BALTIMORE -- Last Saturday, with the MLB Draft nine days away, key members of the Orioles' scouting operation huddled in Sarasota, Fla. The next day, they did the same in Atlanta. Earlier this month, they created a temporary hub in Los Angeles, and another in Dallas.

The draw in each place? Draft-eligible amateurs looking to make an impression on an organization eager to maximize its output in next week's Draft. Add in a showcase at Camden Yards set for later this week, and the Orioles will have held five area workouts by the time they choose first Monday night, all with an eye toward that goal.

Consider it an indicator of the priority the Orioles' new front office has placed on this year’s Draft, which could be the club’s most important in recent memory. It also stands as an element new executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias has brought over from the Astros, which he helped build into contenders as their head of amateur scouting from 2012-18.

“It’s a new thing for the Orioles, something we’re doing here for the first time,” Elias told MLB.com. “I think it was a huge part of our success in Houston, so we want to replicate that here going forward.”

Only prospects whose seasons are over can attend, meaning none of the candidates to go first overall have been involved. Instead, the workouts, which Elias said consist of about 20 players each, provide chances to gather intel on large groups of players at once that could prove useful in the later rounds. Elias said they helped the Astros target several future big leaguers during his tenure in Houston, including current A’s centerfielder Ramon Laureano, rookie reliever Dean Deetz and others.

“We had a lot of success with the junior college players specifically, and a big part of that was being aggressive and getting them to our workouts,” Elias said. “The attendance ranges the entire spectrum of the Draft quality, all the way from somebody we might be looking at for our No. 42 pick, a high school player, or it might be some obscure young college player who is from some weird school really far away from everybody, that the area scout just really wants someone else to see. We get that kid to drive to a workout, and we have our crosschecks, our decision-makers see someone really far down the Draft we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to see.”

With those efforts now nearly complete, all the members of the Orioles’ scouting staff will relocate to Baltimore by Saturday to finish final Draft preparations. The various regional groups will then help Elias and assistant GM Sig Mejdal put together the final Draft board.

As for the No. 1 pick, that decision has yet to be made.

“Even when you’re picking 1-1, it typically comes down to the wire,” Elias said. “There is a lot of information that comes in late, and you kinda want to hear it all, and there is just no reason to make the decision a week in advance of the pick or even three days in advance of the pick. Even if there are higher probabilities than in others, you don’t necessary walk around having our minds made up until it's time. There is just no reason to do that.”

Davis return up in the air

On the injured list since Saturday with left hip soreness, Chris Davis indicated Wednesday that he planned to return to the active roster when eligible next week. But when asked to confirm that, manager Brandon Hyde was less bullish.

Hyde said he couldn’t comment on any possible timeline for Davis, and that he hadn’t yet considered what effect the first baseman’s return would have on the roster.

“We really haven’t put a plan in place yet, so can’t really comment on that because I’m not really sure, to be honest with you,” Hyde said. “The good news is he’s feeling better today and hopefully stays on that track.”

Davis’ roller-coaster season was on a downswing when he landed on the IL in Colorado. He was in a 4-for-34 skid with 22 strikeouts after hitting .290 with a .952 OPS in 21 games since breaking his historic hitless streak of 62 consecutive plate appearances in mid-April. Davis also dealt with a similar hip injury briefly this spring.

What’s clear is that Davis’ return would complicate things roster-wise for a club that wants to give newly promoted prospect DJ Stewart an extended look in right field, and that can slot Trey Mancini at first in Davis’ absence. They also have white-hot Renato Nunez penciled in for everyday DH duties, and another veteran corner type in Mark Trumbo (knee surgery) currently on a rehab assignment at Double-A Bowie.

“Baseball’s a funny game where things tend to work out, so I don’t want to look too far ahead … we’ll re-evaluate our roster situation when he’s ready,” Hyde said. “But yeah, I’m not there yet.”

Ynoa he can

Gabriel Ynoa is getting another turn through the Orioles' rotation, with the club slotting in the right-hander to start Sunday against the Giants. Ynoa allowed two runs in four innings in a spot start Monday in place of Dan Straily, who followed with four-plus innings out of the bullpen. Hyde said he’d look to piggyback those two again against San Francisco, unless Straily is needed in long relief before then.

Diaz on the mend
Held out of action since April 25 with a left hamstring strain, Yusniel Diaz was activated Wednesday and transferred to Class A Advanced Frederick for rehab. Diaz, the club’s No. 2 prospect and the 83rd best in baseball per MLB Pipeline, was hitting .225 with a .651 OPS in 20 games for Double-A Bowie at the time of his injury.