Drafted in the 35th round (976th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 1995.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
Background: A native of the Virgin Islands, Pickering moved to Tampa to get drafted, though he wasn't selected until the 35th round in 1995. After skipping over Class A Frederick, Pickering won the Eastern League MVP award in 1998. Strengths: Pickering has huge offensive potential. He hits for average and power, and draws walks. His size and raw strength are intimidating but his bat skills are those of a smaller player. Pickering showed no fear of major league pitching during his debut in September. Weaknesses: Defensively, Pickering's hands and feet are described as plenty good enough to play by Orioles officials, but at 285 pounds he can only be so quick. Should Pickering's diet regress to his former 300-plus pound level, a new set of problems would reemerge. The Future: The obvious comparison for Pickering is Baltimore's beloved former first baseman Boog Powell. The Orioles must decide whether to give Pickering a full shot at the first base job or relegate him to a DH role by re-signing free agent Rafael Palmeiro or acquiring another premium first baseman.
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