O’s agree to terms with their 2nd, 4th and 7th round picks

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  Steve Melewski

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  June 29, 2012 3:04 pm

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The Orioles reached contract agreements with three draft picks today, coming to terms with second-round pick Branden Kline, a pitcher from the University of Virginia, along with fourth-rounder first baseman Christian Walker and seventh-round pick pitcher Matt Price. Both Walker and Price played at the University of South Carolina.

Kline, from Thomas Johnson High in Frederick, Md., went 7-3 with a 3.56 ERA this year at UVa, pitching as a starter after being named all-ACC in 2011 as the…The Orioles reached contract agreements with three draft picks today, coming to terms with second-round pick Branden Kline, a pitcher from the University of Virginia, along with fourth-rounder first baseman Christian Walker and seventh-round pick pitcher Matt Price. Both Walker and Price played at the University of South Carolina.

Kline, from Thomas Johnson High in Frederick, Md., went 7-3 with a 3.56 ERA this year at UVa, pitching as a starter after being named all-ACC in 2011 as the Cavaliers’ closer.

Over 93 2/3 innings, he allowed 85 hits with 43 walks and 94 strikeouts to go with a .241 batting average against. He was second-team all-ACC this past season.

The Orioles will try Kline, who was ranked the 87th best prospect in the draft by Baseball America, as a starter.

Click here to see a scouting report on Kline from UVa baseball coach Brian O’Connor.

A right-handed hitting first baseman, Walker hit .321 with 12 doubles, 11 homers and 55 RBIs for a South Carolina team that made the College World Series. Walker had a .450 OBP and .525 slugging percentage.

Price went 5-5 with an ERA of 3.48 for South Carolina in 28 games, including five starts. Over 77 2/3 innings, he gave up 55 hits with 31 walks and 94 strikeouts with a .198 batting average against.

These agreements mean the Orioles have come to terms with eight of their top 10 picks, all except for first-round selection Kevin Gausman, a LSU pitcher, and fifth-round pick Colin Poche, a high school pitcher.

The Orioles have now announced the signings of, or have come to contract agreements with 27 of their 40 selections from this draft.