Baltimore Orioles 2025 MLB Draft Report Card

Best Pure Hitter: In a class light on college hitters, catcher Ike Irish (1) was one of the best pure bats available and expected to go inside the first 10 picks. He fell to the Orioles at 19 overall and gives the team a lefthanded hitter who has a chance for above-average pure hitting ability to go with solid thump. He was one of the top performers in the SEC in 2025, ranked second in conference OPS and was a career .350 hitter with Auburn. 

Best Power Hitter: Irish (1) would also be a candidate here, but shortstop Wehiwa Aloy (1C) brings serious thump with tremendous bat speed and a still-projectable frame at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds that should continue to add good strength in the future. He has a chance to develop plus raw power and could be an above-average in-game power hitter. He hit 49 home runs in three college seasons—never fewer than 14 in a single season—and also homered twice with nine doubles in his 21-game debut with Low-A Delmarva. 

Fastest Runner: Outfielder RJ Austin (3) is an easy double-plus runner. He’s explosive out of the box and runs with both twitch and fluidity that shows up on the bases and in center field. With Vanderbilt across three seasons, he went 54-for-67 (81%) on the bases. He also went 9-for-10 (90%) on the bases in his pro debut with Low-A Delmarva.

Best Defensive Player: The Orioles drafted a number of solid defenders, but many scouts believed catcher Caden Bodine (1C) was the top overall catcher in the class. He earns raves for his receiving, both from scouts and from the data, and he has the hands, anticipation and actions to stick at the position and be a plus defender. Bodine’s arm is not the loudest, but it always plays up with a rapid exchange and good accuracy on his throws to second base. 

Best Fastball: In typical Orioles fashion, the team targeted bats early and pitchers later. Righthander JT Quinn (2S) was the second pitcher the team selected and boasts a fastball that averaged 95 mph and touched 98 with Georgia in 2025. It’s a plus pitch.

Best Secondary Pitch: Lefthander Joseph Dzierwa (2) has a high-usage changeup that produced a 39% miss rate and 44% chase rate in 2025 with Michigan State. It’s a 60-grade offering that checks in around the 81-85 mph range and is thrown with great arm speed and conviction to righties and lefties. 

Best Pro Debut: Aloy (1C) played 20 games with Low-A Delmarva and hit .288/.356/.500 with two home runs, a triple and nine doubles. He showed some aggression and miss tendencies (27.8% strikeout rate) but his power is clearly already translating to a wood bat with no problems. 

Best Athlete: Austin (3) is a powerful athlete with strength and speed. He has the ability to play a number of defensive positions on the field and comes from an athletic family. His father, Reggie, was a defensive back for the Bears. His cousin, Jay, was a second-round pick by the Astros in 2008, and his cousin, Myles, played baseball at Alabama.

Most Intriguing Background: Austin’s (3) family background makes him a solid candidate for this category, but shortstop Jaiden Lo Re (5) is also interesting as a big-time 2025 spring riser in the class on the back of his contact skills and pure hitting ability. He signed for $562,500 to pass up his commitment to BYU. 

Closest To The Majors: Aloy (1C) is the most advanced college hitter in Baltimore’s class who doesn’t play a demanding position like catcher—which could slow the progress of both Irish (1) and Bodine (1C) in comparison. 

Best 11+ Round Pick (Or UDFA): Second baseman Brayden Smith (13) hit over .400 in two seasons with Iowa Western JC before transferring to Oklahoma State for the 2025 season. With the Cowboys, Smith slashed .304/.388/.548 with 11 home runs, 16 doubles and strong exit velocity data under the hood.