Where are They Now?: The 2000 Oriole Draftees

Get out your clothespin and clip tightly onto your nose. Behold the first draft of the new millennium!

Beau Hale – P – University of Texas – 1st Round
Looks like Beau had some injury problems. He reached AA Bowie in 2001 but missed the entire 2003 and 2004 seasons. In 2006 splitting time between Frederick and Bowie, he went 6-6 with a 3.33 ERA and 85 Ks in 116.3 innings.

Tripper Johnson - 3B - Newport High School – 1st Round
Tripper is still playing third for the O’s and has risen as high as AA Bowie. Over 7 minor league seasons, he has hit .265 and OPSed .741.

Richard Bartlett - P - Kamiakin High School – 3rd Round
Rose to A+ Frederick in 2003 and was then selected in the Rule 5 draft by the Dodgers. Last year in AA Jacksonville he went 3-3 with a 4.33 ERA

Tommy Arko - C - Cooper High School – 3rd Round
Only reached A+ Frederick by 2005. Hit .204 with 39 HR over 6 minor league seasons. Out of baseball.

John Skaggs – P - Rice University – 4th Round
Skaggs did not sign with the O’s. Eventually signed with the Yankees and was in AA last year.

Doug Gredvig - 1B – Sacramento City College – 5th Round
Rose as high as Frederick in 2004. Played in the Philadelphia organization in 2005 and played in an independent league in 2006.

Brandon Spillers - P - Tattnall Square Academy – 6th Round
Brandon pitched for Class A Delmarva last year. In 6 seasons in the minors, he is 11-11 with a 4.67 ERA.

BJ Littleton - OF - Lamar University – 7th Round
Reached AAA Ottawa in 2003. Now in A ball for the Phillies.

Jayme Sperrring – P - Rice University – 8th Round
Rose as high as Frederick. Out of baseball.

Mike Russell - C - Bothel High School – 9th Round
Got to Frederick in 2005. Now playing in the Frontier league for Kalamazoo.


Top Ten Draft Pick Stats

Number that are regular contributors for the Orioles: 0
Number still in the organization: 3
Number traded for regular contributors: 0
Number out of baseball: 2
Diamonds in the rough: 1

Wrapup

Wow. This is one of the worst drafts I’ve ever seen. The diamond in the rough is Kurt Birkins, the 33rd round draft pick who went 5-2 with a 4.94 ERA out of the bullpen for Baltimore. He is by far the best pick for the O’s in the 2000 draft. Thanks Syd Thrift. If you want to get really disgusted, go look at all the players who were selected in the 2000 draft by competent teams.