When the Orioles’ 2019 draft class, headlined by first overall pick and top prospect Adley Rutschman, was assembled a year ago, the expectation was that the organization would quickly get on with the business of transforming the farm system and its future.
The draft class did nothing to dissuade that with its rookie-ball success last summer. Team officials also say the priority prospects haven’t been deterred this year by losing the pivotal first full professional season to get acclimated to seven straight months of daily baseball.
Even so, Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said that is “definitely not ideal” for the players to miss time due to the coronavirus pandemic while also dealing with the uncertainty about any minor league baseball happening this season.