Jordan Westburg drafted by Orioles, is MSU's 16th all-time first-round pick

Many scouts believe Jordan Westburg has all the tools to be an incredibly productive Major League Baseball player and on Wednesday, the Baltimore Orioles pulled the trigger and took him in the MLB Draft with the 30th overall pick.

Westburg was the first pick of Compensation Round A and will be counted by MSU as the 16th first-round MLB Draft choice in school history. Second baseman Justin Foscue became MSU's 15th all-time first-rounder earlier in the night when he was chosen by the Texas Rangers. Meanwhile signee Austin Hendrick was also taken in the first round of the draft by the Cincinnati Reds.

READ MORE ON FOSCUE BY CLICKING HERE

As for Westburg, here is what you need to know regarding his selection...

WESTBURG'S SLOT VALUE:

$2,365,500

MSU CAREER STATS:

.285 batting average
.446 slugging percentage
.862 OPS
38 doubles
2 triples
10 home runs
102 RBI

SCOUTING REPORT (via MLB Pipeline - CLICK HERE FOR MORE ):

Though neither was a heralded prospect or drafted out of high school in 2017, Mississippi State's Westburg and Justin Foscue have developed into college baseball's best double-play combination. Foscue has been a more consistent hitter but Westburg has a higher ceiling and more defensive value. He tied a College World Series record with seven RBI in one game in 2018 and helped the Bulldogs return to Omaha last season.

Westburg has a compact right-handed swing and possesses the bat speed and strength to provide 20 or more homers on an annual basis. He lacks consistency at the plate because he has a very aggressive, pull-happy approach and sometimes struggles with pitch recognition and managing the strike zone. After he failed to make the U.S. collegiate national team last summer, he settled down nicely in the Cape Cod League and was one of the circuit's more productive hitters.

Westburg has solid speed and arm strength to match, giving him a chance to stick at shortstop at the next level. He's big for the position at 6-foot-3 and if he adds more strength to his frame, he could slow down and necessitate a move to third base. With his power potential, he still could profile offensively at the hot corner.

DATE TO WATCH:

August 1. That's the signing deadline for picks to sign with the organization that chose them.