MLB Draft results 2015: Orioles draft RHP Jonathan Hughes with #68 overall pick

With the 68th overall pick in the 2015 draft, the Orioles grabbed right-handed pitcher Jonathan Hughes from Flowery Branch High School in Georgia.

After taking a college outfielder with their first pick, and a high school shortstop who MLB Network's crew seemed to think would be destined for the outfield, the Orioles went in a different direction with their second round pick, grabbing a pitcher. Hughes is listed at 6'2", 184 lbs., and is currently committed to Georgia Tech.

Hughes was also ranked lower than you might expect for a player being drafted at #68. The Baseball America 500 had him as low as 255th. He wasn't on the top 125 as listed by Baseball America, although Fangraphs had him ranked at #137.

The slot value for this pick is $907,000.

This is the second consecutive pick that was, on its face, a bit of a head-scratcher for reaching for players. Are they planning to go over-slot later on in the draft, or will one of their existing players prove to be an unexpected over-slot signing? We will find out.

The last five players the O's have drafted in the second round are Chance Sisco, Branden Kline, Jason Esposito, Mychal Givens, and Xavier Avery. That stretches back to 2008, since the O's forfeited second round picks in 2014 and 2010. They also had no second round pick in 2007.

Safe to say that the O's have not had success hitting in this round in recent years, although there's still some hope that Givens, converted to pitching, could find himself into the big league bullpen. Of course, in ancient draft history, the greatest player the Orioles have ever drafted happened to come in the second round: Cal Ripken.

This is the last pick of the night for the O's. The second day of the draft will run through rounds 3-10, starting at 1pm tomorrow.