CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (Courtesy of UVA Athletics) – The Baltimore Orioles selected Griff O’Ferrall (32nd overall) and Ethan Anderson (61st overall) on Day 1 of the 2024 MLB Draft on Sunday (July 14). It marks the second-straight season that multiple Cavaliers were selected in the first two rounds.
In the 21 seasons under the direction of head coach Brian O’Connor, Virginia has boasted 100 MLB Draft selections.
O’Ferrall was the program’s first winner of the Brooks Wallace Award, annually bestowed on the top shortstop in the country and the recipient of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award. He earned First Team All-ACC honors for the second-straight season and was a Second Team All-American according to the American Baseball Association. As a junior in 2024, O’Ferrall batted .324 (92-for-284) with 64 runs scored, a career-high five home runs, 20 doubles, a triple and a career-best, 52 RBI.
O’Ferrall’s 92 hits were the fourth-most of any hitter in the ACC and he joined Ryan Zimmerman as the only player in program history to put together multiple 90-hit seasons. He compiled the most career hits (270) and runs scored (196) of any three-year player in UVA Baseball history.
Anderson was a First Team All-ACC selection as a junior in 2024 and was one of 16 semifinalists for the Buster Posey Award, annually given to the nation’s top catcher. Anderson started all 63 games, batted .331 (82-for-248) with 67 runs scored, 20 doubles, eight homers and 40 RBI on UVA’s College World Series team. He reached base safely in his final 35 games of the year.
Anderson ranks in the top-10 in program history in doubles (3rd – 58), career homers (28 – T-7th), career runs scored (9th – 173) and career total bases (10th – 373). As a sophomore in 2023 he broke UVA’s single season record with 26 doubles.
The MLB Draft continues with Day 2 (Rounds 3-10) on Monday (July 15) and Day 3 (Rounds 11-20) on Tuesday (July 16). Both rounds will begin at 2 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on each day on MLB.com.
