Matt

Hobgood

He’s expected to miss the entire season. The No. 5 overall pick in 2009, Hobgood struggled terribly at Single-A Aberdeen last season, posting a 10.46 ERA, 2.40 WHIP and 13/23 K/BB ratio in 26 2/3 innings. He’ll be hoping to come back healthy in 2013.

The former fifth overall pick, Hobgood hasn’t pitched since appearing in eight games with the Orioles’ Low-A affiliate in 2011. Now a full year removed from rotator cuff surgery, he should be on track to resume his career in Baltimore’s minor league system, and is confident that he’ll be able return for the start of the 2013 season.

Hobgood, the No. 5 overall pick in 2009, didn’t pitch at all last season due to rotator cuff surgery. The Orioles are hopeful that he’ll get his velocity back quicker as a reliever. He’s expected to begin the year with Single-A Delmarva.

The O’s first round selection from the 2009 draft, Hobgood pitched out of the bullpen at Class-A Delmarva and High-A Frederic in 2013 while recovering from rotator cuff surgery. He’s expected to begin the season at Double-A Bowie.

Hobgood, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound righty, bares a little too much of a resemblance to Sidney Ponson for comfort. He’s not as hard of a thrower as his build suggests, as he tops out at 92 mph, but he does have an excellent curveball. He’ll have to come up with a changeup over the next few years.

He’s likely to get a bonus in the $2.5 million range provided everything checks out in the physical.

Hobgood was selected fourth overall in June’s first-year player draft. He landed a $2.42 million signing bonus and will report to rookie ball in Bluefield, West Virginia on Sunday. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound right-hander boasts an excellent curveball and a fastball that frequently hits 92 mph.

While a lot of high school pitchers taken in the first round begin the following year in extended spring training, Hobgood, the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft, was sent right to full-season ball. He has a 2.70 ERA and a 14/6 K/BB ratio in 16 2/3 innings.

Hobgood went 7-3 with a 3.71 ERA in 24 appearances (one start) at the Low-A Delmarva to earn the promotion. He missed all of 2012 due to rotator cuff surgery and has pitched primarily as a reliever this season.

However, they won’t know for sure until they learn the results of an MRI. Hobgood, 20, has been rehabbing a strained rotator cuff this offseason. The former 2009 first-round pick had a 4.40 ERA over 21 starts with Single-A Delmarva last season, averaging 5.6 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9. The right-hander was recently ranked as the organization’s No. 15 prospect by Baseball America.