Dominant Middleton pitcher taken in MLB Draft. He wasn’t the only Idahoan selected
The Boston Red Sox selected recent Middleton High graduate Robert Orloski in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft on Tuesday, capping a historic high school career for the right-handed pitcher.
He’s the first player from Middleton ever taken in the MLB Draft. He’s also the first Idaho player drafted straight out of high school in four years.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Orloski said. “Words can’t really describe it, but I’m super happy. The hard work paid off. I’ll keep working and keep getting better and proving myself.”
Orloski said he’s unsure whether he will sign with the Red Sox, a team that scouted him heavily throughout his high school career. Orloski said he was projected as a fourth- to eighth-round pick by his adviser. Boston selected him with the 598th overall selection in the 20th, and final, round.
“It’s all good,” Orloski said. “I’m still kind of waiting. I haven’t received the money I wanted. So we are still waiting to see if I can get that. If not, I’ll go to college.”
Orloski has verbally committed to UT-San Antonio. He has two weeks to negotiate a contract with the Red Sox.
No matter the round, his selection came as little surprise after the 6-foot-2 right-hander dominated Idaho hitters the past two seasons, regularly drawing scouts to Middleton. MLB.com’s scouting report listed his fastball as consistently hitting 88 to 93 mph, but he has reached as high as 96 mph, Middleton coach Bryan Swygart previously told the Idaho Statesman.
Orloski closed his high school career as a two-time All-Idaho Player of the Year. He won the 5A award this season in Middleton’s first year as a 5A program, and he was the 4A player of the year in 2022.
He was also named the all-class Gatorade player of the year, another first for a player from Middleton.
Orloski went 7-1 this spring, posting a 1.38 ERA while striking out 92 and walking 19 in 56 innings. He led the state’s largest classification in strikeouts and innings pitched, and he threw a seven-inning perfect game April 27 against Kuna.
But he also posed a dominant force at the plate, leading the 5A ranks in hits (48), batting average (.480), slugging percentage (.740), runs scored (46) and stolen bases (43), putting together one of the state’s greatest two-way seasons in recent memory.
TWO MORE IDAHO PLAYERS DRAFTED
Orloski wasn’t the only Idahoan taken Tuesday. The Arizona Diamondbacks took former College of Southern Idaho pitcher Casey Anderson in the 11th round, and the Texas Rangers selected current College of Southern Idaho pitcher Josh Trentadue in the 14th round.
Anderson went 5-1 with a 3.39 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 69 innings for Utah Valley this year. Meanwhile, Trentadue was 8-3 with a 2.04 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 66 ⅓ innings for CSI in the spring.
This story was originally published July 11, 2023 at 3:57 PM.
