Baltimore Orioles Top 50 Prospects
Baltimore Orioles top 50 prospects
Last Updated: 9/15/19
The Baltimore Orioles are under new management, and they have already seen a significant overhaul within their development system – and they’re doing even more this offseason. The top teams are consistently innovating in their development, which is how a team like Baltimore went from a playoff contender to bottom of the barrel so quickly – sticking to old, long-passed adages. Now with a new regime, hopefully, this list will begin to take shape with even more depth and talent throughout!
Preface: each list is done at the time of the update, and each list is fluid, so players could be adjusted at any time.
1. Adley Rutschman
Age: 21 (2/6/1998)
Position: Catcher
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2021
Rutschman was the top overall selection in the 2019 draft, and there were some Baltimore Orioles fans who were scared off by the memory of Matt Wieters and did not want to select a catcher overall. Rutschman simply isn’t like a typical catcher prospect, though. He’s a legit top 10-20 prospect in the entire game already with his impressive ability both at the plate and behind the dish.
2. Grayson Rodriguez
Age: 19 (11/16/1999)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
Every spring a few prep arms shoot up draft boards, going from highly regarded “risk” picks at the fringe of the first round or into the second round and instead find themselves firmly in the mix in the front half of the first round. Often those pitchers turn out to be a flash in the pan, but Grayson is showing already exactly the payout when that type of arm turns out to be everything advertised and more. If he progresses as much in 2020 as he did in 2019, he very well could be among the top 5-10 arms and the top 25-30 overall prospects in the entire game.
3. DL Hall
Age: 20 (9/19/1998)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2021
Arguably the top prep lefty in the 2017 draft, the Orioles were delighted to grab Hall with the 21st overall selection. He came to the club with an above-average fastball and a curveball that would draw ratings as high as double plus. He stepped up to more difficult competition in the Carolina League and fought through some injury and control issues in 2019, but he still was incredibly impressive when healthy, posting a 33.5% strikeout rate.
4. Ryan Mountcastle
Age: 22 (2/18/1997)
Position: 1B/3B/OF
Current level: AAA
Projected arrival: 2020
Mountcastle has long been the top dog in the Orioles kennel, and his star hasn’t fallen off, though he’s clarified his positional home, spending the majority of his time at first base in 2019. Mountcastle arguably had his most impressive offensive showing at AAA as well, giving him a good chance to open the 2020 season in the Baltimore lineup.
5. Yusniel Diaz
Age: 22 (10/7/1996)
Position: Outfield
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2020
The expected jewel of the deal that sent away franchise icon Manny Machado, Diaz hasn’t been quite as expected in his time with the Orioles thus far. After struggling in his time after the trade in 2018, he faced injuries in 2019 that kept him from full health for much of the year. Diaz had hit his stride finally in July, posting a .299/.353/.514 slash for the month, before an injury knocked him out until the very end of August. He’ll likely open in AAA in 2020, but don’t be surprised if he is able to push to the majors quickly once healthy and able to show his high OBP/solid power combination.
6. Austin Hays
Age: 24 (7/3/1995)
Position: Outfield
Current level: MLB
Projected arrival: already arrived
After rocketing through the Orioles minor league system in his first full season after being a 3rd round Jacksonville in 2016, Hays struggled in a 20-game major league audition in 2017. Injuries and significant struggles with plate discipline plagued Hays in 2018, so many had their eyes on Hays to see which version was real. It turns out the truth is somewhere in the middle. Hays is athletically gifted offensively and defensively, and his bat to ball ability will allow him to succeed in the high minors, but he truly struggles with his plate discipline, with a 4.3% walk rate in his time at Triple-A in 2019. His legit plus power and above-average speed should allow him to compete for a big-league job in 2020, but his long-term future will hinge on his eye at the plate.
7. Gunnar Henderson
Age: 18 (6/29/2001)
Position: Shortstop
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2022
A fringe first-round talent coming into the 2019 prep season, Henderson began getting a lot of helium as the spring went on, with his price tag going up as his helium did. That higher price tag allowed him to fall into the lap of the Orioles as the first pick of the second round of the draft, and combining with Rutschman could give the Orioles two huge pieces of their long-term future. Henderson is a guy who really is a sum-of-his-parts guy as nothing really flashes double plus, but you could argue for a future plus grade on at least four of his five tools, and if you consider a move to third base in his future, the fifth becomes more likely to grade plus as well. Henderson is a natural athlete, averaging a double/double in high school in basketball, and his athleticism has allowed him to adjust and pick up pro instruction quickly.
8. Zac Lowther
Age: 23 (4/30/1996)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: late 2020
Lowther was a monster for Xavier in college, but many felt that his low-90s fastball would not be able to continue to tally strikeouts as a pro. Instead, he’s done exactly that, using a deceptive delivery, tremendous extension from his low arm slot, and control that’s been graded as plus in spite of higher walk totals to continue to generate whiffs. Lowther has been a great example of the value of spin rate as he is able to manipulate the spin on his three primary pitches to give him multiple looks on the same pitch, never letting a hitter get comfortable in the box. While a fastball that sits 88-91 and typically tops out around 93-94 will not likely portend a future #1 starter, Lowther could have a career as a very successful #2/#3 starter from the left side with his ability to manipulate the ball and set up hitters.
9. Keegan Akin
Age: 24 (4/1/1995)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AAA
Projected arrival: 2020
The year before Lowther was selected, Akin was drafted out of Western Michigan with an almost identical resume. He worked in the low-90s with his fastball that he used with a level of deception to generate a high number of collegiate whiffs. The Orioles worked with Akin to calm some of his deception, which allowed him to then see his command and control tick up to fringe plus at the time. The new ball gave Akin significant struggles to open 2019, but he had gotten his control back on track in the second half (one horrible game in his second-to-last start skews his second half by three percentage points on its own). The issues most had with the long ball in AAA seemed to sidestep Akin, however, as he served up 10 long balls in 112 1/3 Triple-A innings after giving up 16 in 137 2/3 innings in Double-A without the new ball the year before. Akin has shown the ability to make adjustments and should get a chance at the Baltimore rotation in 2020.
10. Adam Hall
Age: 20 (5/22/1999)
Position: SS/2B
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
The Orioles raised eyebrows when they gave Hall $1.3 million to sign after drafting him in the second round in 2017, only to then see him play just two games in his pro debut and then struggle in 2018 to open the season. Hall closed out 2018 on a prolonged hot streak, and he kept up his positive work throughout the 2019 season in his first full-season assignment. While he didn’t tally a lot of over-fence power, he did put up 29 extra-base hits and showed some hope for a 10-15 home run bat down the line with plus run, a plus arm, and plus fielding ability up the middle on either side of the keystone.
11. Kyle Stowers
Age: 21 (1/2/1998)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Short-Season A
Projected arrival: 2021
Stowers put up monster numbers this past spring for Stanford before the Orioles picked him in the second competitive balance round with the 71st overall pick. Many saw Stowers as a power-only prospect, but he showed very well in the outfield, taking good routes to balls and showing enough make-up speed when he didn’t take the right first step, and his arm is above-average. Add that to power that is legit to all fields, and Stowers has the base of a potential middle of the lineup lefty bat.
12. Ryan McKenna
Age: 22 (2/14/1997)
Position: Outfield
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2021
Most knew that McKenna’s 2018 wasn’t quite his true profile, but he also was someone who deserved much more attention than he had received before that impressive showing. He came back to earth in a hard way in 2019, struggling with contact throughout the year, with only two months even getting above .250, and both were in the .250s. McKenna did flash more power than he had shown previously, however, and he did it against upper minors competition, so there is some level of hope still here in his profile, which also includes a very good defensive profile in the outfield.
13. Cadyn Grenier
Age: 22 (10/31/1996)
Position: SS/2B
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2021
There are few who can be more impressive to watch in the field, with grades of plus on his defense seeming low when you watch him make smooth, easy plays in places few others can reach with effort. Defense was Grenier’s calling card when the Orioles drafted him in 2018 with the 37th overall pick, but the worry has always been whether there’d be enough bat to go along with the glove. He showed a level of pop that few expected in 2019 with 8 home runs as part of 34 extra-base hits in 385 at-bats. He’s a plus runner with more base running skills than base-stealing skills, and if he can show that power to be real, he could be a potential glove-first starter down the line rather than a potential utility bench role that many had pegged for him.
14. Dean Kremer
Age: 23 (1/7/1996)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AAA
Projected arrival: 2020
Kremer was acquired as part of the Manny Machado deal last summer, and he worked his way up three levels in 2019. While he had tremendous success in High-A and Double-A, he ran into a wall in AAA with the new ball. That’s happened to many pitchers and is not a pure knock on a guy, but it does require an adjustment as that is the same ball that Kremer will have to be able to spin in the majors in order to have success. For a guy who has most of his success with a curve that’s a definite plus pitch and a still-developing slider that flashed plus complimenting his moving low-90s fastball, getting that new ball figured out will be vital to his future success, and while he may have the stuff to be further up this list, I’ll stick here until I see success with that MLB ball.
15. Michael Baumann
Age: 24 (9/10/1995)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2020
A big righty drafted from the same school that the Orioles found Austin Hays the previous season, Baumann made it to Double-A in his second full season in 2019 and found more success than he had at High-A. I’m a significant fan of Baumann’s raw stuff, with a fastball that has touched upper-90s in short stints and typically works 93-95, touching 96-97 along with a hard slider that works 88-91. However, he has a number of games where he gets by on those two pitches right now, with an occasional appearance by his fringe-average curve and/or average change. If he can work those other two pitches into his repertoire more consistently, he could be a better threat to be a long-term starter. Baumann’s floor is very high, though, as a potential impact reliever if he is moved to the bullpen full-time.
16. Blaine Knight
Age: 23 (6/28/1996)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2021
As Knight was pitching Arkansas to College World Series championship series, one of the announcers remarked of his being drafted by the Orioles as “unfortunate”, then reeled off previous team history with pitchers from multiple years prior to illustrate his point. This is not that Orioles system, and the work already done with Knight and continued with him as he struggled after being promoted to High-A Frederick following five starts of domination in Low-A was notable and something that will serve him well going forward. Knight, to his credit, continued to take the ball through the season and was noticeably working on adjustments from start to start. There is a lot to like here without a true certain plus offering but a quartet of above-average pitches that could come together as he puts weight onto his rail-thin frame and irons out his mechanics to become a solid mid-rotation option.
17. Moises Ramirez
Age: 17 (2/1/2002)
Position: Third Base
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023+
Call it a hunch, call it trusting a source, call it what you will, but getting to see a bit of video on Ramirez at the Baltimore Orioles Dominican complex this spring as well as reviews from a source in the Dominican leads me to believe that the Orioles’ top 2018/2019 bonus was worth it. He’s filled out into his 6’2″-6’3″ frame already, and he may have to move across the diamond to first base, but he’s got enough arm that he could work well in left field if he can keep up his body along the way. The raw power is impressive, but he struggled to produce it in games in the Dominican Summer League this season. You’ll likely not see him this high elsewhere, but he’s definitely a guy I’ve got an eye on!
18. Zach Watson
Age: 22 (6/25/1997)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
After breaking out his freshman year at LSU, many thought Watson would take off, but instead, he really was the same player essentially all three years of college. There is raw power here, but he’s not tapped into it, and he’s not truly used his 65-70 grade speed to its maximum ability either. While his arm is fringe-average, his defense in center is definitely plus, so the upside here is definitely present, but after not seeing it blossom in 3 years of college, it’s curious to know what button the Orioles will push to turn it on for Watson at the plate.
19. Alex Wells
Age: 22 (2/27/1997)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2021
Others may have other pitchers in the system ahead of Wells, but no matter how you cut the Orioles arm cake, Wells is a premium slice. Without even an average fastball and possessing a curve that swings from below-average to above-average in quality, depending on the day. What doesn’t change are his plus change and potential double-plus control on the mound. More than anything, Wells has a feel on the mound for pitching far beyond his raw pitches. He will likely never be a frontline guy, but his stuff should have bombed out by this point already, so the fact that he put up impressive numbers in the upper minors bodes well for a potential long-term future.
20. Hunter Harvey
Age: 24 (12/9/1994)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: MLB
Projected arrival: Already arrived
The question of what to do with Hunter Harvey has seemingly been answered – by throwing him into the bullpen. Harvey’s inability to stay healthy since being a first-round pick in 2013 has left him often the object of ridicule and scorn among Orioles fans for hope offered on offseason prospect lists that never seems to materialize. After finally getting healthy in 2019, Harvey struggled in the rotation, so a move was made to the bullpen, and he thrived. He’s thrived such that he’s performed well even upon reaching the major leagues, where his fastball is ticking up to the upper 90s and he’s mixing his upper-80s/low-90s split-finger and low-80s curve to leave hitters in his wake. After the years of struggle, hopefully Harvey has found his home.
21. Ofelky Peralta
Age: 22 (4/20/1997)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2021
Once a significant high-bonus pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles all the way back in 2013, Peralta moved quickly to High-A, but seemingly hit a wall there. He had been stuck at that level for multiple seasons before the Orioles bumped him back down to Delmarva to open 2019. Peralta’s hard, heavy mid-90s fastball was impossible for Low-A hitters to handle, and he earned a bump back up to High-A again mid-season. While the ERA looks similar to previous years, there are some things to note. He had much better control numbers, though still very high, knocking off nearly 5% from his worst control season at the level, and he saw hitters pulling the ball less on him. From watching him, and reviewing previous seasons’ video, Peralta mixed his slider and what looked to be a split-change in with his fastball much better this year, which led to a lower overall groundball rate, but it meant hitters weren’t able to go up to the plate ready to pounce, as his nearly 50% pull rate previously in High-A would suggest they were able to do! The 6’5″ Peralta is still a whole lot of legs and arms seemingly going in every direction possible, but he’s worked to at least get his bottom half aligned with the plate consistently. Further work over the offseason and through 2020 could help to finally unleash the incredible potential in this arm.
22. Robert Neustrom
Age: 22 (11/12/1996)
Position: Outfield
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2021
If you were to watch Neustrom in one of Delmarva’s or Frederick’s batting practice sessions this season, you may wonder how he’s this low on the list. Then you see his stats in his first full season in the Baltimore Orioles system including 28 extra-base hits and a solid walk rate and wonder further. The issue with Neustrom is that he really brings little else to the table. He has a big raw power bat that hasn’t exactly translated into over the fence slugging (and produced just a .136 ISO on the year), and he can take a walk, though he paired an 8.5% walk rate with a 20.4% strikeout rate, which is not a bad strikeout rate, but nowhere near his profile. Add in that Neustrom is a future DH in the outfield, and it’s a very high-risk, high-reward slugger profile that could pay off big for the Orioles or he could end up a Quad-A type that fizzles out as org filler.
23. Mason McCoy
Age: 24 (3/31/1995)
Position: SS/2B
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2021
A high-level defender coming out of Iowa with excellent baserunning instincts and high marks for his baseball IQ, McCoy had a very solid season spent primarily at Double-A Bowie in 2019. McCoy is a plus defender at short but has flashed double-plus ability on the other side of the keystone when given time there. He’s really not even an average power profile at his ceiling, but he makes line drive contact to all fields that his quality baserunning instincts allows him to turn into multiple extra-base hits. McCoy is likely a bench player profile, but he’s the type of guy who could have one or two things break right and enjoy a David Eckstein-esque run as a starter for a big-league club.
24. Jean Carlos Encarnacion
Age: 21 (1/17/1998)
Position: Third Base
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
The Braves signed Encarnacion at 18 in the Dominican for just $10K, and he’s shown impressive raw ability since. The issue to worry on is that he seemed to struggle in a repeat year in Low-A in 2019. While the plus raw power and above-average raw run times are impressive, and he has a rocket for an arm, Encarnacion is still very, very raw with all he does, flashing prodigious power one plate appearance and flailing at second-level quality pitching the next time up. In the field, the arm is incredible, but his hands are simply inconsistent, but all-too-often he struggles with third base work, and his plate discipline is not refined enough to allow him to tap into his power enough to move across the infield to first base.
25. Jensen Elliott
Age: 22 (4/8/1997)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2022
Call this one a big hunch. Elliott was a pitcher that impressed me a ton as a freshman at Oklahoma State but then missed most of the next two seasons with Tommy John surgery, returning as a redshirt junior this spring with even better snap on his fastball and extra depth on his slider. He’s still working on command of his three primary pitches, which is typical of a TJS returnee in his first year back from surgery, but the Baltimore Orioles tabbed the 6’6″, 230-pound Elliott in the 19th round this past June, and he came out showing hard, heavy sink on his fastball that he runs up to 96 and sits 91-93. As he gets more feel over the next year, he could turn into a very valuable mid-rotation starter type or develop into a power-sinker reliever, either of which would be a very nice return for the 19th round.
26. Jomar Reyes
Age: 22 (2/20/1997)
Position: Third Base
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2021
After Baltimore Orioles fans have seen Reyes on top prospect lists for half a decade now, he finally made his way to AA in August 2019 – only to promptly get injured in his first game and miss the rest of the season. Reyes is a guy with a very aggressive approach at the plate, but an ability to seemingly make contact with nearly any pitcher he faces. That aggressive approach has left him with a very low walk rate (2.7% in 2019), though his strikeout rate has remained respectable (17.8%). Reyes’ body belies his quick reflexes at third base, but not his lack of range, which will likely require a move across the diamond, making his lack of over-fence power even more glaring. The 2020 season could be a very important one for Reyes.
27. Gray Fenter
Age: 23 (1/25/1996)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
Many guys on the 2019 Delmarva staff received more notice, but none had a better season than Fenter. He tossed 94 1/3 innings with a 1.81 ERA and a 32.3% strikeout rate. Fenter is really still getting his feet under him after 2016 Tommy John surgery to see his fastball run up to 95 with excellent movement alongside a plus curve. He sequences a below-average change and fringe-average slider very well at this level for results, but his control is still lacking, as evidenced by his 11.3% walk rate. The big performance is certainly notable and adds Fenter to the watch list for 2020.
28. Brenan Hanifee
Age: 21 (5/29/1998)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2021
Coming out of high school in Virginia, Hanifee was a multiple-sport star. He’s moved up progressively through the Orioles system with his athleticism allowing him success until this season when he ran into some issues being able to repeat his delivery and control his pitches, issues that had not come up before. Hanifee is not a guy who will blow anyone away with velocity or swing-and-miss breaking stuff, but he consistently generates groundballs, though even that was up significantly in 2019. His margin for error with a low-90s sinker as his dominant pitch is going to be slim, but with his athleticism, Hanifee will get plenty of opportunities to make it work.
29. Cody Sedlock
Age: 24 (6/19/1995)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2020
After an elite year in 2016 with Illinois, Sedlock went in the back of the first round to Baltimore, and he struggled in his first two full seasons, posting a 5.90 ERA over 90 innings in 2017 and then struggling with injury in 2017 and putting up a 5.11 ERA over 37 innings in 2018. In his third attempt at High-A Frederick, Sedlock saw more success, though as a much different pitcher than he was drafted to be. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome rehab and recovery has changed him from a guy with a dominant fastball to pair with a potential plus slider and above-average change. Now, he’s more average to above-average across four pitches, really five pitches the way he utilizes his two-seam and four-seam fastballs as distinct pitches. Sedlock has a delivery that’s still got some worry and his upside is that of a backend starter, but he took a big step in 2019 to potentially making it in that role.
30. Brett Cumberland
Age: 24 (6/25/1995)
Position: Catcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2021
Ironically selected by the Braves with a pick that they acquired from the Baltimore Orioles before the 2016 draft, the Orioles brought in Cumberland as part of the package the Braves paid for Kevin Gausman. The 2019 season was simply not one for Cumberland, which is a shame as he’d made some significant strides and 2018 and was poised to potentially make a move up the team list. Now, with Rutschman on board, there may not be the room for Cumberland as a bat-first backstop backup.
31. Joey Ortiz
Age: 21 (7/14/1998)
Position: Shortstop
Current level: Short-Season A
Projected arrival: 2022
The Baltimore Orioles have a habit of finding an elite college shortstop gloveman in each year’s draft on the first or second day, and Ortiz was their guy in 2019 out of New Mexico State. Ortiz made progressive adjustments from his freshman to sophomore year at the plate, but as a junior exploded with a .422 average and 43 extra-base hits (he had 28 in his first two years combined!) to jump him to the Orioles in the 4th round. Ortiz is still young (one of the youngest true college juniors in the draft) and often can get overly trusting of his raw defensive skills and not pocket a ball that he should. He’ll get his first exposure to full-season ball in 2020 and could really jump up this list if the bat can keep up with the glove.
32. Dillon Tate
Age: 25 (5/1/1994)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: MLB
Projected arrival: Already Arrived
The former overall #4 pick in the 2015 draft, Tate has seen his profile go from a potential top-of-rotation arm to a guy with three fringe-plus offerings that likely is going to settle into a multiple-inning reliever role in the big leagues due to an inability to consistently repeat his delivery. Tate has struggled with injuries throughout his pro career thus far, but if he can put it together for extended time, he could find himself sticking in the big leagues in the bullpen mix.
33. Rylan Bannon
Age: 23 (4/22/1996)
Position: 3B/2B
Current level: AAA
Projected arrival: late 2020
Absolutely a sum-of-parts sort of player over any particular skill being plus, Bannon had a very solid season for Bowie before really hitting well in a 20-game late-year audition in Triple-A. Bannon is best suited for second base but has enough arm and reactions to handle third base. His offensive profile is more average to below-average across the board, but he seems to put together quality plate appearances and seems to define what a “grinder” is on the field.
34. Drew Rom
Age: 19 (12/15/1999)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
A prep lefty from Ohio without a single standout pitch, Rom was a guy that raised a few eyebrows when the Orioles nabbed him in the 4th round in 2018 as he was seen as a guy who would likely have an excellent college career and end up selected as a senior sign if no one ponied up the cash his junior year to keep him from returning to school. Instead, Rom posted impressive numbers over 95 1/3 innings in his first full season at Low-A, posting an 8.2% walk rate and 30.3% strikeout rate along with a 2.93 ERA. Rom still works without a true plus pitch, but he often worked with plus command in 2019, and with two fastballs, a slider, and a change that all grade out as average or better, commanding them all to a plus level from the left side would give him a solid #4 projection.
35. Bruce Zimmermann
Age: 24 (2/9/1995)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AAA
Projected arrival: 2020
The Atlanta Braves drafted Zimmermann in the 5th round of the 2017 draft as a potential money-saving pick, and in spite of his excellent performance, many still viewed him as an unlikely major leaguer due to his relatively low velocity, but he continued to carve up hitters after his trade to the Baltimore Orioles. In 2019, Zimmermann saw tremendous success while spending the entire season in the upper minors. He did struggle with his control in AAA, but he was not hit hard the way too many others were this season with the new ball at the level. Sometimes you have to understand that a guy simply knows how to pitch, and Zimmermann thus far has been that type of guy. The profile is still a back-end starter at best, but from the left side, he has a better shot at that profile with 35 starts in the upper minors at this point of success.
36. Cody Carroll
Age: 26 (10/15/1992)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AAA
Projected arrival: Already Arrived
A big (6’6″) righty from Southern Mississippi that the Yankees grabbed in the 22nd round and moved immediately to the bullpen, Carroll had pushed to AA in his second full season and was pushed to the majors by the Baltimore Orioles after he was acquired as part of the Zack Britton trade. Injuries eliminated most of his 2019, but he’s pitching in the Arizona Fall League, and he could be an important part of the 2020 Orioles bullpen with a three-pitch mix headlined by a fastball that touches triple digits.
37. Kevin Infante
Age: 19 (7/14/2000)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023+
The Baltimore Orioles have finally stepped into the Latin market after years of eschewing one of the most important talent markets in the game. They took a step into one of the expanding Latin markets by signing Infante out of Cuba. Infante had been elite as a youth player with Cuba national teams, signing at 18 with the O’s. He spent his first season primarily in centerfield in the Dominican Summer League, but he has experience playing in the infield as well. Infante has raw power and a frame that could potentially lead to a move to a corner spot, but his bat-to-ball skills were impressive in his debut, and he should get a shot to work stateside in 2020.
38. Stiven Acevedo
Age: 17 (8/2/2002)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023+
After gathering a significant amount of international funds to attempt to bid on a number of players coming over in the offseason, but they missed out on those players, instead using those funds in trades primarily. One player that they chose to use those funds on in April 2019 was long, lean outfielder Stiven Acevedo, a guy who wasn’t heavily covered in Dominican camps but played very well in the practice camps. Acevedo has above-average speed, though his long legs take a step or two to get going. He only knocked out one home run in his debut season, but he hit a lot of balls hard around the field. He’s very raw, but the upside here could be among the highest in the entire system.
39. Luis Sena
Age: 17 (9/16/2001)
Position: Shortstop
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023+
A sharp defender who could be mistaken for being about 10 years old with a baby face and very slight build, Sena changes that view as soon as he takes the field, as his baseball maturity belies his appearance and his years. Sena was able to put up more walks than strikeouts in 2019 in the DSL and though he made 10 errors, reports received suggested scoring could have put roughly half of his errors on his first baseman not collecting a quality throw with a typical short hop that any MLB first baseman picks up every time. Sena wasn’t a top bonus guy, but he’s already shown through early on and is a guy to keep an eye on going forward.
40. Jaylen Ferguson
Age: 22 (7/21/1997)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
When the Baltimore Orioles drafted Ferguson out of high school in 2015 in the 9th round, he was an exceptional athlete that many teams weren’t even sure on if his future was on the mound or at the plate. There are some rumblings now that after 5 years without cracking out of Low-A that Ferguson may be shifted toward the mound, but if it had not been for injury, he would have finally cracked his way to high-A in 2019, as he was performing tremendously well with Delmarva before being hurt, posting a .296/.343/.429 line with 10 extra bases and 8 stolen bases over 24 games. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here, but the positive results in the 2019 season before injury would indicate he’ll likely stick to the outfield for now.
41. Marcos Molina
Age: 24 (3/8/1995)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2021
Injuries have plagued Molina since he signed with the Mets out of the Dominican in 2011. The Baltimore Orioles signed him as a minor league free agent in the offseason, hoping to have him find the premium arm strength that once saw him reaching the upper-90s before Tommy John surgery. He wasn’t quite back to that level, but Molina certainly responded well to Baltimore coaching when healthy, but he ended up on the injured list on July 1st and never made it all the way back from injury, heading back onto the IL less than two weeks after beginning a rehab assignment. Molina may be best served moving to the bullpen at this point to hopefully regain his full velocity and retain health for a full season, but there’s still life in his arm.
42. Jean Carmona
Age: 19 (10/31/1999)
Position: Second Base
Current level: Short-Season A
Projected arrival: 2022
Someday, the Jonathan Schoop trade at the 2018 July trade deadline could be remembered as one of the smartest deals the Orioles have ever made. Arguably one of the top players in the entire American League in 2019 has been Jonathan Villar, and the team also received two prospects in the deal. Carmona was the one who was farthest away, but also the one who could potentially have the highest upside. After a solid 2018 season where Carmona showed himself to be a quality defender throughout the infield with above-average speed and surprising raw power, he was injured and missed much of the 2019 season. He struggled when healthy to show quality plate discipline, though his defense at second base received many rave reviews. Carmona has a very high ceiling still, so he will be one to watch as he likely moves to full-season ball in 2020.
43. Darell Hernaiz
Age: 18 (8/3/2001)
Position: Shortstop
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023
Athletic, but extremely raw, Hernaiz is the type of high school player who typically makes it to college, and with a commitment to Texas Tech, many were surprised that the Baltimore Orioles picked Hernaiz in the 5th round. Hernaiz has the athletic ability to indicate he could develop more power, and he has excellent hands in the infield, but right now, he struggles to access that power in-game, and his arm is likely better suited for second base. This could be a guy who takes time to move his way up through the system, perhaps not playing full-season ball until 2021, but he’s also the type of raw athlete that when he does finally “get it”, he’ll explode up prospect lists and to the major leagues.
44. Josue Cruz
Age: 18 (12/25/2000)
Position: 1B/OF
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023+
The Orioles signed the 6’4″ Cruz from the Dominican Republic with plenty of reputation for the pop in his bat, but they saw none of that in a completely overmatched 2018 season that saw Cruz put up a .394 OPS and strike out 47.4% of the time. He moved to primarily playing first base in 2019, and the bat came together very well, so much so that he was among the top 10 teenagers in fly ball distance in the entire minor leagues in 2019 (minimum 50 fly balls hit). He produced a .253/.363/.494 line with 11 home runs. He also had an impressive 14.2% walk rate, though he still struck out 33.5% of the time. Cruz is a guy to watch closely with impressive raw power, but his defensive limitations and swing and miss definitely leave some questions as well.
45. Luis Ortiz
Age: 23 (9/22/1995)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: MLB
Projected arrival: Already arrived
Once a pitcher that ranked into the top 50 overall in baseball after being a first-round pick by the Rangers out of high school, Ortiz is on his third organization now, and his stuff has significantly backed up at this point to the point where it’s questionable exactly what future he may have in the big leagues, if any. Ortiz still possesses a tremendous power slider that can reach the upper-80s and his split-change has very good life, but his fastball has seemingly lost its life, coming in as a hard, mid- to upper-90s offering with very little movement that hitters tend to tee off on. Worst of all, while the secondaries still have life and the ability to miss bats, Ortiz seems to have lost the ability to locate them, especially his power slider, rendering them nearly useless. He’s still just 23, and the pedigree is high, so he will get plenty of chances, but the move to the bullpen may need to happen even to salvage his long-term future, and without getting a grip on his offspeed stuff, even that may not help.
46. Ryan Wilson
Age: 22 (11/6/1996)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
One of the youngest juniors available in the 2017 draft, many figured Wilson would return to Pepperdine after seeing his soaring stock after 2016 drop with a middling junior year. Instead, he signed with the Orioles after they took him in the 33rd round, and after pitching primarily in relief in 2018, he moved into the rotation in 2019 and found significant success. Wilson’s velocity is still just in the upper-80s, but with a deceptive cross-fire delivery, he makes that work right now at lower levels. He may find himself in more of a swingman role long-term, but a lefty that can pitch innings and get men out will always find work!
47. Lamar Sparks
Age: 20 (9/26/1998)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023
Similar to Jaylen Ferguson, Sparks was an athletic Texas outfielder that the Baltimore Orioles selected in the 5th round of the draft, grabbing Sparks in the 2017 draft. After an impressive showing in his draft season in the GCL, Sparks missed all of 2018 due to injury and was still getting back on his feet in 2019. A centerfielder with double-plus speed and the potential for double-plus defense in center field long-term before his injury, he now is showing more of an average to below-average arm, and whether he’ll get it back fully after his shoulder issues is questionable, which will put more pressure on his bat. Sparks has a tremendous eye and still has blazing speed, so there’s plenty to build on here, but he may be a “late bloomer” due to injury.
48. Nick Vespi
Age: 23 (10/10/1995)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
Selected from Palm Beach Community College in the 18th round of the 2015 draft, Nick Vespi has been a guy to soak up innings for low-level teams the last few years without ever really getting a shot to move up the ladder. In spite of not having a big-time repertoire, there’s a good shot he’ll get a chance to move up in 2020, using deception to compliment his 4-pitch mix led by a mid-80s fastball from the left side.
49. Jake Zebron
Age: 19 (2/4/2000)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023
Drafted out of Maryland high school in the 18th round in 2018 and given an extra kick in his bonus to sign with his local team, Zebron showed plenty to like but also plenty to see needing development in his repeat season in the GCL. Zebron had little experience pitching against top competition before his pro debut, and while he can generate mid-90s with relative ease, consistency in his delivery can be an issue at times, and after showing good location in his pro debut in 2018, he posted a 9% walk rate in 2019, not alarming, but more to the point was his issue with command of his pitches rather than controlling them into the strike zone. Zebron has a heavy fastball that is more in line to miss barrels than to miss bats, but he still has yet to allow a pro home run. Orioles fans should definitely remember his name as a positive offseason and good impressions in spring could lead to Zebron opening in full-season ball.
50. Leonardo Rodriguez
Age: 21 (11/25/1997)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Short-Season A
Projected arrival: 2023
A late signee out of the Dominican, Rodriguez is a huge man, standing 6’7″ tall and filled in to 215 pounds. He struggled with the same thing that many at his height do – consistency in his delivery. However, when he’s on, Rodriguez offers a mid-90s fastball that gets on hitters even faster due to his extension along with breaking stuff that flashes plus but sits more average due to inconsistency. The Orioles will continue to work with Rodriguez to iron out those bumps, but as they do, he could truly emerge as an impressive mid-rotation option.
Player to watch: Elio Prado
Age: 17 (11/29/2001)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023+
Acquired from the Red Sox as part of the Andrew Cashner deal this summer Prado was signed by the Red Sox last summer out of Venezuela and had made his debut in the DSL before being traded. He was fairly under-radar before being signed, but his defense, contact ability, and speed all received plus grades, and there are mixed reviews on his power ultimate ceiling, but most agree that there’s at least above-average raw power potential. He posted a .400+ OBP in the DSL this season combined between his time with the Red Sox squad and one of the Orioles squads. He will be one to track stateside in 2020!
Benjamin Chase
After 6 years of writing for FanSided on various sites and offering contributions to various other websites, family changes have encouraged me to start this site. I spend a ton of time watching baseball at all levels, but I love watching minor league baseball on milb.tv as I'm hours away from the closest minor league team. This is an effort of all those games I enjoy on a daily basis!
