WASHINGTON — While the attention of the Washington sports world was (understandably) elsewhere Monday evening, the first two rounds, plus two supplemental rounds of the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft took place in New York.
Both the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles made a pair of selections, with each team snagging a high school hurler with their top pick.
Nationals
First round, 27th overall: Mason Denaburg — RHP, Merritt Island HS (FL)
Committed to the University of Florida, the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder dealt with some bicep tendinitis early in his senior season. Of course, the Nationals have never shied away from pitchers with injury history in the early rounds, from Lucas Giolito to Erick Fedde. In that sense, Denaburg really fits the mold of what Washington has gone after with its top picks ever since its recent success has taken it out of the top half of the first round — a high-risk, high-reward option.
Second round, 65th overall: Tim Cate — LHP, Connecticut
Another pitcher with both upside and risk, Cate has been UConn’s Friday night starter the last two seasons, but missed some time late this year with forearm tightness. In the “crafty lefty” mold, he stands just 6-feet even and his best pitch is his curveball, which numerous scouting reports tout as perhaps the best in the draft. He tossed 5.1 scoreless innings of relief to (temporarily) save UConn’s season last weekend before the Huskies eventually bowed out to Washington.
Orioles
First round, 11th overall: Grayson Rodriguez — RHP, Central Heights HS (Nacogdoches, TX)
Rodriguez has the classic size (6-foot-5) that scouts love in prep pitchers and sat in the mid-90s, reaching as high as 98 this year, per MLB.com. He helped Nacogdoches to the Texas 3-A state title last spring as a two-way player. Rodriguez is committed to Texas A&M, but with a $4.4 million slot bonus at this pick, one would expect him to sign.
Competitive balance round A, 37th overall: Cayden Grenier — SS, Oregon State
The third Beaver to go off the board Monday night, the junior took a big step forward with the bat this season, slashing .328/.415/.478 with 23 extra-base hits in 58 games this year. But he is a prospect almost entirely because of his glove. O’s fans will have a chance to get a look at Grenier this week as Oregon State hosts Minnesota in a Super Regional in Corvallis this weekend.
