The Orioles today announced that they have agreed to terms with their first-round selection of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft, RHP GRAYSON RODRIGUEZ, from Central Heights (TX) High School. Rodriguez was selected with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft.
Rodriguez, 18, was named a 2018 Rawlings-Perfect Game First Team Senior Preseason All-American and to the Texas - All Region First Team. In 2017 as a junior, he helped lead Central Heights (Nacogdoches) to the Texas 3A State title. Rodriguez went 14-1 with a 0.38 ERA and 178 strikeouts and was named the Texas Sports Writer's Association (TSWA) Player of the Year. He was also named a Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American in 2017. As a sophomore, Rodriguez was named a First Team Pitcher on the TSWA All-State Team. Additionally, he was named a Rawlings-Perfect Game High Underclass All-American in 2016.
Rodriguez was ranked as the No. 14 overall pitching prospect and the No. 24 overall Draft prospect in Baseball America's Top 200 Prospects and the No. 22 overall Draft prospect by MLB.com. He becomes the second straight high school pitcher to be selected by the Orioles in the first round of the First-Year Player Draft, joining DL HALL (2017). Eight of the last 10 Orioles first-round selections have been pitchers, including five from the high school ranks.