Right-handed pitcher JT Quinn was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in Competitive Balance Round B of the 2025 MLB Draft with the 69th overall pick. MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 Orioles prospect has had an impressive start in the minor leagues.
Baltimore hadn’t drafted pitchers in the first or second round under president of baseball operations Mike Elias until recently. Left-hander Joseph Dzierwa was chosen with the 58th overall pick in the 2025 draft. Right-hander Jackson Baumeister was taken with the 63rd overall pick in the 2023 draft.
Prior to Baumeister, Dzierwa and Quinn, the Orioles’ last early pick on a pitcher came in 2018 when the club used its top pick on Grayson Rodriguez.
“I didn’t know that after the draft. I’ve had some family and some people tell me that, obviously, but I do think it’s cool,” Quinn said on Glenn Clark Radio June 17. “Other than that I really haven’t focused on that and just trying to be myself and pitch well.”
In the between the 2025 draft and the start of the 2026 season, Baumeister said his biggest focuses were his mechanics and throwing strikes.
“I wanted to really focus on how I bounce from pitch to pitch and still be effective and throw the ball where I want to throw it,” Quinn said. “That was something I really focused on in the offseason.”
The 6-foot-6, 210-pound right-hander has a 3.30 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 20 walks in 57.1 innings pitched (13 appearances, all starts) with High-A Frederick. Quinn throws his fastball in the mid-90s and can occasionally touch 98 mph with an armside run.
“There hasn’t been a whole lot of focus on velocity and stuff,” Quinn said. “It’s just kind of what it is, to an extent. I just think my biggest focus is command and the ability to control the strikes zone, that’s where I find myself having the most success.”
Quinn was drafted out of the University of Georgia, but he spent his first two years of college ball at Ole Miss. As a freshman, he went 3-4 with a 6.83 ERA in 17 games (12 starts). The following year wasn’t much better, with Quinn posting a 1-3 record with an 8.84 ERA in 11 appearances (three starts).
Quinn made big strides after transferring to Georgia. He went 1-1 with a 2.75 ERA in 17 appearances (seven starts). He struck out 49 hitters in 36 innings. He has made the transition to full-time starter in pro ball.
“It’s been fun being able to flush the good outings and the bad … and just focus on the next one,” Quinn said. “I think that’s been really fun for me and something I’ve adjusted to pretty well. I think that’s one of my favorite parts about this year.”
Dzierwa was drafted out of Michigan State. Quinn said that it’s nice to have a pitcher in the organization in a similar position as him, being drafted out of college and learning about pitching in pro ball.
“He’s been kind of my best friend up here, so it’s been fun to be able to work with him,” Quinn added. “I didn’t know him prior to the draft, but we got drafted together.”
When asked how he’s handling his first season, Quinn said that he’s focused on figuring himself out and what works best for him.
“This is kind of my first season starting, so I think that’s kind of where I’m at is just trying to figure out who I am and what I can really stick to, especially going into the next year and later in the season,” the right-hander said. “[I’m] just trying out figure everything out.”
For more from Quinn, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Frederick Keys