O's agree to terms with 1st-round pick Hall

Lefty pitcher signs for $3 million, tours Camden Yards

June 30th, 2017

BALTIMORE -- DL Hall's first trip to Camden Yards was a memorable one.
Hall, accompanied by a large group of friends and family, donned the Orioles uniform on Friday night as Baltimore's top Draft pick was officially unveiled as he inked his first pro contract.
"It's an awesome experience for me and my family," said Hall, who turned down a scholarship to Florida State University to sign with the Orioles for $3 million.
"Everything I've seen so far [of Camden Yards], it's amazing to me. This is definitely one [ballpark] that has a lot to offer."
Orioles Draft Tracker
The O's are hoping Hall will have a lot to offer the big league club down the road. Selected No. 21 overall, the 18-year-old lefty was just the third high school pitcher to come off the Draft board. Hall was considered a value pick when Baltimore took him, with several outlets predicting he'd go even higher.
"I'd have to say evaluating the three, my staff as a whole would probably rank DL's curveball better than the other two," said Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich, who didn't think any of the top high school arms would be available when Baltimore got its turn. "His fastball was on par with the other two [high schoolers picked before him] and his makeup and mound presence, his poise, are right there with those guys."

Hall proved himself one of the best amateur pitchers in the country at Valdosta High School in Georgia, where he was named to several All-American teams over four years.
He ranked No. 14 on MLBPipeline.com's pre-Draft Top 200 thanks to a fluid delivery, a fastball that touches 95 mph and a curve evaluators love for its high spin rate. He became the first high school pitcher taken by the Orioles in the first round since Hunter Harvey in 2013.
Next up for Hall will be to report to the Orioles' Gulf Coast League affiliate and start to get back into shape. His last competitive outing was about two months ago in the second round of the state playoffs.
"I've been throwing since then," Hall said, "but I'm excited to get back on the mound and compete."