The Orioles selected North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt with the No. 22 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, marking the fifth time in six years the club has taken a college player with its top pick under general manager Mike Elias.
Honeycutt, 21, played 177 games in center field throughout his three-year career in Chapel Hill. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound right-handed hitter is known for his power, speed and ability to play center field, but swing-and-miss concerns caused him to fall to late in the first round. In three years, he hit .293/.412/.638 with 65 home runs and 76 steals but struck out 224 times.
Honeycutt saved his best for his junior season this spring, hitting .318/.410/.714 with 28 home runs and 28 steals but striking out 83 times in 255 at-bats.
The Orioles had previously taken Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman, Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad, Sam Houston State outfielder Colton Cowser, Oklahoma high school infielder Jackson Holliday and Vanderbilt outfielder Enrique Bradfield with their top picks under Elias.
The slot value for the No. 22 pick is $3,802,200. The Orioles’ total pool is $10,920,900.
Update: The Orioles selected Virginia shortstop Griff O’Ferrall with the No. 32 overall pick, which the Orioles were given through the Prospect Promotion Incentive when Gunnar Henderson won American League Rookie of the Year last fall. O’Ferrall, 21, played 186 games in three seasons in Charlottesville. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-handed batter hit .344/.408/.443 with 270 hits and just 88 strikeouts as a Cavalier. The slot value for the No. 32 pick is $2,835,400.
The Orioles rounded out the first night of the draft by selecting Virginia catcher Ethan Anderson with the No. 61 overall pick. Anderson, 20, was behind the plate for 24 games in 2024 after playing only first base the year prior. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound left-handed batter hit .341/.441/.560 with 103 walks, 102 strikeouts and 28 home runs in three college seasons. The slot value for the No. 61 pick is $1,418,900.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of UNC Athletics