The Baltimore Orioles have selected Matt Hobgood with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.Hobgood is out of Norco High School in the state of California. Hobgood is six foot, four inches and weighs 245 pounds. He reminds many scouts across the country of a young Joba Chamberlain. His curveball is very well developed for a high school player.
The Orioles are sitting in fifth place in the American League East at 24-33, good for 10 games out of first place behind the Yankees. In 2008 the Orioles selected left handed pitcher Brian Matusz from the University of San Diego with the fourth overall pick on the board.
Matusz is 4-2 with a 2.16 ERA in 11 starts in 2009 for the Frederick Keys of the Class A Advanced Carolina League. He has thrown almost 67 innings in 2009 racking up 75 strikeouts while holding opponent hitters to a .225 average.
