Dan Connolly

Draft update: Blohm will become a Terp; Palmeiro unsigned as deadline looms

By Dan Connolly

Posted on July 14, 2016

With one day left in the signing period for most amateur draft picks, the Orioles have signed or reached agreement with 32 of their 41 selections from the 2016 first-year-player draft, according to scouting director Gary Rajsich.

Among those the club will not be signing is 17th round pick Tyler Blohm, a left-handed pitcher from Baltimore-area baseball powerhouse Archbishop Spalding. Blohm will honor his scholarship to the University of Maryland, Rajsich said.

The club’s highest unsigned pick is also the one with the most recognizable name around here: North Carolina State University first baseman Preston Palmeiro, the son of Orioles great Rafael Palmeiro.

Rajsich said the club has been in negotiations with the Palmeiro family, and is waiting for a final decision. The Orioles have until 5 p.m. Friday to agree with most of their draft picks or they’ll lose rights to those players.

Another Orioles’ selection with a famous last name is in a slightly different category. The Orioles have not yet agreed to a deal with 13th-round, left-hander Brandon Bonilla out of Hawaii Pacific University. The son of former Oriole outfielder Bobby Bonilla, Brandon Bonilla was a fifth-year senior, so he is not subject to Friday’s deadline. The club has until the start of next year’s draft to agree with Bonilla.