Young slugger Heinrich fan of O's Davis
Baltimore's fifth-round Draft pick packs plenty of pop, but has been prone to slumps
BALTIMORE -- The Orioles went big in the fifth round of the 2015 Draft, selecting high school outfielder Jason Heinrich, a slugger who has tantalizing power, but has struggled with consistency.
Heinrich, who turned 19 on Saturday, can make some loud contact, but the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder has gone through slumps and the challenge will be keeping him dialed in. His selection could be compared to another fifth-round success story in O's slugger Chris Davis -- who was drafted by Texas -- and Heinrich took to his Twitter account to post side-by-side photos of himself and Davis, in disbelief that he's in the same organization of a guy he admires.
"Thank you Orioles for making my dream come true!," Heinrich said in a separate tweet. "Can't wait to begin the journey!"
Throwback from nearly 2 years ago. Never thought I would be in the same organization as him. @CrushD19 @Orioles pic.twitter.com/VDWlGgRy7z
- Jason Heinrich (@JasonKnine) June 9, 2015Selected out of River Ridge High School in, New Port Richey, Fla., Heinrich was the 163rd overall pick. The MLB.com Draft experts think a memorable performance at the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., put Heinrich on the Draft map, though turning his raw power into a big league power hitter will be a challenge.
The Central Florida commit showed flashes of it during a rain-soaked senior season in Florida, but not with the consistency he displayed in Jupiter. Heinrich does have the ability to hit for power to all fields and his offensive profile best fits in right field. His arm is good enough to keep him there, as he moves fairly well for his size in the field and on the bases.
His selection continues an offensive-heavy Draft for the Orioles, who used four of their first six picks on position players known for their bats.