After drafting four college bats with their first four picks in the truncated 2020 MLB Draft, the Orioles went high school with their final two. It was Florida (Stoneman Douglas HS) 3B Coby Mayo in Round 4, and Iowa RHP Carter Baumler in Round 5. Baumier was the only pitcher the Birds took this year.
Previous Picks
Here’s MLB pipeline on the hurler:
Baumler boosted his stock late in the showcase cycle, pitching well at the Area Code Games in August and turning in an impressive bullpen workout at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in September. Iowa’s best high school pitching prospect since Mitch Keller, he could be the state’s earliest Draft pick since the Pirates made Keller a second-rounder in 2014. But he only got one disappointing outing in this spring before the coronavirus shutdown, making it unlikely a team will spend enough to lure him away from his Texas Christian commitment.
Baumler has a strong, athletic frame that currently produces 90-94 mph fastballs with riding life and he projects to add more velocity in the future. His curveball lacked consistency early in the summer but improved afterward, showing good depth and leading some evaluators to grade his bender as a future plus offering. He hasn’t used his changeup much but demonstrates some feel for the pitch.
Scouts love Baumler’s clean delivery and arm action, which should allow him to throw strikes and stay healthy. He’s a quality athlete who has flashed some power and speed while playing a variety of positions, including catcher. Though he drew some college football interest after kicking and punting for Dowling Catholic’s (Des Moines) 4-A state championship football team in 2018, he committed to play baseball only at TCU.
That wraps up the shortened 2020 MLB Draft. Here’s to the owners and players coming to an agreement to play some actual baseball here very soon. The Orioles are currently listed with 1000-1 odds to win the World Series at places like Vegas Palms Casino, should it be played this year, but they hope that players like Baumler and the others they’ve drafted here will improve those odds greatly in the coming decade.
