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The Orioles could do what they did last year with a college bat and save some money to spend later on, but I still like the House pick here for now.

The current wisdom is that Baltimore will look to cut a deal here that saves them a substantial amount of money, probably a million or more, after they signed their first pick in 2019, Heston Kjerstad, for $2.5 million below slot. They've been linked to Brady House, but he has no reason to take that kind of haircut here, since he's in every mix from here on down.

Just because the Orioles took catcher Adley Rutschman with the No. 1 overall pick two years ago, don't rule out Davis, who could easily shift to right field to get the most out of his potent bat. Baltimore has heavily scouted the prep shortstops as well and also could follow a similar path to what it did at No. 2 last June, taking a college position player at a discount to shift bonus-pool money to later selections.

Davis may be the best hit/power/performance combination in the draft, and he has a real shot, in baseball's automatic-strike-calling future, to do it at the most valuable position on the field. He's not a very good receiver but can catch the ball well enough to stay at the position. Offensively, Davis has plus-plus raw power with an effective, strength-based swing that has crushed the ACC this year. GM Mike Elias has been in to see House a few times, and the O's are rumored to be high on Mayer as well, with almost no chance they take a pitcher at this pick. Seriously, look at their last two drafts.

If you're wondering if Adley Rutschman means the O's won't take Davis, I don't think it does. Davis has played a little bit of third base in the past (and done so capably), and even rotating the two of them between DH, first base and maybe left field should work to get both bats in the lineup. In the batter's box alone, I think Davis is better than Heston Kjerstad -- whom Baltimore took with the No. 2 overall pick last year as a right fielder.