Baltimore Orioles Prioritize College Players in Latest MLB Mock Draft

A recent MLB mock draft has the Baltimore Orioles choosing college players to capitalize on their current window of talent.

May 21 2024; Hoover, AL, USA; South Carolina hitter Ethan Petry celebrates his solo homer in the third inning agains Alabama at the Hoover Met on the opening day of the SEC Tournament. The Gamecocks hit three homers in the inning including a grand slam. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Baltimore Orioles are no longer picking at the top of the first round, but they could still end up with a haul in the 2025 MLB draft.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter recently released his first mock draft since the start of spring training, and it saw the Orioles making three selections thanks to the compensatory picks at the end of the first round.

With the roster's current makeup, opting for college players that can be ready quickly seems like it could be a smart move. That is exactly the future that Reuter imagined in this mock, with two of the three picks being collegiate stars.

The first of the three draft picks, the one non-compensatory, was South Carolina Gamecocks outfielder Ethan Petry at No. 19 overall.

Petry is a power-hitter that has hit at least 20 home runs in each of his collegiate seasons and has had an otherworldy start to his junior season.

Through 14 games, he has posted a .420/.532/.830 slash line with four home runs and 15 RBI. He has also drawn eight walks and only struck out eight times.

He is actually slightly behind pace for that 20 home run mark this year, but that has been supplemented by his ability to reach base at an even higher level.

If he can continue playing even close to this level in SEC play, he will be taken well before No. 19.

The first of the back-to-back Compensation Picks was Alabama Crimson Tide righty Riley Quick at No. 30 overall.

Quick had his sophomore season cut short by an elbow injury after just three innings of work. Hype was high after a solid freshman campaign, but he didn't get the chance to capitalize on it.

The 20-year-old is finally healthy again and dominating the competition with the Crimson Tide.

Over his first three starts, he has a 1.64 ERA, 0.909 WHIP and an elite 10.6 K/9. He is a strikeout machine and has only walked two batters in 11 innings so far this season.

At No. 31 overall, Baltimore opted for their first high school player. It was third baseman Gavin Fien out of Great Oaks High School in California.

Fien is a well-rounded athlete that has a fast swing. His MLB scouting report mentions hopes that he will be able to develop some power with his swing. Defensively, he has a strong arm and could end up at any of the four corner spots in the field.