center field long-term. It's Reed's bat that needs the most work. He can make contact from both sides of the plate, but his setup and approach are inconsistent. Reed has strength, and he should grow into more, though his lack of extension from the left side could keep him from showing any power that way. A tendency to be tentative at the plate has plagued him, and while he had some good stretches, he didn't drive the ball consistently this spring.

Refining of Reed's approach should help him reach his offensive ceiling. Even with the questions regarding his bat, he could go in the first round because of his tools, athleticism and lack of impact college hitters in the class.

Nolan Jones - 3B - Holy Ghost Prep (PA)

The last time the state of Pennsylvania had a hitter get drafted in the first round was back in 2007, when Devin Mesoraco was taken by the Reds. This year, there could be two high school bats selected in the opening round, Alex Kirilloff near Pittsburgh and Jones, a talented infielder outside of Philadelphia.

Jones' senior year started slow as he tweaked his back and missed the beginning of the season. As he returned, he was getting a lot of looks as he was thought to be one of the better pure high school bats in the country. Jones has good bat speed and excellent raw power from the left side. An average runner who might have slowed down a tick as he's added weight to his lanky frame, Jones has good hands and actions for the infield, though most see a move from shortstop, his high school position, in the future. Some feel the 6-foot-4 Virginia commit will profile well at third. But while he throws in the low-90s off of the mound, his arm action has others thinking that perhaps he'd profile best as a big offensive-minded second baseman or perhaps a left fielder.

There might be teams who feel Jones has a chance to stick at short, but even if he has to move, his bat and offensive upside should get him off the board at some point in the first round.

Drew Mendoza - 3B - Lake Mineolla HS (FL)

Left-handed hitting future third baseman with offensive upside aren't easy to find, so Mendoza was on everyone's follow list entering the spring. After a late start because of basketball, he was doing more or less what was expected of him: Hit.

More of a doubles-type hitter now, there should be plenty of power to come as he adds strength and matures to go along with his outstanding feel for hitting. A shortstop in high school, Mendoza and his 6-foot-4 frame will almost certainly move to the hot corner at the next level. There, his athleticism should allow him to be a solid defender, one with a strong arm that fires low-90s fastballs off the mound, though some think he'll need to improve his footwork to stay on the left side of the infield.

The two concerns for scouts were a perceived lack of energy at times -- it didn't help that Mendoza's team didn't perform that well this spring -- and what could be a very strong commitment to Florida State. Based on his offensive upside alone, he could fit nicely into the back end of the first round.

Will Benson - OF - The Westminster Schools (GA)

It's almost impossible to discuss Benson with a scout and not have Jason Heyward's name come up as a comparison. They're both Atlanta-area high school prospects, left-handed hitters with similar builds at the same stage of their careers and outstanding athletes for their size. Benson led The Westminster Schools to the Georgia 3-A championship this spring, the Wildcats' first title since 1975.

Benson's bat speed and strength give him well-above-average raw power, and the fact that he's more aggressive than Heyward bodes well for Benson's chances of tapping into it. He's at his best when he uses a short stroke, though he falls into the trap of trying to do too much at times. He hasn't had a great spring with the bat but still has enough offensive upside and all-around potential to go in the first round.

A solid runner, Benson led the U.S. 18-and-under team with four steals in 14 games during the summer. Though he plays center field in high school, the Duke recruit will move to right field in pro ball and has the required arm strength for the position. He also has experience at first base.

No Taylor Trammell?

This is a great thread.

No Taylor Trammell?

He is expected to go 12, 13, or 14. But if he goes where he should, that would be an Orioles possibility.

I'd love to see Nolan Jones fall to the O's

Great write ups.

He is expected to go 12, 13, or 14. But if he goes where he should, that would be an Orioles possibility.

Fwiw, he went 35th.

Probably an over-slot guy.

Fwiw, he went 35th.

Probably an over-slot guy.

He signed for $3.2MM. Slot was 1.8.