Eric Booth Jr. was taken seventh overall by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft on July 11, a selection that is expected to send the Vanderbilt recruit straight into professional baseball rather than onto a college field.
For Booth, the pick answered the question that had hovered over his next step since he committed to Vanderbilt in December 2024. He is from Bassfield, Mississippi, and had been viewed as one of the draft’s premium talents, ranked No. 4 in the 2026 class by Perfect Game and No. 6 on MLB Pipeline’s draft board.
The significance for Baltimore was plain as soon as the Orioles made the call. Booth’s spot at No. 7 overall matched the kind of early selection that usually comes with enough slot value to push a player toward signing, and that is why his expected path now runs to a contract rather than to Vanderbilt.
That outcome also fits the way the draft picture had been building. Booth had long been considered unlikely to reach campus as an early first-round pick, even with Vanderbilt holding his commitment, because his profile was strong enough to draw pro attention well before July 11.
Vanderbilt will move on without him, and it already had other outfield options after Rustan Rigdon returned and became the starting center fielder in the second half of 2026, while Bud Coombs, Hunter Ray and Niko Brini were added through transfers. The Orioles have also shown a willingness to dip into Vanderbilt territory before, having drafted Slater de Brun in the 2025 MLB Draft.
What remains unanswered is the exact price of Booth’s leap to pro ball. The Orioles have not specified his signing bonus or contract terms, but a No. 7 overall pick is the kind of selection that is built to close quickly and move a player from draft day to the start of a career.
