Baltimore Orioles: Five Biggest Draft Busts
By Ben Palmer
1. Brian Matusz (2008 Draft) – 27-41, 3.87 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 462 K
I specifically remember a time reading a fantasy baseball magazine in 2010, and in that magazine was listed the top prospects in all of baseball. Number one was Stephen Strasburg, and number two was Brian Matusz.
That’s what Brian Matusz was supposed to be, he was supposed to be a total stud, a can’t-miss ace. Instead, what the Orioles got was a mediocre (at best) starter and a replacement-level reliever.
Matusz was drafted with the fourth-overall pick in the 2008 MLB Draft and never saw success as a starter. In the only season in which he started over 30 games (2010), he pitched a 4.30 ERA over 175.2 innings with a record of 10-12.
He saw limited success as a reliever, showing flashes of dominance, but he could rarely keep it consistent over a long stretch of time, and was traded to the Atlanta Braves in February of 2016 (who designated him for assignment shortly after).
He was eventually signed by the Chicago Cubs last year, started one (bad) game for them, and was subsequently designated for assignment. At almost 30-years-old, it doesn’t seem like a career turnaround is in the cards for Matusz, a player who was, at one time, thought to be the next ace for the Baltimore Orioles.
Players drafted later: Buster Posey (#5), Jason Castro (#10), Andrew Cashner (#19), Lance Lynn (#39)