Orioles Select Prep Star With ‘Massive Raw Power’ in Latest MLB Mock Draft

The offense has been down for the Baltimore Orioles this season and next month’s MLB draft isn’t going to help matters.

Any player the O’s select with the No. 19 overall pick will likely be in the minor leagues to end this season and need at least a year or two to develop. The development timeline is even longer for prep players.

Yes, Jackson Holliday is an exception. He was Baltimore’s first-round (No. 1 overall) pick in 2022 and he made his MLB debut two years later. But he’s the son of All-Star Matt Holliday, so it’s safe to say baseball is in the genes.

Baltimore probably won’t get that lucky. But, if they could land a player with huge potential, that could help them in years to come.

The Potential of Xavier Neyens as an Oriole

ESPN’s first mock draft of this cycle, as written by Kiley McDaniel, has the Orioles taking third baseman Xavier Neyens, who plays baseball at Mount Vernon High School in Washington state.

The Orioles could certainly use pitching, as their Major League staff is a mess due to injuries. A college-prepared starter might be ready in a year or two, if Baltimore drafts the right one. Neyens, meanwhile, is likely to need three or four years to be ready to break into the Majors.

But, as McDaniel wrote, there’s a good reason why he could end up in Baltimore. He has traits they value.

“(The Orioles) tend to lean into Neyens' skill set: massive raw power, solid athleticism and infield fit,” he wrote. “Baltimore has taken a number of players like this over the years and Neyens has an intriguing upside.”

The words “massive raw power” resonates with scouts and that could be one reason why Neyens goes in the first round, as protected.

The Orioles have three selections in the first 40 picks because they received draft pick compensation for losing Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander in free agency. Both turned down qualifying offers from the Orioles and signed contracts of at least $50 million. So, Baltimore is entitled to two picks between first round and Competitive Balance Round A.

There’s a chance the Orioles could trade those picks, but that seems unlikely with less than two months to go before the draft.

At No. 30, McDaniel has Baltimore selecting IMG Academy second baseman Sean Gamble. At No. 31, he has the Orioles taking Oregon center fielder Mason Neville.

The 2025 MLB draft will be held Sunday and Monday, July 13-14, during All-Star Weekend in Atlanta.