A day after selecting right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman with the fourth overall pick of the 2012 amateur draft, the Orioles were busy adding more pitching to their farm system in rounds 2 through 15. Of the 14 players selected on Tuesday, scouting director Gary Rajsich drafted nine pitchers, including second-round choice Branden Kline, a right-hander from the University of Virginia and a Frederick native. Kline throws a fastball in the low 90s and possesses a hard curveball, and scouts envision him as either a closer or at least a successful arm in the back-end of the bullpen. Two South Carolina teammates were chosen in the first seven rounds as fourth-round first baseman Christian Walker and seventh-round pitcher Matthew Price play for the vaunted Gamecocks program. The draft will conclude on Wednesday with rounds 16 through 40. To this point, the Orioles have selected four left-handed pitchers and six right-handed pitchers, one catcher, one first baseman, two shortstops, and one outfielder. ORIOLES 2012 DRAFT SELECTIONS ROUND PLAYER POS SCHOOL HOMETOWN D.O.B HT WT B T 1 (4) Gausman, Kevin RHP Louisiana State Univ. Centennial, CO 01/06/91 6’4 195 L R 2 (65) Kline, Branden RHP Univ. of Virginia Frederick, MD 09/29/91
