Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Arm: 60 | Field: 45 | Overall: 40

The Orioles went college heavy early in the 2024 Draft, taking players from that bucket with each of their six picks over the first five rounds. The only high schooler they took in the top 10 rounds was Layton, an athletic infielder from Charlotte Christian High School in North Carolina, selecting him in the sixth round and going more than twice over slot to sign him away from his commitment to Southern Miss for $720,000. He won’t make his official professional debut until 2025, but Layton impressed his new employers with how he looked on the back fields in Florida after signing.

Layton is an athletic switch-hitter with some tools, albeit raw ones. He has shown some ability to make consistent contact from both sides of the plate, using all fields with a gap-to-gap approach and a solid swing. It remains to be seen how much impact he’ll have, though it should be noted he was pretty young for his class, not turning 18 until after the Draft. His athleticism plays on both sides of the ball, with the kind of speed that should make him a base-stealing threat.

Area scouts weren’t convinced that Layton had the chops to stick at shortstop, though the Orioles might give him the chance to, at least at the outset. He does have a plus arm that was up to 93 mph as a prep pitcher, but some evaluators felt he’d be better suited to let his athleticism really shine in center field. 

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	07/30/2024	SS DJ Layton assigned to FCL Orioles.
	07/29/2024	Baltimore Orioles signed SS DJ Layton.
	01/16/2024	SS DJ Layton assigned to College Workout.
	09/29/2023	SS DJ Layton assigned to High School Workout.