Looking back at recent Orioles' first-round picks
The 2010 Major League Baseball amateur draft begins tonight at 7 p.m.
As Jeff Zrebiec wrote in today's newspaper, the Orioles are expected to choose between Texas high school right-handed pitcher Jameson Taillon or Florida high school shortstop Manny Machado at No. 3.
Also, Dan Connolly wants to know who you, the Orioles fans, would choose with that selection.
Below, I've listed a quick recap of the Orioles' first-round selections since 2001. They've selected 13 players during that period, including six who've made it to the major leagues.
While we're at it, here's a photo gallery of assorted first-round picks in the team's history.
2009 (fifth overall): Matt Hobgood, RHP, Norco (Calif.) H.S.
Hobgood made his professional debut for the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles last season, going 1-2 with a 4.72 ERA in eight starts. So far in 2010, he is 3-5 with a 4.40 ERA in 11 starts for the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds. He has struck out 39 batters, issued 26 walks and thrown 15 wild pitches in 59 1/3 innings.
2008 (fourth overall): Brian Matusz. LHP, San Diego
Matusz rapidly climbed through the Orioles' minor league system during the 2009 season, beginning the year with the Single-A Frederick Keys and ascending to the major leagues in August. He was 11-2 with a 1.91 ERA in 19 starts while splitting time between Frederick and the Double-A Bowie Baysox before his major-league debut. In the big leagues, Matusz was 5-2 with a 4.63 ERA in eight starts in 2009. This year, he is 2-6 with a 5.10 ERA in 12 games.
2007 (fifth overall): Matt Wieters, C, Georgia Tech
Like Matusz, Wieters paved a quick path through the minor leagues before encountering some adversity in the majors. Wieters batted .355 with 27 home runs and 91 RBIs while splitting the 2008 season between Frederick and Bowie. He received several awards for his performance, including being selected as Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year. He hit .305 with five home runs and 30 RBIs in 39 games for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides in 2009 before making his major-league debut in May. Wieters batted .288 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 96 games for the Orioles last season, but he is struggling so far in 2010.
2006 (ninth overall): Billy Rowell, 3B, Bishop Eustace (N.J.) H.S.
Before the Orioles picked college players Wieters and Matusz in back-to-back years, they took a power-hitting high school infielder in Rowell. He is currently in his third consecutive season with Frederick, batting .244 with five home runs and 25 RBIs in 46 games. Last season, Rowell hit .225 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs in 120 games while attempting to transition to the outfield. The move failed, however, and he's back to third base in 2010. Rowell's career batting average is .257 in five years and he hasn't hit more than nine home runs in a season.
*2006 (32nd overall): Pedro Beato, RHP, St. Petersburg (Fla.) College
After spending the first four years of his professional career as a starting pitcher, Beato has thrived after switching to the bullpen for Bowie this season. He is 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA and three saves in 17 appearances for the Baysox. Prior to this year, Beato was 20-30 with a career ERA over 4.00. At this point, his potential future contributions to the Orioles appear to be in the bullpen.
2005 (13th overall): Brandon Snyder, C, Westfield (Va.) H.S.
Snyder battled injuries while playing as a catcher during his first two professional seasons in the organization. A switch to the infield at Delmarva in 2007 seemed to power his prospect status to a new level. Snyder batted .315 with 13 home runs and 80 RBIs in 116 games for Frederick in 2008. He hit .343 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs in 58 games for the Baysox last season before struggling a bit after a promotion to Norfolk. In 55 games for Norfolk this season, Snyder is batting .243 with four home runs and 25 RBIs.
*2005 (48th overall): Garrett Olson, LHP, Cal Poly
The Orioles selected Olson with a compensation pick, which they received for their inability to agree to terms with 2004 first-round pick Wade Townsend. Olson spent parts of two seasons with the Orioles, going 1-3 with a 7.79 ERA in seven starts in 2007 and 9-10 with a 6.65 ERA in 26 starts in 2008. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs in the deal that brought outfielder Felix Pie to the Orioles in January 2009. Later that month, the Cubs shipped Olson to the Seattle Mariners in a deal for Aaron Heilman. Olson has split the 2010 season between Seattle and their Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers. He is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in four appearances with the Mariners.
2004 (eighth overall): Wade Townsend, RHP, Rice
As noted above, the Orioles were unable to sign Townsend after selecting him. He entered the draft again in 2005 and was picked eighth overall by the Tampa Bay Rays. In four injury-riddled seasons in the Rays' minor league system, Townsend compiled a 7-21 record with a 5.58 ERA in 64 games (43 starts). He signed briefly with the independent Grand Prairie AirHogs of the American Association earlier this season.
2003 (seventh overall): Nick Markakis, OF, Young Harris (Ga.) College
Since Matusz and Wieters aren't fully established yet, in my opinion, Markakis represents the Orioles' last homegrown talent who transformed from a first-round pick into a significant contributor in the major leagues. Markakis has recorded at least 100 RBIs twice in four full seasons with the Orioles, including a career-high 112 in 2007. He also established career highs in home runs (23) and stolen bases (18) that season. Through 56 games in 2010, Markakis is batting .288 with three home runs and 18 RBIs.
2002 (fourth overall): Adam Loewen, LHP, Fraser Valley Christian (B.C.) H.S.
In parts of three seasons with the Orioles, Loewen was 8-8 with a 5.38 ERA in 35 games (29 starts) after making his major-league debut in 2006. He was 0-2 with an 8.02 ERA in seven games (four starts) for the Orioles in 2008 before a stress fracture in his throwing elbow caused the left-hander to officially abandon hopes of pitching again in July. He signed with the Toronto Blue Jays before the 2009 season and began a comeback as a position player. Loewen batted .236 with four home runs and 31 RBIs in 103 games for the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays last year, and he's performing well so far in 2010. In 53 games for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Loewen is hitting .298 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs.
2001 (seventh overall): Chris Smith, LHP, Cumberland (Tenn.) University
Local players Gavin Floyd (Philadelphia, fourth overall) and Mark Teixeira (Texas, fifth overall) were already selected when the Orioles grabbed Smith at No. 7, but the choice turned out to be a horrible one. Bothered by arm troubles from the very beginning of his professional career, Smith only pitched in 24 games (nine starts) in parts of four seasons in the organization. He also missed the entire 2003 season due to injury.
2001 (19th overall): Mike Fontenot, 2B, Louisiana State
Fontenot batted .325 with 12 home runs, 66 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 126 games for Bowie in 2003, and he hit .279 with 30 doubles in 136 games for the Triple-A Ottawa Lynx during the 2004 season. The Orioles traded him, along with Jerry Hairston and minor-league right-handed pitcher Dave Crouthers, to the Cubs in February 2005 for outfielder Sammy Sosa. In parts of five seasons in Chicago, Fontenot has a .272 career batting average with 22 home runs and 127 RBIs in 390 major-league games. He is hitting .310 in 43 games so far this season.
*2001 (31st overall): Bryan Bass, SS, Seminole (Fla.) H.S.
In seven seasons in the Orioles' minor league system, Bass never made it beyond Double-A. He batted .227 with 11 home runs and 36 RBIs in 107 games for Bowie during his final season in the organization in 2007. Bass' career batting average was .228, and he committed 201 errors in his career, including 52 in 2003.
* = Supplemental pick
A Baltimore native, 
Comments
uhhhh???? where's val maljewski on this list?
RESPONSE FROM DEAN: He was a third-round pick in 2002. This list is first-round selections.
Posted by: DEREK | June 7, 2010 3:56 PM
What else is there to say? The complete inability of this organization to judge real talent over the past decade is horribly obvious.
The only decent player drafted in the early part (Fontenot) was then sent off to the Cubs for a washed up druggie.
I still do not see Hobgood getting out of AAA although we'll probably give him 7 years to make it due to the wasted money thrown his way. Kind of like that other group of wonder-signings...4 year A baller Rowell & can't hit AAA pitching Snyder. The Garrett Olsen first round pick turned out to be as great as the I can't pitch but I miss The Great White North signing of Loewen.
Please let the Pirates be dumber than us & take Machado!
Posted by: jack | June 7, 2010 3:58 PM
Stellar!
Posted by: Pete | June 7, 2010 3:59 PM
It would be helpful to know the age of the prospects still active in the minors. I think that would give some context around their status.
Posted by: Nate | June 7, 2010 5:13 PM
This just proves that the real "rebuilding" needs to take place in the scouting personnel of the Orioles. How any of them still has a job is beyond me.
Posted by: Todd (Heap) Schaefer | June 7, 2010 5:14 PM
I'll bet that pretty much every team in baseball has similar horror stories. I cannot a pro sport in which it is more difficult to judge future developmental talent. Think about it - any superstar picked after the first round was passed up by every team.
That said, I have no dea what they were thinking with Hobgood last year. He could probably have been gotten in the nine hundredth round. I don't whine when a logical pick does not pan out, but reaching in baseball makes even less sense than it does in football.
Posted by: Fang | June 7, 2010 6:34 PM
I'd like to see our drafts graded against other clubs, but, at first glance, it is hard to believe we would receive better than a D or F. These are our top picks????
In two words: Just awlful
Markakis seems to be a pretty darn average hitter while Wieters looks like he is failing to thrive in the majors. I still have hope that Matusz will become a true pitcher - not overpowering, but able to hit his spots and mix up his pitches.
The others either washed out or never will be.
I hate to keep comparing the Orioles to the other team I follow (SF Giants), BUT they called up Buster Posey (2008 1st Round choice) about a week ago. He plays 1st base and catcher, has decent speed for now, a strong and accurate arm, hits for average, and even hits with runners in scoring position..... unllke our "can't miss" Mr. Wieters who can't seem to buy a hit when it really matters, doesn't seem to know how to run the bases, and is still working on throwing out runners.
Looks to me like our scouts need to try another field of endeaver.....maybe they can work for Boog Powell.
Posted by: VeryFrustratedFan | June 7, 2010 10:07 PM
The O's are learning how to draft. The team did better with their picks over the past decade than they did in the 1990s. We're moving in the right direction!
Will I live long enough to see results at Camden Yards? Perhaps in 2025..
Posted by: George | June 7, 2010 10:31 PM
LOL, Mike Flanagan belongs in the broadcastbooth, how bad was he in drafting talent..this is a sham, no wonder Angelos is gun shy with these picks..and the best of bunch was traded for SDosa..LOL
Posted by: fred nastri | June 8, 2010 8:41 AM
VeryFrustrated: Certainly the Orioles have given everyone plenty of reasons for frustration the last many years, but don't let small sample size lead to premature conclusions.
Wieters has been in the majors for roughly a year. It's way too early to make any judgments. Posey, while successful so far this year, has been in the majors for roughly fifteen minutes this year, and didn't do so well in limited time last year. He could be great, good, or terrible--it's too soon to say.
One player for whom it's not too early: Markakis is an above average oufielder by any measure.
Posted by: Steve | June 8, 2010 10:21 AM
Well look at the ball club south of the border, the Nats. They've been much worse for much longer than we have. Their draft day has always been easy, take the number one player in the draft. They're usually so hyped up you can't miss with that pick. Now look at em. They've got something going for them with Strausburg and now Harper. Maybe we just need to make it easier on the scouts and finish with over 110 losses a few year in a row because with the exception of a few years the drafting process has seemed like throwing darts in the dark. Hobgood? Really? Don't even get me started on losing the 2nd round pick for Gone-zales. Way to go scouts, way to go. How can you rebuild when you can't recognize talent.
Posted by: Mike | June 8, 2010 10:39 AM
I'm a Red Sox fan and get seats at Camden Yard very cheap. As long as the ZER-Os' stay pat where they are so goooood.
Posted by: rgallant | June 8, 2010 12:01 PM
Not to mention the fact that we gave up two high draft picks this year for a RELIEVER who is on the DL...I am so disappointed in this organization, what a joke...I hope this Machado kid turns out to be a good player, but judging by the utter mishandling of the draft and player development up an down the organization, it is going to take a miracle for this kid to reach his full potential.
Posted by: Shan | June 8, 2010 1:09 PM
Ugh. What a trip down memory lane.
Part of why the O's are drafting "better" is that the team is getting worse: the teams with the worse records get to pick earlier.
Consider how well the Nats have done in getting both Strasburg and Bryce Harper, perhaps it is better to attain the worst record in the MLB in order to get the #1 pick. Then again, the O's would probably lose their #1 pick by balking at signing him.
Posted by: Al East | June 8, 2010 1:14 PM
It's depressing to read that Markakis achieved career highs in HRs, RBI, and stolen bases in 2007. This club drags down whatever legitimate talent it has.
Posted by: AngelOs | June 8, 2010 1:18 PM
Mike,
Not to nitpick, but it's a stretch to say that the Nats have "been much worse for much longer than we have".
In fact, since the Nats started in D.C. in 2005, they have had better regular season records than the O's for 3 of the 5 complete seasons, including a 81-81 record in 2005.
Only in 2008 and 2009 did they do worse, but they got Strasburg and Bryce Harper out of it, so what are a few more losses when you can get potential major impact players as a result?
The overall record for the Nats from 2005-2009: 343 W, 466 L.
The overall record for the O's from 2005-2009: 345 W, 464 L.
I don't think 2 more losses over 5 seasons qualifies as much worse.
Besides, they will probably finish with a good deal more wins than us this year to give them the better 2005-2010 record.
Did I mention that as the Montreal Expos they went 83-79 during both the 2002 and 2003 seasons?
Posted by: Al East | June 8, 2010 2:05 PM
Steve, I agree that the jury is definitely still out on Posey, but if you look at how he plays - his aggressiveness, hussle, and his hitting thus far, I have to think he will continue to improve. He seems to actually take what's thrown and hit with
intelligence (outside pitches are hit to right field or up the middle, inside pitches to left or up the middle).
Wieters, in comparison, seems stiff and sluggish, and doesn't seem to be learning from his failures at the plate. Maybe a different hitting coach would help, but right now, he doesn't seem to be living up to the hype. Look at his batting average with runners in scoring postion. It's just awlful and he doesn't seem to be adjusting to the adjustments the pitchers have made to him.
And another frustration I have with the first pick is the selection of a 17 year old. We need to have a solid hitting SS right now, not in 4 or 5 years. Aren't there any shortstops/infielders in college that show real promise? They would have 4 more years of experience and maturity and would have faced pand proven themselves against better pitchers than young Machado.
So many things can happen between now and the time he might be ready for the major leagues. We could use some real help in the next year or so.
I rather trade him for someone that can help soon. We have a core of players management says are close to becoming solid players. We need to do something about shortstop in the short term.
As for Markakis, he has a great arm and covers the outfield pretty well. But he, too, is under-producing at the plate. The season is two months old and he has consistently failed to hit with runners in scoring position (Sunday was the exception). I want him to succeed, but his hitting, for now, is a real drag on our lineup.
Perhaps the disaster that was Albert Bell has turned off management from trying to "buy" another established hitter, but we need to try again. Maybe then, the Orioles will be able to take some of the pressure of of Markakis and the other hitters.
Posted by: VeryFrustratedFan | June 8, 2010 2:49 PM
These previous draft picks were highly regarded by all MLB clubs, the Os just are terrible at developing prep players in their farm system. The root cause of the Os farm system disaster is the lack of quality player development personnel. Once these guys are drafted, does anyone really know who is in charge of developing these draft picks into productive MLB players?
Also, Matusz and Weiters don't count as "developed" farm system products due to their extensive college experience. Furthermore, it gets almost as bad at the MLB level. Who is teaching Weiters, Matusz, Jones, etc. how to make adjustments at the MLB level? Terry Crowley? Dave Trembley? Juan Samuel? This is why promising players do not progress and reach their full potential with the Os.
Posted by: wcestate11726 | June 8, 2010 3:34 PM
Nice summary. And depressing as hell...
Posted by: Eric | June 9, 2010 2:53 PM