BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles have selected right-handed high school pitcher Matt Hobgood with the fifth overall pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft.
Hobgood is a 6-foot-4, 245-pounder from Norco High School in California. A high school senior, Hobgood has a fastball that has been clocked at 95 mph and a very fine curveball.
Hobgood will turn 19 in August.
The Orioles, who haven't had a winning season since 1997, have had a top-five pick in each of the last three seasons. Baltimore chose catcher Matt Wieters in 2007 and last year selected left-handed pitcher Brian Matusz.
Wieters made his big league debut earlier this month and Matusz is one of Baltimore's best pitching prospects.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
