Former Orioles' Farmhand Agrees to Monster Deal

usatsi_21114040

Back in 2012, the Baltimore Orioles probably had no idea they selected one of the best relievers of all time with their 19th round pick.

They took a local Maryland product straight out of Old Mill High School and signed him with a $40,000 signing bonus.

That selection was Josh Hader, one of the most dominant pitchers in the game.

The left-hander started off his career with the Orioles’ Rookie ball affiliate before being moved to their Low Single-A team. In 2013 he was promoted to their Single-A affiliate and appeared in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.

Baltimore then decided to move Hader in a package with L.J. Hoes that same year, to the Houston Astros in exchange for Bud Norris.

But, it wasn’t until 2017 after the Milwaukee Brewers traded for Hader that he would showcase what he could do at the Major League level.

In his second season he became an All-Star, starting a stretch of being selected in four out of five years. He had an ERA of 2.48 and 125 saves with the Brewers, to pair with a ridiculous 169 ERA+ during his six years there.

He spent the past two with the San Diego Padres before hitting free agency.

There was some hope that the Orioles would come full-circle and reunite with their former farmhand and local product, getting him into their bullpen that will be missing Felix Bautista.

However, with Hader looking to become the highest-paid closer in MLB history, surpassing the $102 million deal that Edwin Diaz signed with the New York Mets, those dreams were largely shut down.

When Baltimore signed Craig Kimbrel, the dream officially ended.

Now, the Orioles might have to compete against Hader when it matters most as Jeff Passan of ESPN is reporting that he and American League powerhouse Astros have agreed to a five-year, $95 million contract.

Hader’s free agency did end in a full-circle moment as he went back to a team that had him once before, but it wasn’t to Baltimore, the place that drafted him out of high school and got his professional career started.