Baltimore Orioles

Day 1 of the 2019 MLB draft made 78 dreams come true, and now everybody will try to figure out which of the 78 prospects will translate successfully to their new Major League Baseball homes. 

Much has to happen before the answers become clear, but below is an early look at grades for each of the 30 MLB teams that selected Monday night. 

For an updated draft order heading into Tuesday, visit MLB.com. The draft is available to watch on MLB Network and MLB.com.

           

Arizona Diamondbacks: No. 16 Corbin Carroll, CF, Lakeside HS (WA); No. 26 Blake Walston, P, New Hanover HS (NC); No. 33 Brennan Malone, P, IMG Academy No. 34 Drey Jameson, P, Ball State; No. 56 Ryne Nelson, P, Oregon; No. 74 Tommy Henry, P, Michigan; No. 75 Dominic Fletcher, OF, Arkansas

Grade: B

Atlanta Braves: No. 9 Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor; No. 21 Braden Shewmake, SS, Texas A&M; No. 60 Philip Beau, SS, Oregon State

Grade: B

Baltimore Orioles: No. 1 Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State; No. 42 Gunnar Henderson, SS, John T. Morgan Academy; No. 71 Kyle Stowers, OF, Stanford

          

Last season, Adley Rutschman led the Oregon State Beavers to a national title as the 2018 College World Series' Most Outstanding Player. He followed that up by being named the 2019 Pac-12 Player of the Year after a conference-leading batting average (.419).

The 6'2", 216-pound junior also led the country with a .580 on-base percentage, 1.345 OPS as well as 73 walks this season.

His power is so feared that he was intentionally walked with the bases loaded earlier this week: 

Bases loaded intentional walk!?!?

Yes... Adley Rutschman is THAT good. #RoadToOmaha | @BeaverBaseball pic.twitter.com/WPbDfiByTc

— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 1, 2019

ESPN's Tim Kurkjian praised the Orioles' top choice as soon as the pick was announced: "He's a switch-hitter He's got power. He's got great makeup. He's a classic gym rat. People compare him to Buster Posey. The Orioles got the perfect guy to build around." 

As for the comparison to Posey, a National League scouting executive told MLB.com's Jim Callis that Rutschman is "at the top for me" in terms of best catching prospects since the single draft format was implemented by MLB in 1987. 

"The only college catcher who compares to him is Buster Posey, and Rutschman has more power than we thought Buster had, and I think the kid is a better catcher than Buster." 

The last time Baltimore selected a catcher with the first overall pick, it was Matt Wieters in 2007. He had four All-Star seasons and two Gold Glove seasons for the Orioles. At an MLB-worst 18-41, the Orioles will welcome that potential behind the plate with open arms. 

Grade: A+

          

Boston Red Sox: No. 43 Cameron Cannon, SS, Arizona; No. 69 Matthew Lugo, SS, Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy

The World Series champions didn't select until the second round, but they used their two picks Monday night wisely. Cannon hit .397 this season for Arizona. While he only cranked seven home runs, he led Division I with 29 doubles (h/t MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo). 

MLB.com described Cannon as "a classic grinder who gets the most out of his tools. ... Some scouts think he could hit his way to a big league starting job while others project him as a utilityman."

"He's very versatile," Boston's vice president of amateur scouting Mike Rikard said, per Cotillo. "He has played quite a bit of shortstop at the University of Arizona, but he has also played some second base as well as playing some third base last summer in the Cape. Not exactly sure what exactly is going to be the best fit for him, but we do like the fact he's been able to move around through his career."

The 21-year-old joins a system stacked with infield talent—nine of Boston's top-30 prospects are listed as infielders—which gives the organization room to take a slight risk.

Lugo, who is the nephew of retired 20-year MLB veteran Carlos Beltran, is the highest-ranked Puerto Rican prospect in the 2019 draft class. There is a chance the 6'1", 185-pound shortstop could choose to play at the University of Miami, where he's committed. 

Grade: B

           

Chicago White Sox: No. 3 Andrew Vaughn, 1B, California; No. 45 Matthew Thompson, P, Cypress Ranch HS (TX)

"What [Stephen] Curry is to the Warriors, Andrew is to Cal," Vaughn's longtime hitting coach Joey Gomes, a former eighth-round draft pick and brother to Jonny Gomes, told NBC Sports' Dalton Johnson. "He literally makes everyone else around him better." 

Vaughn was given the 2018 Golden Spikes Award, presented to the best amateur baseball player in the nation, in 2018 after recording 23 home runs compared to just 18 strikeouts as a sophomore. Other recipients of the award include Kris Bryant, Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg. 

In fact, ESPN's Jeff Passan compared Vaughn to Bryant: 

Andrew Vaughn is a phenomenal hitter -- the best in the draft, arguably the best college hitter since Kris Bryant. The only question is positional. He's got to hit and hit a lot to play at first. But ... he's worked out for teams at third. If he can stick there, value skyrockets.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 3, 2019

At just 6'0", there is a slight concern surrounding how Vaughn will translate to first base. "A 6-foot tall collegiate first baseman who bats and throws right and required a top pick to acquire," wrote CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson. "History is not kind to many of those descriptions." 

Anderson added:

"To make matters even worse, Vaughn is a right-handed hitter. At any given time, there's roughly three right-handed first basemen who most teams value as long-term pieces. Otherwise, they're by and large viewed as expendable pieces—that's not the description you want when you're selecting someone third overall."

Vaughn's upside is worth betting on, especially if he can make the transition to third base where the White Sox missed out on adding Manny Machado as a free agent in February.

Grade: B

          

Chicago Cubs: No. 27 Ryan Jensen, P, Fresno State; No. 64 Chase Strumpf, 2B, UCLA

Grade: B-

Cincinnati Reds: No. 7 Nick Lodolo, P, TCU; No. 49 Rece Hinds, SS, IMG Academy

Nick Lodolo reminds @BauerOutage of @ColeHamels and @snellzilla4. #MLBDraft @Reds pic.twitter.com/qLVsciy7Nx

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 4, 2019

Grade: B+

Cleveland Indians: No. 24 Daniel Espino, P, Georgia Premier Academy; No. 63 Yordys Valdes, SS, McArthur HS (FL)

With the 24th overall pick, the Indians select Daniel Espino, a RHP from Georgia Premier Academy.

Espino has, arguably, the best fastball in this year's draft class. He averages 94-97 mph and has reached triple digits with the heater.

— Mandy Bell (@MandyBell02) June 4, 2019

Grade: A-

Colorado Rockies: No. 23 Michael Toglia, 1B, UCLA; No. 62 Aaron Schunk, 3B, Georgia; No. 77 Karl Kauffmann, P, Michigan

We Toglia he'd be a first-rounder!

The @Rockies got a good one in @UCLABaseball slugger/slick defender Michael Toglia. #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/J4gRCB8Qzb

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) June 4, 2019

The last first baseman to be selected in Round 1 by Colorado was All-Star Todd Helton in 1995, according to 9News' Jeremy Chavez, and the Rockies will hope history repeats itself with Toglia.

Grade: B

Detroit Tigers: No. 5 Riley Greene, OF, Hagerty HS (FL); No. 47 Nick Quintana, 3B, Arizona

The Tigers select OF Riley Greene with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft.

Greene is considered the best HS hitter in the draft.

The Tigers are banking on his power to develop, and if that happens, he could be an excellent selection.

— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) June 3, 2019

MLB.com asserted that "there is no one who doubts Greene will hit at the next level." The 18-year-old University of Florida commit led USA Baseball's 18 and Under National Team in RBIs this spring and has been scouted heavily by many in the Tigers front office throughout the spring. 

"You'd have to see it to believe some of the stuff he does," Greene's high school coach of three years, Matt Cleveland, told the Detroit Free Press' Jeff Seidel. "You just scratch your head. He's a really good athlete, great outfielder, and the hit tool is not like anything I've ever seen; and I've coached a lot of good players, probably eight pro guys on my high school team."

"It's not normal what he does," Cleveland added.

Viewed as the best pure bat in the HS class, #Tigers Riley Greene already boasts a plus hit tool. Body is very projectable, according to scouts. Defensively, profile appears to point to a corner OF slot. Speed & arm are graded as average, but the athleticism plays to his favor.

— Emily Waldon (@EmilyCWaldon) June 3, 2019

With Miguel Cabrera entering the latter phase of his career, the Tigers' power-hitting prowess of the future relies on the development of Greene. 

"He’s hit top-level pitching so consistently that some teams have pegged him as a future 70-grade hitter."

The full scouting report on #Tigers pick Riley Greene, and it's a good one. https://t.co/DPDInIj7eE

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) June 3, 2019

Grade: A-

Houston Astros: No. 32 Korey Lee, C, California; No. 68 Grae Kessinger, SS, Ole Miss

Grade: A-

Kansas City Royals: No. 2 Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Colleyville Heritage HS (TX); No. 44 Brady McConnell, SS, Florida; No. 70 Alec Marsh, P, Arizona State

Witt Jr. has not yet donned royal blue, but he is already drawing comparisons to another Kansas City sports savior:

Lets get it ! @BwittJr @Royals https://t.co/TO6UFYORLE

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) June 3, 2019

While that is a very high bar to set for an 18-year-old, everything the 6'1", 180-pound potential five-tool prospect has shown on the diamond thus far makes it feel obtainable. The Athletic's Rustin Dodd reported that Royals officials see Witt Jr. as being from the "same family of players" as Adalberto Mondesi, Kansas City's current shortstop.

Mondesi, for context, leads MLB with eight triples and 21 stolen bases. 

Jim Callis of MLB.com had an even more favorable comparison than Patrick Mahomes:

"There's no question that Witt is the best shortstop prospect in a 2019 Draft full of first-round candidates at the position. He also compares favorably to the best since MLB switched to a single unified Draft in 1987. We surveyed several veteran scouts, and the consensus was that only one shortstop in the last 32 years ranks ahead of Witt.

"'Alex Rodriguez is the best shortstop prospect I've seen, but Bobby Witt Jr. certainly belongs right up there,' a longtime scout now with a NL club said. 'He can match up with guys toolswise and what he also has is a high baseball IQ. People lose sight of it because the tools are so strong, but he's a really good player to go with it.'"

Witt Jr. hit .489 with 15 home runs compared to just 11 strikeouts this season for Colleyville Heritage High School. 

Grade: A+

Los Angeles Angels: No. 15 Will Wilson, SS, North Carolina State; No. 55 Kyren Paris, SS, Freedom HS (CA)

Will Wilson is one of the better college hitters in the class and has plus raw power. Probably not a shortstop thanks to below-average speed but his hands and arm are good enough for second.

— Carlos Collazo (@CarlosACollazo) June 4, 2019

Grade: B

Los Angeles Dodgers: No. 25 Kody Hoese, 3B, Tulane; No. 31 Michael Busch, 2B, North Carolina; No. 78 Jimmy Lewis, P, Lake Travis HS (TX)

Grade: B

Miami Marlins: No. 4 J.J. Bleday, OF, Vanderbilt; No. 35 Kameron Misner, CF, Missouri; No. 46 Nasim Nunez, SS, Collins Hill HS (GA)

The Kid talks our newest kid: No. 4 overall pick J.J. Bleday. pic.twitter.com/snvN6ZV2Xo

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) June 4, 2019

Grade: A

Milwaukee Brewers: No. 28 Ethan Small, P, Mississippi State; No. 65 Antoine Kelly, P, Wabash Valley College

Ethan Small was the SEC strikeout leader in 2019. He has above-average command, generates frequent swings-and-misses. Throws 86-92 mph. Has already had Tommy John surgery. Brewers view him as possible future rotation piece.

“He is a pitcher,” scouting director Tod Johnson said.

— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) June 4, 2019

Grade: B+

Minnesota Twins: No. 13 Keoni Cavaco, 3B, Eastlake HS (CA); No. 39 Matt Wallner, RF, Southern Mississippi; No. 54 Matt Canterino, P, Rice

Keoni Cavaco is the biggest pop-up prospect I can think of in years....some 2nd rounders in recent years, but can't come up with an off-the-radar guy who climbed to top 15 in many years.

— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) June 4, 2019

Grade: B

New York Yankees: No. 30 Anthony Volpe, SS, Delbarton School; No. 38 T.J. Sikkema, P, Missouri; No. 67 Josh Smith, 2B, LSU

Grade: A-

New York Mets: No. 12 Brett Baty, 3B, Lake Travis HS (TX); No. 53 Josh Wolf, P, St. Thomas HS (TX)

Baseball America on #Mets first round pick Brett Baty ( @baty_brett ):

“One of the best pure hitters in the draft class. Baty brings 70-grade raw power with impressive strength and plus bat speed.”

I think being worried about his age is going to be incredibly over rated.

— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) June 4, 2019

Brett “The Met” Baty - talk about the perfect childhood nickname! @mets pic.twitter.com/AEyV6Ckkx3

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 4, 2019

Grade: A-

Oakland Athletics: No. 29 Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson; No. 66 Tyler Baum, P, North Carolina

https://twitter.com/melissalockard/status/1135730996186210304

Grade: B

Philadelphia Phillies: No. 14 Bryson Stott, SS, UNLV

Bryson Stott hit .356 with a 1.085 OPS in 58 games this season at UNLV. Phillies love this: 39 K, 55 BB in 222 at-bats. He should be able to stick at shortstop.

— Matt Breen (@matt_breen) June 4, 2019

Future Phillies infield

1. Rhys Hoskins
2. Scott Kingery
SS. Bryson Stott
3. Alec Bohm

— PHILLIES TBOH (@FS_TBOH) June 4, 2019

Grade: B+

Pittsburgh Pirates: No. 18 Quinn Priester, P, Cary-Grove HS (IL); No. 37 Sammy Siani, CF, William Penn Charter School; No. 57 Matt Gorski, CF, Indiana; No. 72 Jared Triolo, 3B, Houston

Grade: B

San Diego Padres: No. 6 C.J. Abrams, SS, Blessed Trinity Catholic HS (GA); No. 48 Joshua Mears, RF, Federal Way HS (WA); No. 73 Logan Driscoll, C, George Mason

Grade: A

San Francisco Giants: No. 10 Hunter Bishop, OF, Arizona State; No. 51 Logan Wyatt, 1B, Louisville

The Giants just drafted Hunter Bishop.

He went to Junipero Serra HS, then played at Arizona State.

Know who else did both of those things?
Barry Bonds.

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) June 4, 2019

Hunter Bishop could've chosen football.

Instead, he opted for baseball.

And now the @ASU_Baseball star can call himself a Top 10 pick. https://t.co/7MtuGq0DoZ pic.twitter.com/AMjYcoRSAO

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) June 4, 2019

Grade: A

Seattle Mariners: No. 20 George Kirby, P, Elon; No. 59 Brandon Williamson, P, TCU; No. 76 Isaiah Campbell, P, Arkansas 

I think #Mariners hit the jackpot with @ElonBaseball's George Kirby at pick 20. I know I’m an outlier here, but he’s my favorite arm in this draft: easy 93-97 with impeccable control (107-6 K-BB, for a power pitcher). Offspeed is coming. My Kirby profile:https://t.co/wVuXis68RB

— Aaron Fitt (@aaronfitt) June 4, 2019

Grade: A

St. Louis Cardinals: No. 19 Zack Thompson, P, Kentucky; No. 58 Trejyn Fletcher, CF, Deering HS (ME)

Grade: B-

Tampa Bay Rays: No. 22 Greg Jones, SS, UNC Wilmington; No. 36 JJ Goss, P, Cypress Ranch HS (TX); No. 40 Seth Johnson, P, Campbell University; No. 61 John Doxakis, P, Texas A&M

Grade: B-

Texas Rangers: No. 8 Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Tech; No. 41 Davis Wendzel, 3B, Baylor; No. 50 Ryan Garcia, P, UCLA

The @Rangers take one of my favorites, @TTU_Baseball’s Josh Jung 8th overall. Jung is an outstanding hitter and third baseman, and he’s done a swell job at shortstop this season, too.

Here’s his @d1baseball profile: https://t.co/KHxZAzTryr

— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 4, 2019

I love the Rangers pick of Josh Jung. Some question whether he can stick at 3B, but I believe other scouts who see him as a solid 3B--he's moved over to SS to help out the team and has been surprisingly adept there.

Rangers needs this pick to click after a lot of draft injuries.

— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) June 4, 2019

Grade: A

Toronto Blue Jays: No. 11 Alek Manoah, P, West Virginia; No. 52 Kendall Williams, P, IMG Academy

Grade: B+

Washington Nationals: No. 17 Jackson Rutledge, P, San Jacinto College North

Grade: B

*Draft information courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise specified 

The Baltimore Orioles drafted Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with the top overall pick in the 2019 MLB draft on Monday. 

With the 1st pick of the 2019 #MLBDraft, the @Orioles select @BeaverBaseball catcher Adley Rutschman: https://t.co/OHooNdL3XW pic.twitter.com/4dUcbvOrcU

— MLB Draft (@MLBDraft) June 3, 2019

The 21-year-old smacked 17 home runs, knocked in 57 runners and slashed .418/.580/.764 for the Beavers.

That effort followed an excellent 2018 campaign in which Rutschman had nine homers, 83 RBI and a 1.133 OPS.

The 6'2", 216-pound catcher was ranked No. 1 on MLB.com's 2019 draft prospects lists entering Monday. Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com wrote on January 30 that he would have put him 17th on the 2019 MLB minor-league prospect list if he was drafted in 2018.

The switch-hitting Rutschman has excellent power. Check out this opposite-field home run from the left side of the dish for example:

OPPO BOMB FOR ADLEY RUTSCHMAN. #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/SFq47KLoSg

— Oregon State Baseball (@BeaverBaseball) April 7, 2019

FanGraphs, who ranked him No. 1 on its draft prospect list, noted Rutschman is an "excellent defensive catcher with current all-fields doubles power and tremendous feel for contact."

Rutschman joins an Orioles franchise that is in the process of a significant rebuild, one that was sorely needed after Baltimore went 51-111 in 2018.

The O's overhauled their front office and coaching staffs, and general manager Mike Elias now runs the show. He's tasked with rebuilding a farm system that Sam Dykstra of MILB.com ranked 23rd in the league entering this season.

Rutschman is clearly the crown jewel of the Orioles' farm system now, and it wouldn't be surprising to see a quick call-up given how well he's dominated the college ranks. Plus, the big-league club needs help, with the team just 18-41 this season.

Baltimore has much more work to do, but picking up a potential future face of the franchise is an excellent start.

The MLB draft, perhaps the most unique draft in professional sports, is set to begin Monday at 7 p.m. ET, with the Baltimore Orioles on the clock for the first overall pick. 

Unlike the NFL and NBA, the MLB draft is held midseason and lasts 40 rounds. It consists of both college and high school prospects, with the latter often difficult to predict if they will sign or continue to refine their skills at the collegiate level. 

Players are also immediately placed into the teams' farm systems and are usually at least two or more years away from reaching the majors. 

The first MLB draft was implemented in 1965 in an effort to prevent wealthier teams, such as the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals, from stockpiling young talent by offering them contracts, according to the Baseball Almanac. The draft was also divided into three drafts, too. 

The first would occur in June for high school graduates and college seniors, while the second took place in January for high school and college players who graduated in the winter. There was a third held in August for players who participated in summer amateur leagues, but it lasted just two years. 

The draft finally became just one in 1986. 

              

2019 Mock Draft

1. Baltimore Orioles: Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State

2. Kansas City Royals: Bobby Witt Jr., Colleyville HS (TX)

3. Chicago White Sox: Andrew Vaughn, 1B, University of California

4. Miami Marlins: JJ Bleday, OF, Vanderbilt

5. Detroit Tigers: Riley Greene, OF, Hagerty HS (FL)

6. San Diego Padres: CJ Abrams, SS, Blessed Trinity Catholic HS (GA)

7. Cincinnati Reds: Nick Lodolo, LHP, TCU

8. Texas Rangers: Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Tech 

9. Atlanta Braves (comp for unsigned 2018 first-round pick): Jackson Rutledge, RHP, San Jacinto College (TX)

10. San Francisco Giants: Bryson Stott, SS, UNLV

11. Toronto Blue Jays: Alek Manoah, RHP, West Virginia

12. New York Mets: Zack Thompson, LHP, Kentucky

13. Minnesota Twins: Hunter Bishop, OF, Arizona State

14. Philadelphia Phillies: Corbin Carroll, OF, Lakeside HS (WA)

15. Los Angeles Angels: George Kirby, RHP, Elon

16. Arizona Diamondbacks: Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor

17. Washington Nationals: Daniel Espino, RHP, Georgia Premier Academy (GA)

18. Pittsburgh Pirates: Quinn Priester, RHP, Cary-Grove HS (IL)

19. St. Louis Cardinals: Matthew Allan, RHP, Seminole HS (FL)

20. Seattle Mariners: Kody Hoese, 3B, Tulane

21. Atlanta Braves: Brennan Malone, RHP, IMG Academy 

22. Tampa Bay Rays: Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson

23. Colorado Rockies: Michael Busch, 1B/OF, North Carolina

24. Cleveland Indians: Will Wilson, SS, North Carolina State

25. Los Angeles Dodgers: Gunnar Henderson, SS, John T. Morgan Academy

26. Arizona Diamondbacks (comp for unsigned 2018 first-round pick): Brett Baty, 3B, Lake Travis HS (TX)

27. Chicago Cubs: JJ Goss, RHP, Cypress Ranch HS (TX)

28: Milwaukee Brewers: Seth Johnson, RHP, Campbell

29. Oakland Athletics: Greg Jones, SS, UNC-Wilmington

30. New York Yankees: Tyler Callihan, 3B, Providence HS (FL)

31. Los Angeles Dodgers (comp for unsigned 2018 first-round pick): Maurice Hampton, OF, Memphis University HS (TN)

32. Houston Astros: Mike Toglia, 1B, UCLA

          

Top College Players Available

Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State

Finding a franchise-changing catcher in the draft is one of the most difficult things to do. The Twins did it with Joe Mauer in 2001 and the Giants did it with Buster Posey in 2008, and the Orioles may just be able to do it with Rutschman in 2019. 

The 22-year-old is a baseball unicorn—a switch-hitting catcher with power to all sides of the field:

He knew it. #BeaverNation knew it. @BeaverBaseball's Adley Rutschman crushes homer No. 17 of the year.

Watch #Pac12BSB: https://t.co/7bV5KkFKBD pic.twitter.com/JAQEuafLm9

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) May 25, 2019

Baseball America has dubbed him the best prospect since Bryce Harper, while Jim Callis of MLB.com posed the same question. 

Rutschman has put up monster numbers in his junior year, hitting a slash line of .417/.580/.765 with 17 home runs and 57 RBI. He has thrown out 13 of 26 baserunners in 55 games and even got the Barry Bonds treatment during the College World Series regional opening round, where he was intentionally walked with the bases loaded. 

He could be a generational talent who would be impossible to pass up on, although the Orioles have said they have narrowed down their options to four prospects with the No. 1 pick, per Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun.

           

Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Colleyville HS (TX)

Witt was the Gatorade National Player of the Year and comes from a baseball family.

His father was drafted third overall by the Texas Rangers in 1985 and pitched 16 seasons in the majors, while his uncle, Doug Witt, is a scout for the Orioles, signaling they could well choose the 18-year-old shortstop over Rutschman. 

Like Rutschman, Witt is heading into the draft with tons of praise, none higher than from former MLB scout Ryan Nelson, who told The Athletic: "There's no doubt in my mind that whoever ends up drafting him, in five to seven years, he's going to be Mike Trout. He's going to be that guy that's just everywhere, like Derek Jeter."

Those are some high expectations to live up to, but by all indications from scouts, Witt is a potential five-tool shortstop:

Scouts think Bobby Witt Jr. is the best prep defensive infielder in the country.https://t.co/tlkF9eYAyq pic.twitter.com/3qgb1w8HSW

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) May 24, 2019

He is committed to play at Oklahoma next year, but it is more likely he will be on the fast track to the majors in somebody's farm system, most likely the Royals. 

          

Andrew Vaughn, 1B, California

Vaughn may well be the next-best prospect after Rutschman and Witt, although there are some concerns over him.

Perhaps the biggest question mark surrounds his height. The 21-year-old has been listed anywhere between 5'10" and 6'0", which is traditionally considered small for a first baseman. No right-handed hitting first baseman has been taken in the top-five of the draft, either. 

But Vaughn could be the guy to break convention. He may be the best hitting prospect in the draft and his raw power is undeniable, hitting 50 home runs over three seasons at California:

Bears trail by a run in B8, and then Andrew Vaughn does this ... #CalBaseball #GoldenSpikes pic.twitter.com/LTWMard2Kw

— Cal Baseball (@CalBaseball) May 18, 2019

He also has incredible plate discipline. He ranks third in the NCAA in on-base percentage this season at .549 and has a 23 percent walk rate, which has only been achieved by Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds since the 1994 MLB strike, according to Zach Kram of The Ringer. 

If the White Sox don't select him at No. 3, any team he falls to would be snagging someone who has the potential to be an elite power hitter in the majors. 

Through two months, the 2019 Major League Baseball season is on track to make home run history. The 1.33 homers per game that have been hit so far is the highest rate of all time.

There are explanations aplenty for this, yet a shockingly significant one is the very existence of the Baltimore Orioles.

Orioles pitchers have already claimed a place in baseball history that they'd rather not have. When New York Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier went deep off David Hess at Oriole Park at Camden Yards last Tuesday, the fastest-ever journey to 100 home runs allowed was completed:

The Baltimore Orioles have allowed their 100th HR of the season in their 48th game; the previous MLB "record" for quickest to allow 100 HR in a season was 57 games by the 2000 Kansas City Royals.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 22, 2019

Orioles pitchers have since allowed 14 more long balls to bring their total to 114. One only needs to refer to the 2015 Pittsburgh Pirates to find the last time a team didn't allow that many homers over an entire season.

Perhaps it's needless to say, but the Orioles pitching staff is indeed on track for a new single-season home run record. Its average of 2.1 allowed per game points to a final destination of 340 home runs. That would break the 2016 Cincinnati Reds' single-season record by...wait for it...82 home runs.

The bright side for the Orioles is that their 5.84 team ERA is only the worst of the 2019 season and not of all time. It is, however, the highest since the 1999 Colorado Rockies finished with a 6.03 ERA.

The Orioles are also suffering from an offense that ranks 12th in the American League in runs per game. Hence their 16-37 record, which puts them on pace for a second straight season of more than 110 losses. Clearly, this is a team that still has a long way to go with its rebuild.

In the meantime, let's narrow down the root causes of the worst case of homeritis in baseball history.

In fairness to Orioles pitchers, some of the things fueling their home run rate are beyond their control.

This is an extreme home run era, after all, and the primary reasons for that include a ball that's almost certainly juiced and a new breed of hitter who's all about launch angle and exit velocity. To wit, the Orioles aren't the only 2019 team that features prominently on the list of highest-ever home run rates.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards isn't helping, either. It's a notorious launching pad, and it's thus far lived up to its reputation by allowing 64 of the Orioles' home runs.

A handful of those long balls wouldn't have made it out of, say, Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City:

The Orioles' early-season schedule also hasn't been of much help. They've played 18 games against the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees, who rank first and fifth in home runs, respectively, plus a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at the ever-slugger-friendly Coors Field.

These 21 games comprise only 39 percent of Baltimore's season, yet they've yielded 58 percent (66) of the team's home run output.

Still, only so much blame can be placed on Orioles pitchers' circumstances. Take it from first-year manager Brandon Hyde, who marked his team's record-breaking march to 100 homers with brutal honesty.

"We're facing good teams, but you've got to pitch," Hyde said, per Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun. "You've got to pitch here, stay off the barrel. You've got to be able to locate, and if you don't, in a hitters’ ballpark, against guys that mash, you're going to give up 100 homers 40-something games into it."

You do indeed "got to pitch." And the hard truth is that Orioles pitchers just aren't very good at that.

It's partially a stuff problem. Orioles pitchers are tied for 20th in average fastball velocity. They also rank 18th in average spin rate.

With that kind of modest action on their pitches, it's no surprise that only the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers are drawing swings-and-misses at a lower rate than the Orioles. Their 22nd-ranked ground-ball percentage also shows that batters have had an easy time elevating against them, and fly balls and line drives off Orioles pitchers have traveled at an MLB-high 95.1 mph.

Further, Hyde was on to something when he said "you've got to be able to locate." Orioles pitchers are among the worst at finding the strike zone. They've also been unable to trick hitters into chasing their pitches, as they have one of the lowest swing rates outside the zone.

Not so coincidentally, Orioles pitchers are throwing an MLB-high 30.4 percent of their pitches with the hitter ahead in the count. The price they've paid for that is an MLB-high 55 home runs allowed in such counts, the majority of which (35, to be exact) have come on pitches in the heart of the zone.

The plain-English version of all this is that Orioles pitchers are neither particularly overwhelming nor particularly crafty. Which should really surprise nobody, given who these pitchers are.

On one hand, there are the veterans whom the Orioles are hoping to turn into trade chips. These include 30-somethings Andrew Cashner, Dan Straily and Alex Cobb. Though Cashner has had an OK year, the trio's collective rate of 2.8 homers per nine innings is solid proof that each is past his prime.

On the other hand are Baltimore's many 20-something pitchers, among whom is only one formerly elite talent (Dylan Bundy, who peaked as MLB.com's No. 2 prospect in 2013) and one of the team's current top talents (Branden Kline, whom MLB.com rates as the Orioles' No. 21 prospect).

Right-hander Shawn Armstrong and left-handers John Means and Paul Fry have done well for themselves, but that's about where the success stories run out. Bundy and Hess, in particular, have taken up a place on the opposite side of the spectrum with a combined 2.6 HR/9 rate.

Mercifully, there is hope on the horizon.

The Orioles already have some exciting pitching prospects in lefties DL Hall, Keegan Akin and Zac Lowther, as well as righties Grayson Rodriguez and Blaine Knight. More should enter the team's system via the draft and international market in the coming years. Overseeing everything is general manager Mike Elias, who came to the Orioles from a Houston Astros organization with a reputation for getting the most out of its pitchers.

For now, though, the Orioles pitching staff is a motley crew of guys who are either trying to hang on or simply get a grip. When combined with their extraordinary external circumstances, what you get is indeed a foolproof recipe for historic pitching futility.

All the Orioles can really do is wait it out. All their opponents can do, meanwhile, is line up at the bat rack.

                        

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Andrew Cashner said Friday he'd consider not reporting to his new team if moved before the July 31 MLB trade deadline.

Cashner told Dan Connolly of The Athletic he's grown to "hate" being in the rumor mill throughout his career and doesn't enjoy that "a lot of things are out of your control."

"I wish I had a no-trade clause," he said. "But it's all part of where you're at (in your career). And, I think, once something comes (on the trade front), I'll have to sit down with my family and decide what's best for me."

Cashner is a unique case.

The 32-year-old TCU product is off to a solid start this season with a 4.14 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 43 strikeouts in 54.1 innings.

Yet, his two-year, $16 million contract includes a $10 million vesting option if he reaches 340 innings pitched between 2017 and 2018, per Spotrac. He needs to pitch 187 innings this year to reach that threshold, which is right in line with a standard complement of 31 or 32 starts.

That could actually be a concern for both Cashner, who's comfortable in Baltimore and could hit free agency if he doesn't hit 340 innings, and the acquiring team. Most clubs looking for rental players to fill a void don't want the financial burden of an extra year on a deal.

At the same time, the Orioles own the league's worst record at 15-36 and would probably prefer to get some type of future asset for the starter since he's unlikely to be around when their rebuild ends.

Cashner told Connolly he'll evaluate his options on a case-by-case basis leading up to the deadline.

"I'm not going to say that I wouldn't (go to a contender)," he said. "But I'm just going to say, 'We'll see where it goes.'"

It's unclear whether the O's will allow interested teams to speak with Cashner during trade talks, but opposing clubs would probably want some type of guarantee he'll report before giving up a prospect.

All told, the starter is clearly growing tired of a nomadic career that's landed him with four different teams since 2016, and it could impact his decision-making process over the next two months.

The Baltimore Orioles are putting together a forgettable 2019 so far, but they will forever be remembered in MLB history as the team with the fastest pitching staff to allow 100 home runs in a single season.

The Baltimore Orioles have allowed their 100th HR of the season in their 48th game; the previous MLB "record" for quickest to allow 100 HR in a season was 57 games by the 2000 Kansas City Royals.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 22, 2019

Baltimore starter David Hess gave up a three-run dinger to New York Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier on Tuesday night at Oriole Park to mark No. 100. The fifth-inning home run was the third homer allowed by Hess in the game.

The Yankees beat Baltimore 11-4, dropping the Orioles to 15-33 on the season.

The three Yankees home runs brought Hess' total to 17 home runs allowed on the season. Entering the contest, the 25-year-old was tied for the league lead in most home runs allowed, and rotation-mate Dylan Bundy was not too far behind with 11.

The Orioles' current starting rotation—rounded out by Andrew Cashner, Dan Straily and John Means—is responsible for 53 of the 100 homers conceded. Alex Cobb, who's on the injured list with a back strain, has accounted for nine.

Baltimore began the 2019 campaign by allowing at least one home run in 16 consecutive games, according to Forbes' Todd Karpovich.

"I haven't seen this many [homers] in a short amount of time," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters on April 15. "But yeah, I think we just continue to stay behind our guys. We continue to improve and try to get better. Continue to pitch to a plan and work on our location. Work on being unpredictable."

With all due respect to the first-year skipper, something will have to change quickly, or else the remainder of his squad's season will be painfully predictable.

When Chris Davis stood at first base, grinned and asked for the ball after finally and mercifully busting out of an 0-for-54 slump this month, who couldn't help but smile along with him?

In one form or another, we've all been there. This was you at five, finally swimming after swallowing a few gallons of pool water while struggling to learn. You at 16, getting that dream date following numerous rejections. You at 40, finally successful on a home-repair project after banging your head against a wall for a week trying to figure it out.

Oh, Davis had been banging his head against a wall all right—the mother of all walls. His oh-fer set a record for futility for an everyday player (non-pitcher), surpassing Eugenio Velez's 0-for-46 in 2010-11. No matter what Davis did—start, pinch-hit, take extra batting practice, skip regular batting practice, connect with a fastball squarely, connect softly—he couldn't find a hit. No bloops, bleeders, squibbers, duck snorts, doinkers, Texas leaguers or even Baltimore chops. (You'd think an Oriole, of all people, could grab a Baltimore chop at his convenience, no? Oh, the inhumanity!)

Turns out, a Saturday afternoon single to right field in Fenway Park fueled Davis' flight to freedom.

"It was awesome," says San Diego's Manny Machado, a teammate of Davis' in Baltimore from 2012-18. "It sucks to be in that situation. We all know what it feels like. I was excited for him. I know a low of people were."

That's no exaggeration.

"I was really happy to hear he got a hit," Colorado's Nolan Arenado says. "You don't want to see somebody struggling like that in this game, especially people making fun of him.

"Fans and people who don't understand how hard it is ... the mental part of this is hard. That's what separates the men from the boys."

Arenado knows: In September, as the Rockies were racing the Los Angeles Dodgers down the stretch, Arenado without warning fell into an 0-for-15 hole with six strikeouts. One day he was a National League Most Valuable Player candidate, and then suddenly he couldn't buy a hit with a Visa Gold card and unlimited credit.

"It feels like hits are so far away," Arenado says. "It feels like there are so many outfielders and infielders. It feels like there's not nine players out there; it feels like way more.

"It's just frustrating, because you feel so good before that moment."

---

Baseball, we hear endlessly, is a game of failure: Even the best hitters fail seven of 10 times at the plate. But even more than that, it is a game that reveals a man's vulnerabilities. Opponents find the hole in a swing and exploit it. Hitters feast on a pitcher who can't hit the corners. As this plays out, baseball reminds us of our own vulnerabilities and shows us that the trick is to pick ourselves up and keep pushing, because tomorrow is a new day. As former manager Jim Leyland likes to say, Hey, the other guys drive Cadillacs, too.

"Obviously, your family lives and dies with you; they want you to have success every time," Arenado says. "I think what makes it hard, too, is that everybody starts giving their input about what you need to do, what you need to change. Everyone starts having all the answers when deep down nobody really does except yourself.

"They start coming out of the woodwork, saying how they can fix you or how trash you are. You hear all these different things, and it starts to beat up on people."

When Derek Jeter ended an epic 0-for-32 skid at the start of the 2004 season with a home run against Oakland, he wondered if a bird instead was going to get in the way of the long fly ball and knock it into an outfielder's glove.

Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell remembers suffering through an 0-for-45 run as a utility man for the Brewers in 2011. "The thing that was different for me was I did it over a very long stretch of time," he says. "I wasn't playing every day. I was playing very infrequently, to be honest with you. So it was once or twice a week, pinch-hit at-bats.

"In a lot of ways it went unnoticed—not unnoticed, but it wasn't like the media was complaining to [manager] Ron Roenicke that he was putting me in the lineup too much. Let's put it that way, know what I mean?"

Counsell chuckles, acknowledging that even on the few days on which Roenicke did write his name in the lineup, it couldn't have been easy for the manager.

"Look, it stinks," Counsell says. "You're obviously in a big hole and you're struggling and you've tried a lot of things and nothing's working. It's frustrating. It's embarrassing. ... Your teammates are all pulling for you ridiculously hard; you sense that too. I'm sure he's gone through all that stuff."

What made Davis' drought different was that it sabotaged what was supposed to be a fresh start following one of the worst statistical seasons in MLB history. In 128 games and 522 plate appearances in 2018, he batted .168/.243/.296 with 16 homers and 49 RBI. His minus-3.1 WAR was the seventh-worst mark since 1901, according to FanGraphs.

He couldn't hide either, having signed a seven-year, $161 million deal in January 2016.

"I think sometimes when you're upset about it, you don't realize how good that pitcher is," Arenado says. "You just think it's your fault for being a really bad baseball player.

"You lose sight of what's really going on when that happens."

Davis was booed vociferously during Baltimore's home opener and for a few games thereafter, but by the end of Baltimore's first homestand, something heartening happened: The vitriol turned to empathy. Fans at Camden Yards started to cheer him. The support continued on the road, when the Orioles headed to Fenway Park, even as the drought dragged on. The message seemed to be: It's one thing to buy a ticket, plop down in a box seat and take out your frustrations on some bum who hacks weakly at a curveball, but it's a wholly different thing to repeatedly kick a man when he's down. Even if he is making $161 million (with deferred payments running all the way through 2037).

Through it all, Davis persisted.

"It's hard because you feel the pressure. You feel like everyone in the stadium, your teammates, everyone, is watching you to see if you're finally going to get a hit," Arenado says. "It's a bad feeling."

The applause Davis got when the ball found a patch of grass and the infernal streak finally had concluded is something that will stay with him. Especially the outwardly emotional reaction he saw when he looked across the diamond to the Orioles dugout, where an overjoyed flock of teammates flapped their wings and hollered good things. And when he walked into the clubhouse after the game, everyone greeted him by banging on their lockers and cheering loudly.

Yes, as Counsell, Arenado and many others before Davis have learned, your teammates do root for you ridiculously hard.

"That's probably been the biggest pick-me-up moment in this whole thing, aside from getting the hit," Davis told reporters afterward. "Just having the guys day in and day out pick me up, constantly helping me stay in a positive mindset. I mean, that's what it's all about."

Isn't it? Davis has had a dickens of a time these past two years, but he works hard, keeps at it and moves forward with tremendous dignity. Before the game, he asked a coach if it would be bush-league to get the ball, should he break the streak. "He said: 'Absolutely not. I think it's a veteran, pro move.' It meant a lot to me," Davis told reporters. "... I don't know what I'm going to do with it, but I'm going to do something special."

In the time of his greatest humiliation, he was conscientious enough to think of others. Now, he plans to auction the ball and give the proceeds to the University of Maryland Children's Hospital—one more classy reminder that the same holds true in baseball as in life: How you act when things are not going well reveals far more about a person's character than how you behave when things are great. Because that last part is the easy part. The trick is to keep swinging and maintain your composure when you're in that 0-for-54 hole, when nothing is dropping and the quicksand is sucking you into the earth.

The beauty of it is, in baseball and in life, you've got tomorrow to make it better.

   

Scott Miller covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow Scott on Twitter and talk baseball.

Nearly seven months to the day after his last hit, Chris Davis halted his record-setting streak of futility.

The Baltimore Orioles slugger hit a two-run single in the first inning of Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox, ending his record streak of 54 at-bats without a hit.

It's over! pic.twitter.com/wcorVDLOTS

— MLB (@MLB) April 13, 2019

Davis' last hit was a double off James Shields on Sept. 14, 2018. He's gone hitless since, shattering the previous record for a position player without a hit (Eugenio Velez, 46).

Still, he told ESPN.com's Eddie Matz fans have been behind him:

"It was a little unexpected, after Opening Day and most of the season last year, but it was awesome. I hear the people every night, cheering for me, encouraging me, the guys and gals that sit down closer to the field, the ones that are more consistent in attendance. I hear the encouraging people trying to pick me up, and I've always been very appreciative of it.

"Unfortunately, I feel like a few people who decide to boo, or say whatever they may say, are ruining it for a lot of people. I've been here long enough, I've played for the Orioles long enough to know what kind of fan base we have, and to know that they support their players through good and bad. And that thought has kept me in a good state of mind throughout this whole thing."

Davis has mostly been at fault during the streak, racking up whiffs while largely making weak contact when he does put the ball in play. 

The Orioles will have to hope this is the beginning of a return to the mean—especially given the fact he's under contract through the 2022 season. 

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has etched himself into MLB history, but this particular record has the 33-year-old surely wishing for an eraser. 

During the Orioles' Monday night game against the Oakland Athletics, MLB Stats declared Davis the owner of the longest hitless drought among position players in MLB history at 0-for-47. The record was broken when Davis lined out to left field in the bottom of the fifth, and he went hitless in two additional at-bats to make the stretch 0-for-49.

Chris Davis is now hitless in each of his last 47 at-bats, dating back to the end of last season.

He has passed Eugenio Vélez (46 from 2010-11) for the longest hitless streak in MLB history by a position player. pic.twitter.com/otaZaL7E6x

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 9, 2019

Davis has only two more at-bats to secure a hit before he breaks the all-time record for most plate appearances by a position player without a hit, per Dan Connolly of The Athletic, as he struck out in the bottom of the seventh to put that stretch at 55. That record currently belongs to former Cleveland Indian Tony Bernazard, who had 57 hitless plate appearances in 1984.

Davis gets called out on strikes. 0-for-48 and counting with a hitless skid of 55 plate appearances. Strikeout No. 14

— Dan Connolly (@danconnolly2016) April 9, 2019

Davis' unfortunate streak dates back to last season. His most recent hit was a double on Sept. 14 in a loss to the Chicago White Sox. 

It seems much longer ago than 2013 that Davis led the league with 53 home runs and 138 RBI, which earned him a Silver Slugger Award.

In 2015, the one-time All-Star smashed 47 home runs to lead MLB again but also paced the league with 208 strikeouts. In hindsight, that may have been an omen. 

Following that season, Baltimore signed him to a seven-year, $161 million contract on Jan. 16, 2016—the largest in Orioles history at the time.

Since then, Davis and the Orioles have experienced a steady decline together. 

Last season saw Baltimore finished with an MLB-worst 47-115 record. While the team was losing, Davis finished with a .168 batting average—not only the worst mark of his career but also the worst among qualified hitters in league history since MLB expanded to 162 games per season (h/t Baltimore WJZ).

On Sept. 24, Sports Illustrated published a profile of an aching Davis by Stephanie Apstein. One particular passage makes it even tougher to swallow the 12-year veteran's struggles: 

"He felt—feels—completely lost. 'Failure just follows me around daily,' he says. He wakes up in the morning and thinks about how bad he is. He gets to the ballpark and thinks about how bad he is. He takes batting practice, slogs through another hitless night and drives home thinking about how bad he is. He plays a game for a living, but it's not fun anymore. More than once this season he has considered his bank balance and considered quitting."

To start 2019, Davis struck out three times on Opening Day. First-year manager Brandon Hyde had no choice but to bench him for the Orioles' March 30 matchup with the New York Yankees.

"I see Chris being part of our lineup," Hyde said. "This was just a day I felt like would be a good day for him to take a breather. I'm trying to get him off to a good start, and I want Chris to feel good."

Days later, Davis is still without a hit and has added 11 more strikeouts. 

Something has to give soon, right?

If not altogether impossible, it's increasingly difficult to imagine Chris Davis' $161 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles having a happy ending.

Davis certainly isn't having a happy beginning to the 2019 season. He's played in eight of the Orioles' first nine games, but has yet to produce even one hit. He's 0-for-23 with 13 strikeouts.

The low point (for now) came last Friday in Baltimore's Oriole Park at Camden Yards home opener against the New York Yankees. The Orioles' 8-4 loss featured an 0-for-3 with three strikeouts from Davis, which naturally brought out the boo birds.

Chris Davis strikes out for the third time today and the boos continue in Baltimore. Really tough scene. #Orioles pic.twitter.com/hDE5l79E0I

— Kyle J. Andrews (@KyleJAndrews_) April 4, 2019

"I wasn't expecting it, but at the same time I heard it a lot last year and rightfully so," Davis said, per MLB.com's Joe Trezza. "I said it before, I'll say it again: I understand the frustration. Nobody is more frustrated than me. Especially on a day like today."

The Orioles signed Davis to his nine-figure deal in January 2016, when he was fresh off leading Major League Baseball in home runs for the second time in three seasons. He went on to hit another 38 in the first year of his new deal, bringing his total since 2013 to an MLB-best 164.

To say it's all been downhill since then would be putting it charitably. More accurately and according to all available evidence, Davis has fallen into a bottomless pit.

He struggled his way to a .732 OPS and 26 home runs in 2017, but such numbers take on a Bondsian quality when compared with his performance in 2018. In 128 games, Davis could muster only a .168 batting average with a .539 OPS and 16 homers.

That average was the worst by a batting title qualifier since 1909. His OPS was easily the worst among all of last season's qualifiers. The same goes for his minus-2.8 wins above replacement, according to Baseball Reference.

It's hard to go any lower than that, yet that's the direction Davis is headed at the outset of 2019. To boot, the true origins of this direction date back to last season. He's 0-for-44 dating back to Sept. 15, which puts him just two fruitless at-bats away from Eugenio Velez's all-time worst hitless streak.

If 2019 was the last season of Davis' deal, the Orioles probably would have already made the difficult decision to cut him loose and chalk up his remaining money as a sunk cost.

In reality, he is only in the fourth year of a seven-year deal. And including the $23 million he's owed this year, he still has $92 million headed his way.

There ought to be some hope that he can turn things around. Though 33 is old by baseball standards, it's not ancient. Plus, a guy who stands at 6'3", 230 pounds ought to have power built to last.

However, the power stroke that fueled Davis' rise to stardom and ultimately made him a wealthy man has diminished into mediocrity.

As recently as 2015, he was one of baseball's best at generating power through a combination of launch angle (17.3 degrees) and exit velocity (91.8 mph) on his batted balls:

But then in 2018, Davis' average launch angle (14.7 degrees) and exit velocity (89.0 mph) reduced him to another face in the crowd:

To give credit where it's due, pitchers have had a hand in cutting Davis' power down to size.

He's traditionally preferred to do his slugging against fastballs in the lower two-thirds of the strike zone. Last season, pitchers adjusted by going to the playbook for Launch Angle Era sluggers and throwing 43.4 percent of all their fastballs against him in the upper third of the zone and beyond.

That was his highest such rate since 2012, and it's gone up even further to 60.3 percent early in 2019. He's been (literally) powerless to the tune of a .126 slugging percentage against these pitches.

Further, age may be doing a number on Davis' bat speed. This wasn't a problem for him as he was hitting so many effortless home runs in his heyday. But if a hitter's bat must be quickest on pulled balls, perhaps it's telling that the lefty slugger's pull rate descended from a peak of 56 percent in 2015 to just 41 percent three years later.

How Davis' swing looks in 2019 is difficult to address objectively, in part because he's put only 10 balls in play. The other part, however, is that he's not swinging much, period. His overall swing rate has plummeted all the way to 33 percent—17 percent lower than his 2013 All-Star season and 13 percent lower than the current league average.

For what it's worth, this is helping to resuscitate Davis' walk rate. And yet, it's shocking to see how seldom he's going after good pitches within the strike zone:

It's noteworthy that Davis isn't the only hitter with an in-zone swing rate in the 50 percent range in the early goings. Several others are right there with him, including a handful of good ones. So, perhaps this is nothing but early-season noise.

Yet the reality that this is the latest stop on a clear downward path raises suspicions. Perhaps Davis isn't seeing the ball as well as he gets older. Perhaps he's steadily losing confidence in his swing. Perhaps it's a combination of both.

In any case, it's yet another data point that points to Davis' slugging days being firmly in the past. He was a power-hitting machine, but not anymore.

The bright side, such as it is, is that Davis isn't weighing down an Orioles team that's otherwise loaded for a playoff run. The Orioles lost a franchise-record 115 games last season. As Neil Paine covered at FiveThirtyEight in March, they've come into 2019 with a historically bad collection of established talent. Davis is merely along for what figures to be a bumpy ride.

But unless Davis snaps out of his funk, the Orioles simply can't keep giving him at-bats for much longer. They'd be better off shifting his playing time to younger players like Rio Ruiz (24) or Renato Nunez (25) or prospects such as Austin Hays (23), Yusniel Diaz (22) or Ryan Mountcastle (22). Beyond that, it's arguably unfair to keep subjecting Davis to the boo birds just because he's being paid a lot of money.

Of course, Baltimore can't get out of paying Davis unless he voluntarily retires. He won't do that. Nor should he. It took a lot of years and hard work for him to get his money. He darn well should take every last cent that he's owed.

Nonetheless, the Orioles will have to move on and take a painful financial hit sooner or later. And at this rate, sooner would be better.

                   

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.