The Orioles selected 20 players in the 2026 MLB Draft, including 11 pitchers and nine position players. Twelve came from the college ranks and eight from the high school ranks.
MLB Pipeline draft analyst Jim Callis explained that the Orioles haven’t taken many pitchers in the early rounds under president of baseball operations Mike Elias, and that was again the case this year.
“When [Elias] was with the Astros, you look at all the success they had, they took [pitchers] early in the draft, like Forrest Whitley and Brady Aiken, and that didn’t work out,” said Callis on Glenn Clark Radio on July 14. “Most of the best pitchers on their good clubs were either mid-round draft picks, really cheap international signs they did a great job on, and they went out and traded [for] Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke and Gerrit Cole.”
This year, Baltimore selected three outfielders, a shortstop and a right-handed pitcher in the first five rounds.
Oak Grove High OF Eric Booth Jr., Round 1, Pick 7
The 18-year-old outfielder was the Orioles’ first pick in the 2026 draft. Booth Jr. ended his high school career batting .441/.612/.803 at Oak Grove High School in Mississippi, according to MaxPreps. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound outfielder recorded a total of 86 RBIs, 130 hits and 16 home runs in his four seasons at Oak Grove.
Callis said that Booth is not only a “quality athlete, but he’s got aptitude.”
“He’s a Mississippi high school kid so he hasn’t faced the best competition, so he is going to need some polish, but he’s shown hitting ability on the showcase circuit,” Callis added. “It’s a little bit of an unconventional swing, but he makes a lot of contact, he hits the ball hard, he’s got that speed. I think we can safely say 20-homer potential.”
NC State OF Ty Head, Round 2, Pick 46
Head led the Wolfpack in home runs (14) and walks (57) in 2026. The latter mark led the ACC and ranked sixth in the nation. The draft-eligible sophomore batted .279/.447/.466 in his two seasons at NC State with 16 home runs, 100 hits and 76 RBIs.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound center fielder has 20-20 potential, according to Callis.
“He has elite walk rates, elite strikeout rates. It’s a selectively aggressive approach. He controls the zone, attacks strikes, he doesn’t chase, he doesn’t swing and miss,” Callis added. “He has a big leg kick, so the timing of his swing gets off.”
Callis said the Orioles choosing two hitters with bat-to-ball skills with their first two draft picks “was kind of the difference compared to what they’ve done in the past.”
Kansas RHP Dominic Voegele, Round 3, Pick 82
Voegele broke the Jayhawks’ single-season program strikeout record during his 2026 season at Kansas, ending the campaign with 120. He recorded the second-most career strikeouts in Kansas history (289), while his 48 starts are tied for second.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound right-hander was one of four Division I pitchers to nationally throw a nine-inning complete game with at least 15 strikeouts in 2026. Voegele ended his three seasons at Kansas with a 20-11 record and a 5.22 ERA in 274 innings and 48 starts.
“He’s got a low 80s curveball. He’s got a tighter, harder slider, changeup needs some work, but there’s arm strength, there’s feel to spin, he’s athletic,” Callis said. “He’s kind of in that sweet spot size-wise — 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. … I think on the upside, you’re looking like, ‘Hey, we can help this guy and make him a starter, an effective big league starter.'”
Jackson Prep School OF Kevin Roberts Jr., Round 4, Pick 110
Roberts was drafted just two weeks before turning 18. From Jackson Prep School in Mississippi, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound outfielder ended his high school career hitting .371 with 19 home runs, 102 RBIs and 25 doubles, according to Yahoo.
“Kevin Roberts is that kind of classic Orioles, ‘Hey, he’s a great athlete and we don’t know if he can hit’ kind of profile,” Callis said.
Heartland Community College SS Jimmy Anderson, Round 5, Pick 142
Anderson hit .452/.533/.873 with 36 home runs, 151 RBIs and 40 doubles in two years at Heartland Community College in Illinois. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound shortstop recorded 147 putouts with 280 assists and only 22 errors, ending his career at Heartland with a .951 fielding percentage.
“He’s got decent pop. He can run a little bit. He’s kind of an aptitude, gritty, middle infield type,” Callis said.
For more from Callis, watch the full interview here:
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Perfect Game, NC State Baseball, Kansas Athletics, Perfect Game and Charlie Sartoris