SEATTLE — In the Orioles’ first draft during their rebuild, they selected a college catcher and a high school shortstop, hoping the pair would grow up to lead Baltimore baseball back to relevance.

Five years later, the duo will achieve just that, taking the field together to start the MLB All-Star Game.

Orioles stars Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, whom Baltimore picked with the first and 42nd picks in the 2019 draft, won the fan voting at their respective positions, MLB announced Wednesday evening, and will start for the American League at the Midsummer Classic on July 16. To start at shortstop, Henderson beat out Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr., the No. 2 pick in the same draft, while Rutschman topped Royals backstop Salvador Perez to start behind the plate at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

“It’s really cool to be able to do that, both get our first starts in the same year,” Henderson said before the Orioles’ game against the Mariners on Wednesday. “It’s really special to me because he was my first roommate when I got into pro ball. We’ve had our relationship become best friends throughout our time together from the minors to the big leagues.”

At 23 years old, Henderson has emerged as one of the best players in baseball to earn his first All-Star Game nod. His 6.2 wins above replacement by Baseball-Reference’s estimation ranks second in MLB behind New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. Rutschman Orioles stars Adley Rutschman, center, and Gunnar Henderson, right, shown receiving their Silver Slugger Awards next to manager Brandon Hyde on March 30, will start for the American League in the MLB All-Star Game on July 16 in Arlington, Texas. Mitchell Layton/Getty