The Orioles have selected RHP Hunter Harvey with the 22nd pick in the 2013 MLB Rule 4 Draft.
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Photo Courtesy of MLB.com
Harvey, 18 (12/9/94), is the son of former MLB Closer Bryan Harvey. The Orioles have now selected a pitcher with five of their six first round selections in the past six years. Manny Machado is the lone position player.
I reached out to my good friend Don Olsen, whom was kind enough to provide us with a scouting report on the young righty:
I saw Hunter twice earlier in the year. He has the sloped shoulders, the size, the frame, arm speed that you look for out of a pitcher. Both views saw a solid FB/CB combo. He sat 91-93 (95) mph. The action on the curve went 11/5 and 12/6, showing solid drop on it. There is more in the tank, as he can streamline his mechanics and work downhill consistently, add weight to his frame. His path will greatly depend on the growth of the change, but he should have a solid three pitch mix.
Here are some quotes from Gary Rajsich, Per Roch Kubatko: “Harvey is a future front line starter. He is a tall, lean projectable RHP with a good FB, good CB, and a CHG.”
Harvey is a strong talent, with plenty of room left for growth. He most likely heads to the GCL or Extended if/when he signs, with the NYPL a mild possibility depending on a few factors. The Orioles may take him slow like they did with other high school pitchers such as Dylan Bundy and Matt Hobgood. It is also important to note that he was taken slow over the summer. Overall, we should look forward to watching Harvey pitch for the Orioles and I wish him the best of luck down the road!
Tucker Blair was born and raised in the Baltimore area and currently lives in Elkridge, Maryland. He graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with a B.S in Entrepreneurial Studies and is currently a Project Analyst for a Management Consulting Firm in Federal Hill, Baltimore. Tucker was previously the Managing Editor at Orioles Nation, where he worked on prospect lists, reports, and analysis on the Orioles minor league system. He also previously wrote his personal blog, The EntreprenOriole.