The Orioles are picking earlier in the first round of the MLB Draft than they have in years at No. 7 overall. It’s their highest selection since they took Jackson Holliday first overall in 2022. The draft begins Saturday, and after seven straight years of Mike Elias's front office passing on pitchers and prioritizing polished, up-the-middle bats with their top selection, there's little reason to expect a change in approach now.
There's also little debate about the top of this class: Fort Worth Christian (Texas) shortstop Grady Emerson, UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey have separated themselves as the consensus top three prospects, and industry chatter has all three going off the board to the White Sox, Rays and Twins within the first three picks. Barring a shakeup, the Orioles are picking behind that trio, which means the real question is which of the next tier of players falls into their lap at No. 7.
MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis has framed it as a "consensus top six" that includes those three plus UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora and prep shortstop/outfielder duo Jacob Lombard and Eric Booth Jr. "It's mostly college hitters," Callis told BaltimoreBaseball.com's Rich Dubroff of the top of the board, adding that if a player like Lombard or Booth slides all the way to Baltimore, "I think they would strongly consider taking one of those guys."
Recent mock drafts from well-sourced experts have also connected the Orioles to a second tier of names — Georgia Tech's Drew Burress, Kentucky's Tyler Bell and Texas A&M's Chris Hacopian (a Potomac, Maryland, native) among college bats — should Flora, Lombard and Booth all be gone by the time the O's are on the clock. And on 105.7 The Fan on Thursday morning, Steve Bernhardt of the Maryland-based Baseball Factory raised another name to watch: two-way California prep standout Jared Grindlinger.
"There are good major leaguers that come from a variety of different backgrounds and skill sets," Orioles VP of domestic scouting Will Robertson, who will be running the draft for the team for the first time, said recently. "Our player pool is pretty wide."
Here's a closer look at seven realistic candidates for Baltimore at No. 7, plus a quick word on the top three prospects who are likely to be off the board before the Orioles ever get a call in.
The top three (assuredly gone before pick No. 7)
Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (Texas): The Gatorade National Player of the Year, Emerson pairs a smooth left-handed swing with a case to stick at shortstop long-term. He's the odds-on favorite to go first overall to the White Sox.
Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA: A three-year college standout who's been near the top of draft boards all spring, Cholowsky offers a rare blend of hit tool, power and elite shortstop defense. He's projected anywhere from No. 1 to No. 3.
Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech: The latest in Georgia Tech's "Catcher U" lineage (Varitek, Wieters, Bart, Parada), Lackey broke out with a monster junior season and is regarded as the best catching prospect in the class. All three would be dream scenarios for Baltimore if one fell, but the Orioles' actual decision on Saturday is much more likely to come from the following group.
Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
If the Orioles were ever going to break their pitcher-averse streak in the first round, Flora is the name most often mentioned. The consensus top arm in the class, Flora carried a sub-1.20 ERA into July with a fastball that touches triple digits and a physical 6-foot-5 frame teams love to project further development onto.
Strengths: Elite fastball velocity with high spin and extension, a deep arsenal that's improved every year, and a workhorse track record. He went 12-0 as a junior starter.
Weakness: Command and breaking-ball execution can be inconsistent, and his walk rate crept up in 2026. Evaluators say his ceiling depends on whether that command becomes a strength or stays merely average.
Orioles fit: The Orioles aren’t inclined to take a pitcher this early in the draft, but Flora is talented enough that it wouldn't be a bad pick if Baltimore's board says so.
Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (Florida)
The younger brother of Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. and son of Tigers bench coach George Lombard, Jacob Lombard carries some of the loudest tools and highest ceiling of any prep player in the class. Baseball America's Ben Badler has called him a better athlete, defender and runner than Emerson, but scouts are still looking for hit hitting to click.
Strengths: Quick, silky-smooth shortstop with soft hands and excellent body control, and real raw power. He’s the kind of player who could hit 25-plus homers and steal 25-plus bases.
Weakness: He had some swing-and-miss issues against upper-velocity pitching over the summer, and his arm strength grades as just average, with a tendency to airmail throws when he rushes.
Orioles fit: This is where things get interesting for Baltimore. Multiple recent mock drafts have specifically connected the Orioles to Lombard falling to them at seven, and reporting indicates the front office "would love" for him to be there. He fits the bat-first, premium-position blueprint Elias has followed with nearly every first-round pick since 2019, and the O's have shown a willingness to bet on athletic upside with prep talent before (see: Bradfield, Honeycutt).
Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove (Mississippi)
The other prep name repeatedly linked to the Orioles, Booth is one of the most skillful athletes in the entire draft class. A Vanderbilt commit with a father who played running back at Southern Miss, Booth turns 18 right around draft day and posted a jaw-dropping senior season, hitting well over .450 with plus-plus speed that's shown up on national showcase circuits.
Strengths: Explosive bat speed, true speed that plays both on the bases and in center field, and exceptional plate discipline for a high schooler, he posted a 20% walk rate on the summer circuit.
Weakness: His swing is unconventional, with a lower hand-set and a flatter finish that can produce too much groundball and opposite-field contact rather than power shots; his routes and arm strength in center field are still works in progress, though both have improved.
Orioles fit: He offers the kind of premium athleticism and upside that would let Baltimore add a potential dynamic, up-the-middle-type talent to an already deep farm system, continuing the O's recent trend of betting on toolsy outfielders early.
Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky
If Flora, Lombard and Booth are all gone, Bell could be the guy. He’s a switch-hitter who was a Rays second-round pick out of high school before honoring his Kentucky commitment, and has been one of the more consistent college shortstops, posting an .907 OPS as a freshman and following it up with an even better sophomore season.
Strengths: Well-rounded, high-floor. Known for quick hands, fluid actions, he has a chance to stick at shortstop long-term, with average-to-plus arm strength and legitimate pop from both sides of the plate.
Weakness: A non-throwing shoulder injury this spring (that may eventually require surgery) adds a bit of medical risk to the profile.
Orioles fit: FanGraphs' first 2026 mock draft sent Bell to Baltimore at No. 7, comparing him to a Colton Cowser-type pick — a safe, college performer who fits how Elias's front office has drafted college hitters in the past. It's arguably the single most "on brand" pick on this list.
Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
Burress set a Georgia Tech single-season slugging record in 2024 and has kept hitting for power ever since despite a smaller frame. He's a legitimate center-field option with a chance to stay up the middle, giving him a valuable two-way profile as one of the better all-around college outfielders in the class.
Strengths: Power packed into a compact frame, a quality center-field defender with a strong track record (an Orioles-friendly trait given how the O's have valued outfield defense recently), and a plus throwing arm. He set a Yellow Jackets record with 10 outfield assists in a single season.
Weakness: As a 5-foot-9 right-handed bat, there are questions about how his slighter frame will hold up physically, and some evaluators wonder if he ultimately profiles better as a power-over-hit corner outfielder than a true center fielder long-term.
Orioles fit: Prospects take time to develop, but the Orioles need outfielders now, and likely will be in the future. Burress would continue the organization's recent habit of prioritizing premium defensive value in the outfield.
Jared Grindlinger, LHP/OF, Huntington Beach (California)
One of the more fascinating names in this class, Grindlinger reclassified from the 2027 draft into 2026 and won't turn 18 until after draft day, making him one of the youngest players available. A true two-way talent, he's shown a fastball up to 96 mph from the left side to go with a smooth, advanced left-handed swing — evaluators are split on whether his future is on the mound or at the plate.
Strengths: Elite bat-to-ball skills with a mature, disciplined approach that scouts say is well beyond his years, a projectable 6-foot-3 frame with plenty of physical development still to come, and a fastball that already touches the mid-90s with two developing secondary pitches.
Weakness: He's extremely young and unpolished relative to older prep and college prospects, which adds risk; he's a below-average runner who likely profiles to a corner outfield spot rather than center field, and neither his hitting nor pitching carrying tool is fully formed yet given how little he's focused on one discipline.
Orioles fit: Grindlinger has mostly been connected to picks in the 11-19 range in recent mock drafts, so Baltimore landing him at seven would represent a bit of a reach, but his blend of upside, makeup and premium two-way tools is exactly the type of bet a scouting department looking to add ceiling to a deep system might consider if the board breaks unexpectedly in his favor.
Chris Hacopian, SS/2B, Texas A&M
A Potomac, Maryland, native who starred at the University of Maryland before transferring to Texas A&M for his junior year, Hacopian has some local flavor to his story and has quietly become one of the most well-rounded college bats in the draft. He's a career .347 hitter across stops at both schools with elite underlying contact data.
Strengths: Outstanding bat-to-ball skills with a low chase rate and excellent in-zone contact, a swing that hammers velocity from both fastballs and secondaries, and a track record of performing at every level, including a strong debut SEC season.
Weakness: His power currently plays more to the pull side on the ground than in the air, and he's likely limited to second or third base long-term rather than staying at shortstop.
Orioles fit: Beyond the on-field profile, there's a hometown angle here. Hacopian grew up in Potomac and starred at Maryland before transferring to the SEC, giving him local ties that would make him a feel-good story for the fan base. On the field, his hit-tool-over-power offensive profile lines up well with how the front office has recently drafted college bats, and multiple 2026 mocks have him going in the Orioles' general range and in the first 10-15 picks.
The bottom line
Grady Emerson, Roch Cholowsky and Vahn Lackey are almost certainly off the board before Baltimore picks.
From there, who the O’s choose will also have a lot to do with who the teams picking ahead of them decide to pick.
Jackson Flora, Jacob Lombard and Eric Booth Jr. form the next tier and if all three of those slide past the Orioles, expect a college bat like Tyler Bell, Drew Burress or hometown product Chris Hacopian, or a high-upside two-way talent like Jared Grindlinger, to be in the mix. Our bet is on Bell, but Hacopian would be a nice story.