2 players with Henrico connections selected in Major League Baseball Draft

Two players with Henrico ties were selected in the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft this week.

The Baltimore Orioles made Griff O’Ferrall – the starting shortstop for the University of Virginia and a former Glen Allen Youth Athletic Association player who graduated from St. Christopher’s School – the 38th player selected in the draft when they took him in the Prospect Promotion Incentive portion of the draft (between the first and second rounds).

O’Ferrall, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound shortstop, was rated as MLB.com’s 38th-best prospect in the draft.

“While O’Ferrall doesn’t have any eye-popping tools, he gets every ounce out of his abilities thanks to plus instincts and makeup,” the website wrote. “He knows who he is as a hitter, with impressive bat-to-ball skills and an ability to work at-bats. He draws walks and gets on base, and while there isn’t a ton of impact or power, he has a very good feel for the barrel. He’s a tick-above-average runner, but is smart on the basepaths and can steal a base.”

Baseball America described O’Ferrall as “the stereotypical, steady college grinder profile who doesn’t boast loud raw tools but does everything well and helps win games.”

O’Ferrall finished his career at UVA with a .345 batting average and .409 on base percentage, both well above average for Division I players.

Cayman Goode, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound pitcher who graduated in May from Freeman High School, was selected in the 12th round by the Atlanta Braves with the 371st overall pick. Goode previously committed to play collegiately for VCU but could forego that commitment to sign a professional contract. (Players who are drafted out of high school but who choose to enroll to play collegiately are ineligible to enter the draft again for three years.)

Scouting service Perfect Game ranked Goode as the third best right-handed high school pitcher in Virginia and 12th overall prospect high school in the state.