masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles certainly took a young arm, that at least on the stat sheet, looks far away from the Major Leagues.

Right-hander Adrian Rosario is just 21, from Santiago, Dominican Republic. The O’s took him in today’s Rule 5 draft with the 4th pick and he would have to stay on their 25-man Major League roster all season.

Rosario began last season with Helena of the short-season Pioneer League in June, after I would guess he had pitched in extended spring training for the Brewers. At Helena,…The Orioles certainly took a young arm, that at least on the stat sheet, looks far away from the Major Leagues.

Right-hander Adrian Rosario is just 21, from Santiago, Dominican Republic. The O’s took him in today’s Rule 5 draft with the 4th pick and he would have to stay on their 25-man Major League roster all season.

Rosario began last season with Helena of the short-season Pioneer League in June, after I would guess he had pitched in extended spring training for the Brewers. At Helena, he went 1-0, 1.26 in five games covering 14 1/3 innings with 3 walks and 15 strikeouts. Lefty batters hit just .120 against him.

Later, Rosario moved to Wisconsin of the Midwest League and went 4-0 with 2 saves and a 4.50 ERA. Over 32 innings, all in relief, he fanned 44 with 15 walks and a .230 average against. In that league, right-handed hitters batted just .204 vs. him.

In 46 1/3 innings on the season, between the two levels, Rosario, who goes 6’4″ and 180 pounds, fanned 59 batters.

Here are some notes on the three players the O’s took in the minor league phase of the draft. These players do not go on the O’s big league roster, but right into Baltimore’s minor league system.

2B Dale Mollenhauer, bats left, throws right, 24, taken from the Chicago White Sox
He goes 5’10”, 170. In 101 games last year with Birmingham of the Double-A Southern League he batted .262-1-27 with 17 steals and a .650 OPS. He hit .348 after the All-Star break.

LHP Casey Lambert, 5’11”, 175, 25 years old, taken from the Cubs
He was 1-0, 5.19 in five games over 8 2/3 in the Arizona League for the Cubs and went 1-0, 2.95 in 14 games over 21 1/3 for Daytona of the Class-A Florida State League.

RHP Jacob Rasner, 6’4″, 210, is 24 years old, taken from the White Sox
He went 1-2, 5.79 in 32 2/3 for the Sox’ Winston-Salem team in the Carolina League and went 1-6, 5.02 at Double-A Birmingham in 22 games, 8 starts, over 61 innings.