masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles, to say the least, had a pitcher-heavy draft. Of their 38 selections through the 40 rounds, they drafted 27 pitchers.

The Orioles’ first five selections yesterday were pitchers. At one point, the O’s drafted 11 pitchers consecutively in rounds 16 through 26.

“We did want to target the strength of the draft, which was pitching. We were going after as much pitching as we could get,” Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich said tonight.

Yesterday, Rajsich said he was surprised…The Orioles, to say the least, had a pitcher-heavy draft. Of their 38 selections through the 40 rounds, they drafted 27 pitchers.

The Orioles’ first five selections yesterday were pitchers. At one point, the O’s drafted 11 pitchers consecutively in rounds 16 through 26.

“We did want to target the strength of the draft, which was pitching. We were going after as much pitching as we could get,” Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich said tonight.

Yesterday, Rajsich said he was surprised that some players were still available when the O’s selected. Today, there was fewer surprises, he said.

“I thought the board today came off a lot more logical,” he said. “We took a few pitchers early. Then we focused on a couple of position players that we really wanted. Then after that, we went back to pitching. It was more true today.”

The Orioles are clearly intrigued by their 25th-round pick, left-hander Brandon Bonilla from Grand Canyon (Ariz.) University. But he was academically ineligible and didn’t pitch in any games this year.

Bonilla is the son of former Oriole Bobby Bonilla and godson of Barry Bonds.

“Well, he’s got a big arm,” Rajsich said. “He’s left-handed. He’s loose and free and easy, but he does have command problems. He needs some professionalizing. He’s had some academic problems. He was ineligible this spring, so we only saw him in workouts. If he wants to become a pro, I think this was a good place for him to land.

“We’ll see about his signability as we get to talking to him over the next six weeks. He has the potential to have a huge arm, mid-to-upper 90s. Him and (Matthew) Grimes out of today’s draft throw the hardest.”

Rajsich and his staff may look to sign players as fast as they can this year. Short-season Single-A Aberdeen’s season begins next Friday and the O’s would like to send some players there.

It sounds like the O’s are confident they can sign several top 10 round picks and potentially very soon.