The 2020 MLB draft was destined not to be an ordinary draft as soon as the global pandemic cut off high school and college seasons before they could be finished. The draft became more unpredictable still when MLB cynically decided to limit the draft to five rounds instead of what had been the usual 40.
A lot of what passes for talent on the 2021 Orioles roster arrived by being drafted later than the fifth round. Cedric Mullins was a 13th round pick. John Means was an 11th round pick. Trey Mancini was an eighth round pick. It’s not likely that the Orioles, given 40 rounds, would have found the next Mullins, Means, or Mancini in last year’s draft, but for a team whose only focus is the rebuilding project, it’s a shame they didn’t get to add more lottery tickets to the farm system.