O's, Nats go pitching route in MLB Draft

It’s been difficult and near impossible at times to watch the Baltimore Orioles the past month, but the first night of the MLB Draft on Monday provided a sense of hope as they selected three players with potential to become household names in Baltimore.

With the 21st pick, the Orioles selected D.L. Hall, a left-handed pitcher out of Valdosta High School in Georgia. Though Hall is not expected to make the roster immediately, he serves as major need in a position that has been for lack of a better word, atrocious.

Baltimore’s pitching staff has continued to be the Achilles heel of the team, and 2017 has been no different, as the unit ranks 26th in the MLB with an average ERA of 4.85.

At Valdosta, the 18-year-old was a force to be reckoned with on the mound, throwing his fastball between 90-95 mph. In his final game, he tallied 16 strikeouts, with 105 total for his senior season. Hall also allowed just 24 hits, 25 walks and finished with a 1.36 ERA to close out his high school career.

ESPN projected him to go between picks 9-15, making him a steal for the Orioles at 21. Hall had previously committed to playing college ball at Florida State, but as a first-round selection, the future Oriole will have to decide between college living or life in the majors.

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O’s take SS and LHP to close out Day 1

While Hall was the highlight of the night, Baltimore used its other two picks to address similar needs. The Orioles' second selection, high school shortstop Alex Hall, could serve as a possible replacement for Orioles’ star J.J. Hardy once his time in Charm City concludes. Hall will have a decision to make, since he has committed to play college ball for Texas A&M.

MLB scouting reports describe him as having fantastic arm-strength and dynamic speed on the basepaths. Hall will likely be transferred to an Oriole farm team such as Aberdeen or even Delmarva if he signs his contract, but with a high ceiling, Hall has the potential to become a solid option in the Baltimore infield.

Ending out the night at the 74th pick, Baltimore took its second left-handed pitcher of the night in Zac Lowther out of Xavier University.

Lowther finished out his junior season with a 2.92 ERA, racking up 123 strikeouts and walking just 33 batters in 83.1 innings pitched. In high school, he led the Greater Cleveland area with 148 strikeouts and a 0.55 ERA, according to Xavier’s athletics web page.

Though he has more experience than his fellow draftees, Lowther is expected to be a long-term project and possibly start his career with the GCL Orioles or one of the lower farm system teams.

With some development, Lowther could work his way into the Orioles' rotation and become a regular game day starter within the next few seasons.

Nats take a gamble on young pitchers

Just down the Beltway, the Washington Nationals were busy trying to add ammunition to a pitching unit that is ranked 10th in the MLB.

With strong pitchers like Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez, the mound may not have been the biggest need for a team that is first in the NL East by eight games.

But that didn’t stop team officials from selecting LHP Seth Romero and RHP Wil Crowe with the 25th and 65th overall picks, respectively.

Romero may be the biggest gamble of the first round. A member of the University of Houston baseball team, Romero was suspended twice in three years for what was deemed “a lack of effort regarding conditioning” and a “violation of team rules,” according to The Houston Chronicle. He was later kicked off the squad due to reports of a fight with another teammate.

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However, his talents on the mound could have made the 21-year-old an early round pick had it not been for his off the field issues. Before he was dismissed from the team, Romero finished with a 3.51 ERA while allowing 46 hits and 85 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched.

MLB reports indicate that the Nationals hope to begin Romero as a starter but plan to transition him into a closer due to his powerful fastball and ability to strike out batters.

With a solid group around him that can help Romero advance his game and allow him to mature, the former Houston pitcher could be the next successful Washington hurler.

Wrapping up the Nationals’ Day 1 selections was Crowe, who has pitched for the South Carolina Gamecocks since 2014.

Though Crowe has dominated on the mound, throwing 90 strikeouts and putting up a 3.41 ERA in 2017, the Tennessee native had Tommy John surgery in 2015 after running into elbow issues.

The injury came one year following his freshman campaign in which Crowe was named an All-American after finishing with a 2.75 ERA, allowing 76 hits and striking out 59 batters.

Crowe was originally selected in the 2013 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians in the 31st round but opted to continue his education and improve his overall game by committing to South Carolina.

Four years later, Crowe is a second-round selection with the chance to earn a spot in Washington’s starting rotation. He doesn’t have the character concerns that dog Romero, and brings a fierce and competitive background to the team.