Hello everybody, and welcome back. Today I thought it would be nice to share my top 20 O’s prospects. This is my opinion, and how I view these prospects, so it is vital to keep that in mind. This is just how I feel about these prospects, and I have opinions that might not line up with other major outlets such as MLB Pipeline.
So with that said, here are a few prospects that didn’t make the cut that deserves to be mentioned.
Carter Baumler, RHP
It hurts to do this, but Baumler just didn’t make my list. The reason is that he hasn’t even pitched yet due to Tommy John Surgery. I still believe he will have a good year in 2022, but this farm system is so talented that I couldn’t fit him into my Top 20.
Samuel Basallo, Catcher
Basallo is similar to Baumler in that he is a talented prospect that hasn’t played enough to make this list. Basallo is a tall, strong catcher who can go deep. He is also only 17 years old and will make his debut in America later this summer. Again he is talented but just enough to make the top 20.
With that out of the way, let’s get into this list.
20. Zac Lowther, LHP
Lowther was up and down from the majors and the minors last year, but his major league time doesn’t tell the whole story of Lowther. He has a solid fastball and curveball mix with a decent change-up. His repertoire didn’t fit well for the versatile bullpen arm/spot starter role, so it put him in a little bit of an awkward spot.
With a plan to use him as a back-end starter/ long reliever type, we will see better days for Lowther.
19. Drew Rom, LHP
Drew Rom is a 21-year-old left-handed pitcher known for his control more than his velocity. While Rom doesn’t have true explosive velocity, he does have enough to get him onto this list. Rom profiles more as a mid-rotation pitcher with great control and command, mid to low 90’s fastball, and an above-average slider and splitter. Rom has surprisingly struck out a decent amount of hitters on his way up the minors. He finished last year at Double-A, so he should be in Triple-A to start 2022. Rom has sort of been slept on a little due to the low velocities, but he has an authentic feel for pitching. That feel and great command were enough to get him onto my top 20.
18. Joseph Ortiz, SS
Ortiz wasn’t really on anybody’s radar going into the 2021 season. The former New Mexico State Aggie broke out big time with his bat last year. While he has always been a great fielder at short, his bat was a question mark because of the inflated offensive environment of New Mexico State’s conference. He did show a lot of offensive potential and showed his offensive profile could complement his fielding, raising his floor from someone like Anthony Servideo. Unfortunately, he tore his left labrum in late June, so he only played a handful of games last year. Ortiz should be back in Double-A again, so here is hoping he can show more offense because he is a spectacle to watch at short.
17. Kevin Smith, LHP
Smith’s profile is similar to Rom’s, as they are both lefties that don’t light up the radar gun, with good enough command and control. The edge to Smith goes to slightly better pure stuff and he is a little further in development than Rom. Smith projects as a mid-rotation starter with a fastball that sits in the low 90’s, and he mixes it up with a good change-up and curveball. Smith throws a lot of strikes and doesn’t walk a lot of batters. However, he can go through some slumps, which showed in Triple-A, because he attacks the zone and doesn’t have overpowering stuff. Smith still profiles as mid-rotation to back-end starter with solid enough stuff to make him capable in the majors.
16. Jahmai Jones, 2B/OF
Jones has been a big talking point due to his impressive start in Triple-A that made Orioles Twitter catch fire. Jones made it to the majors in 2021, where he didn’t do all that well. Jones has a good hit tool with solid power, but his defense was the main thing holding him back. He hasn’t been playing second that long, and it was enough for Jones to stick in Triple-A where he could improve his defense. Jones is a solid prospect, but he doesn’t have that high of a ceiling with his profile, which keeps him lower on this list.
Haskins has a lot of tools at his disposal. He is a great defender in centerfield as he effortlessly glides to make catches. He also has excellent speed and a hit tool. Mix this in with improving power and walk numbers, and you have a prospect with a great floor who projects as an everyday starter in the majors. Haskins has one of the most stable profiles in this system.
14. Yusniel Diaz, OF
Diaz has had a fall from grace ever since the Manny Machado trade. The issue with him is injuries. He seemingly always has some kind of injury that lingers longer than it should that eventually gets him shut down for some time. It was the same story in 2021 and in the Arizona Fall League when injuries again held him back. Diaz does have some solid tools with a plus hit tool and understanding of the strike zone and solid defense in Right Field. He also hasn’t hit for the power scouts once thought he had with the Dodgers ever since he has been with the Orioles. Diaz still has the tools to be a solid player, but he needs to stay healthy to show that he can be counted on for the 2022 season and beyond.
13. Terrin Vavra, 2B
Vavra has one tool that stands out: his hit tool. His strike zone control is one of the best in the farm right now. You have one of the best overall hitting profiles in the Orioles farm when you mix this with great bat control and the ability to put the ball in play. He also has good fielding at second with solid speed and power. Vavra has the same tools as the other infielders I have talked about, but he has accomplished a little but more in his time with the orioles, so Vavra gets the bump up.
12. Mike Baumann, RHP
Baumann was slowed down by injuries in 2021, and the Orioles brought him along very slowly, but he did show enough for him to be a top 12 prospect this year (for me). He has a great Fastball and slider combo with high spin rates that cause a ton of strikeouts. Baumann’s repertoire has caused many to question him as a starter due to the lack of a proper third pitch. However, I think he will be stretched out as a starter and will be given every chance to compete in the rotation this year. Baumann might eventually be a long reliever, but he projects as a starter with his electric fastball and wipeout slider for now.
11. Connor Norby, 2B
Norby is a second-round pick from East Carolina University who has great patience and is a great hit tool. Norby’s calling card is his hit tool, making him one of the best high-floor prospects. He has an advanced understanding of the strike zone, and he has swift hands with a swing he can shorten up. He has good enough tools all over the place with his sneaky power and speed and solid defense at second. Norby is one of the safest players in this farm system.
10. Kyle Stowers, OF
Stowers has one of the prettiest swings in the system. He has a powerful left-handed swing to crush – and elevate – baseballs. Stowers has some strikeout concerns, and he may need to adjust his approach slightly, but he does have good tools in the outfield, and mixed with his vicious swing, he profiles to at least a major league starter with the potential to be above average. Stowers is just fun to watch when he is on.
9. Coby Mayo, 3B
Mayo might be one of the most fun players to watch in the Orioles farm. Mayo has a nasty uppercut swing that, with his great power, he uses to generate some of the highest exit velocities in the system. Mayo also has an absolute cannon of a throwing arm with great footwork and smoothness at third. Mayo has the potential to become one of the best candidates for a true breakout year and has a chance to become a real fan favorite.
8. Kyle Bradish, RHP
Bradish is proving to be one of the most solid pitchers in the Orioles system. To get most of his strikeouts, Bradish combines a nice fastball/curveball mix with a solid slider and change-up to give him a solid base for attacking hitters. While Bradish does tally many strikeouts, he has a high effort delivery that leads to some command issues and home runs allowed. He will need to iron out his delivery a little bit, but he has evolved so much over his time with the Orioles that I feel he can do it. Bradish has a great chance to win a starting job in the rotation this year.
7. Jordan Westburg, SS/3B
Westburg has one of the best pure hit tools in this system, with the ability to accumulate plenty of doubles and a solid number of home runs. Westburg also has the versatility to play third and short as he split time at both last year. While Westburg isn’t speedy, his excellent on-base skills and well above average slugging make up for one of the best hitting profiles in the Orioles minor leagues.
When you take his hitting into account with his versatility, he is one of the surest things in the Orioles system.
Kjerstad has a swing made for hitting long home runs. This is the first thing most scouts mention about Kjerstad, and it is well deserved. Kjerstad just annihilates baseballs with his fast hands and uppercut swing that reminds me of Kyle Schwarber. Of course, Kjerstad missed all of 2021, but he could have been much higher on this list if he had played. Kjerstad also has solid tools with good reaction time and a capable throwing arm in the outfield. Kjerstad will be playing affiliated games this year with the Orioles at one of their minor league levels, and I can’t wait to see how he works out.
5. Colton Cowser, OF
Cowser is such a smooth player to watch. Everything he does just has such fluidity that you can’t take your eyes off of him. Cowser has a great hit tool and a left-handed line-drive swing. He sprays balls all over the field with authority and mixed in with a good enough power stroke, creates one of the best hitting profiles in the Orioles system. Cowser also uses his smooth athleticism in the field as he just glides around the outfield making great catches. Watching him makes baseball fun.
Henderson has one of the best overall profiles in the system. Gunnar is a good pure hitter and has shown a good understanding of the strike zone. His power and vicious swing are the things that set him apart from the other infielders in this system. Henderson loves to go the other way and has shown the ability to put the ball in the air at a good enough rate. He also has a very physical profile, both offensively and defensively. Possesses one of the most aggressive swings in the system along with having the versatility that Westburg has of playing Short and Third. Henderson also has a rocket of a throwing arm so that if he does need to move to third, he can. Gunnar will most likely be in Double AA this year, so there is a chance we see him in the majors for 2023. I can’t wait to see what Henderson does in Bowie this year.
3. DL Hall, LHP
Hall is simply electric. He has some of the best stuff from the left side in the Orioles system and the MLB minors overall. He has a fastball that sits anywhere from 96 to 99 mph and has an extreme bite to it. Hall matches this with a great change-up that has so much fade that it just disappears out of the zone. Hall has also developed a curveball and a slider to make him one of the nastiest pitchers in the minors. Unfortunately he has struggled with injuries and command, but once he gets them under control, there is no doubt he can challenge to be one of the best pitching prospects around.
2. Grayson Rodriguez, RHP
If Hall is electric, then GrayRod is just devastating. I believe Rodriguez is the best pitching prospect in the minors. He has a filthy fastball that can actually get up to around 100 mph but usually sits around 97, and it has some nasty movement to it. His slider is a wipe-out pitch that falls out of the zone so quickly that it is hard for the opposing hitter to lay off. His next offering is his change-up, which has such late movement that when he mixes it with his powerful slider and sinking fastball, it is overwhelming for opposing hitters. He also has an above-average curveball that he can work on pitching mix. Grayson is just dominating and full of gas. His delivery is very smooth, and he releases the pitch at a unique point to get the most out of his 6-5 frame and add more power to his pitches. He is the dominating pitcher that a rotation needs to be built around – a big, intimidating presence that can blow you away with his fastball and slider combo and, combined with his change-up and curveball, is ready to lead a rotation sooner rather than later.
1. Adley Rutschman, Catcher
There wasn’t any doubt who would be number one was there? Adley is the minors’ top prospect, and it isn’t hard to see why. He is a defensive-minded catcher who frames pitches beautifully while blocking and throwing out runners with ease. Add this to a good hitting tool with truly elite power from both sides of the plate with a great approach, and you have the best prospect in the minors. Adley is so talented that he might be the best player on the Orioles right now if he was to start in the majors. Adley is everything you want out of a franchise catcher and is the player the Orioles will build around for the rebuild.
So there you have it. A little bit of a longer piece today, but I had a lot to say about this farm system. The Orioles are truly building something special here, and here’s hoping it continues.
