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2018 Baltimore Orioles First Round Mock Draft Roundup

By Christopher Church

OMAHA, NE - JUNE 26: Third basemen Jonathan India #6 of the Florida Gators hits a two run double against the LSU Tigers in the third inning during game one of the College World Series Championship Series on June 26, 2017 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 26: Third basemen Jonathan India #6 of the Florida Gators hits a two run double against the LSU Tigers in the third inning during game one of the College World Series Championship Series on June 26, 2017 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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We roundup 2018 MLB mock drafts from major sports networks and baseball experts to discover who the Baltimore Orioles may select with the No. 11 overall pick.

Not one of the last seven Baltimore Orioles first-round draft picks is active on a major league roster, with most yet to even appear in an MLB game.

To find an Orioles first-round draft pick that is currently playing a major role on the Orioles roster is the No. 4 overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft, Kevin Gausman.

Last year’s first-round selection D.L. Hall is pitching much better than his rookie reason in the minors as he’s made eight starts for the Delmarva Shorebirds with a 3.38 ERA.

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The following year, in the 2016 MLB draft, the Orioles selected right-handed pitcher Cody Sedlock with the No. 27 overall pick. Currently, Sedlock is 0-2 with an alarming 13.50 ERA in three starts in Single-A.

On the other hand, the last first-round selection to make the MLB All-Star game is current Orioles superstar Manny Machado, who was drafted No. 3 overall in the 2010 MLB draft.

With the 2018 MLB draft set for June 4, we roundup MLB mock drafts 2018 from credible sports networks and publications to discover possible first-round draft targets for the Baltimore Orioles.

Bleacher Report 

Cole Winn, RHP, Orange Lutheran HS (Calif.)

The Baltimore Orioles have selected a top prospect out of high school in four of their last eight first-round draft picks. Right-handed pitcher Cole Winn of Orange Lutheran High School in California looks to be the Orioles fifth high school player selected since 2009.

Winn, 18, carries three premiere pitches which include his commanding fastball, a cutter-like slider and changeup.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report had this to say about the 6-foot-2 pitching prospect:

"The Orioles almost have to go after an arm with their first selection given the overwhelming lack of pitching talent throughout the organization. Winn has had an excellent spring and offers a healthy balance of floor and upside."

Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com

Ryan Weathers, LHP, Loretto HS (Tenn.)

Top pitching prospect Ryan Weathers is coming off an exceptional senior season at Loretto High School after being named Gatorade Tennessee Player of the Year. With that being said, Weathers heads into the 2018 MLB draft as the top high school lefty pitching prospect.

According to PerfectGame.org, Weathers’ fastball velocity reached 95 mph in June 2017 and consistently hits 93-94 mph. The No. 13 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline also mixes in a curveball and a superior changeup.

The young southpaw’s father, David Weathers, played 19 MLB seasons including a World Series Championship with the 1996 New York Yankees.

Sporting News

Ryan Rolison, LHP, Ole Miss

Andrew Lawrence of Sporting News predicts the Baltimore Orioles to select Mississippi sophomore pitcher, Ryan Rolison. However, Rolison enters the draft with two years of eligibility left.

Lawrence adds that Rolison features an unparalleled curveball:

"A draft-eligible sophomore, Rolison won’t light up radar guns like many of his first-round companions, as his fastball sits in the low-90s. But he features the best curveball in the draft and is comfortable locating it to both sides of the plate, in any count."

FanGraphs

Jonathan India, 3B, Florida

Fangraphs’ 2018 MLB Mock Draft v 2.0 gives us the first prospect that isn’t a pitcher in Florida third baseman Jonathan India.

India was first drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015 but elected to delay his MLB career due to his strong commitment to play college baseball at Florida. Three years later, India enters the 2018 draft as the leading college hitter after hitting .362 with 17 home runs and 42 RBIs in his junior season.

Not only can India hit, but he also owns captivating defense at third base and could become a valuable option for the Orioles at No. 11 as they look to rebuild their infield.

CBS Sports

Shane McClanahan, LHP, South Florida

CBS Sports’ 2018 MLB First Round Mock Draft by Mike Axisa projects the Baltimore Orioles to select South Florida starting left-handed pitcher Shane McClanahan.

McClanahan, 21, was selected by the New York Mets in the 26th round of the 2015 MLB draft, but decided to fulfill his commitment to South Florida.

However, his freshman year (2015) was spent undergoing Tommy John surgery. The southpaw returned during the 2017 college baseball season and posted a 3.20 ERA in 76 innings and 104 strikeouts.

Axis provides his analysis on McClanahan and his compelling pitching arsenal:

"McClanahan has touched 100 mph in the past and his changeup is a knockout pitch, maybe the best offspeed pitch in the draft class. A still developing breaking ball and a fairly stiff delivery are giving some teams pause, but left-handers with this much velocity usually don’t last long on draft day."

Next: 5 Teams Manny Machado Could End Up On

The first two rounds of the 2018 MLB draft begins Monday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET live on MLB Network and MLB.com. The draft finishes up with selections throughout the day on June 5 and June 6.

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