At a quick glance, his debut looks like it may have been a little rough, but that is misleading. Tier 2Ĭalled up to Baltimore at the beginning of September, the career starter got his feet wet with 11 appearances out of the bullpen in 2022. Striking out nearly 30% of the time in 2022, Cowser had never posted a K rate above 15% in the minors or college, so I would expect him to work this down to a more palatable area in 2023 before we see him in Baltimore. Finishing the year with 57 extra base hits, 18 stolen bases and a 15% walk rate, Cowser just needs to reduce his strikeouts. With the bat, he just missed a 20/20 season across 3 levels in 2022. Cowser can play centerfield and could be a gold glove corner outfielder. The Orioles were aggressive with the prep star in 2022 and I would expect the same in 2023 as Holliday could easily start the year in High-A Aberdeen and move to Double-A Bowie by the end of the year.Īnother potential 5 tool bat up the middle that we should see in Baltimore in the very near future. A 5-tool shortstop, Holliday might be slightly more hit than power, but there is considerable raw power that will come as he matures. The son of 7-time All Star Matt Holliday and the #1 overall pick, Jackson profiles similarly to Henderson. This year, Rodriguez will use his plus plus fastball, changeup, and a plus slider to compete for a rotation spot out of Spring Training. However, a lat strain shut Rodriguez down for 3 months. He had nothing left to prove in the minors. His last 5 starts had covered 34.1 innings, while allowing 16 hits, 3 earned runs and striking out 47. He is a true 5 tool player, capable of playing 2B, 3B and SS.Īs we entered June, all signs pointed to Rodriguez making his MLB debut very soon. He also demonstrated great power with 61 extra base hits, and solid speed with 23 stolen bases. Henderson showed incredible control of the strike zone, walking in 15% of his plate appearances. All Henderson did in the year that followed is absolutely crush Double and Triple-A, on his way to making his MLB debut two months after his 21st birthday. But then, he struggled in a cup of coffee at Double-A to conclude 2021, striking out 10 times in 15 AB. One year ago, I listed Gunnar Henderson as the #4 prospect in the Orioles system, as he had dominated High-A Aberdeen. Levels listed for each player are the highest levels player reached in 2022 Tier 1 middle reliever, low-ceiling UT guys) Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on who have an outside chance of making a team’s 40-man roster Prospects1500 Tiers: Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor Tier 4: Players who have the potential of making the majors, or have a high likelihood of making the majors, but provide minimal impact (e.g. It won’t take any “Hot takes,” to say the Orioles will likely have 2 MLB Rookie of the Year contenders and 5 or 6 additional players that could contribute to a Baltimore team likely to take the next step in 2023. With arguably 7 to 8 or more top 100 players, the MLB impact will likely be massive. However, if it’s possible, this Baltimore team will do it. It’s hard to say whether it’s possible to impact the MLB team remotely as much as last year, with the graduation of Adley Rutschman. That top level talent will impact Baltimore again in 2023. Which leaves the Baltimore system filled with not only top-level talent, but depth all over the field at every level. Many, including myself, do expect the O’s to trade from the incredible depth they’ve built up the middle, but General Manager Mike Elias has not pulled the trigger yet. While the Orioles surprised many by winning 83 games last year, the drop in minor league talent has not yet followed. It’s logical, teams are making trades for major league talent and that drains the farm. Often, when a franchise is ending the rebuild phase and is ready to compete, you start to see the farm system’s talent level take a nosedive.
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