Tony-OH

I do think the international program is certainly heading in the right direction. Most are still going to flame out, but if the keep finding some nuggets we're going to see the fruit of their labors help the big league club win ball games. I don't have any additional information on the facility, sorry.

Let's get back to discussing the the lease and stay away from politics. Thanks.

Please remember, the order here is not important at this stage. Some effort was put into the order but these are more for informational purposes for players to track next season. 51. Edwin Amparo – SS/2B (FCL): Never quite got it going in his first go around through the FCL as nagging injuries took their tool. He may have to repeat the FCL as a 19-year old next year if he doesn't come into next spring and beat out some tough competition for Delmarva. A switch-hitter who has the arm to stay at SS, Amparo still has some upside but needs to get stronger and stay healthy next year or risks getting passed by other competition. He did walk more than he struck out which is a good sign. 52. Adriander Mejia – C (DSL): The youngest player in the Orioles system this year, the 16-year old catcher made a nice debut on both at the plate and behind the dish. The right-handed hitter held his own against the older competition putting up a .277/.362/.355/.716 slash line in 178 PAs. He squares the ball up well and the belief is when he gets stronger the bat will really play. Some scouts really liked him down there and had him pegged as one of the best prospects on the Orioles DSL team. A hard worker, defensively he threw out 45% of the runners attempting to steal and four passed balls in 30 games. 53. Moises Chace – RHP (A): The 6-1 right-hander started to put things together a bit late in the summer before getting shut down for an injury. The 20-year old’s fastball sits 92-93 and touches 94-95. His best pitch is a solid average change up that works really well against lefties who slashed just 1.82/.310/.347/.657 off him. Throws a slider and curveball though both pitches are very inconsistent and have to improve. Command overall is still a big problem as his fastball tends to run up and away too often. 54. Ryan Long – RHP (A+/AA): Big 6-foot-6 right-hander who made his way to AA after being a 17th rounder in the 2021 draft. His fastball sits 92-94, t96 with a solid change and a well below average slider. Dominates lefties with his changeup but with a below average breaking ball, right-handers give him fits. Maybe he gets a bump in stuff if he goes to the bullpen, but either way, the slider needs to improve. 55. Deivy Cruz – LHP (A): Small Left-hander with a quick arm who is still working on developing his command. He's a slinger with a low 3/4 delivery with a fastball that sits in the low 90s, but he's only 19-years old and has not grown into his body yet and the hope is when he does, that quick arm will generate more velocity. His best pitch is sweeper slider that is his go to pitch when he needs a strike. He has a change, but it's hard and straight and not good offering at the moment though he does show some feel to throw it for strikes. If he develops some more velocity, he could definitely become an interesting let-handed reliever prospect, but will need to develop a better change to stick as a starter. 56. Jose Mejia – 2B (DSL): Speedy 17-year old 2B was off to a great start when he broke his hamate bone and missed the rest of his first professional season. In his first ten games, he slashed .346/.500/.385/.885 and stole 7 bases in 9 attempts. Limited to second base due to an average arm at best, Mejia never made an error in the nine games at 2B and turned seven double plays. Needs to get stronger but the bat should play and is worth watching in 2024. 57. Carlos Tavera – RHP (AA): This 24-year old right-hander has a very good changeup and a fastball that can sit in the mid-90s fastball at times, but a lack of command and well below average slider kept him from taking a step forward in 2023. The former 5th round pick is better against lefties due to the changeup but righties slashed .242/.383/.523/.906 against him. When the changeup is on he can miss bats, but will need to improve his command and breaking ball to take that next step. 58. Frederick Bencosme – 2B/SS (A+): Still just 20-years old and young for the league, but he really did not take a step forward in 2023. His plate discipline was fine, but his strength just didn't develop and collected just 23 extra base hits including just two homers in 476 PAs. He has a good eye at the plate, but needs to et much stronger at the plate. He did steal 28 bases in 34 attempts. Defensively he improved some at SS, but 2B is his best position on the dirt. He still has some utility upside. 59. Luis Guevara – SS/INF (DSL): Switch-hitting 17-year old SS who was signed for 200K impressed with his plate discipline and play at SS. Little guy who needs to get much stronger, but there are some tools to work from including plus speed that saw him steal 16 bases in 21 tried. Defensively has the arm to stick at SS and could have a utility future if he can get stronger. 60. Zack Peek – RHP (FCL/A/A+): Returned from Tommy John surgery for a few outings late in the year. The 6-foot-3 right-hander throws in the low 90s (90-92, t93-94) with a curveball, slider and changeup. Prior to the injury was more known for his ability to throw strikes then quality of stuff. He was still looking for his feel upon his return this season so next year should be a big year for him. A strike thrower, Peek will need to be fine with his command if the qualify of stuff doesn't take a step up. 61. Noah Denoyer – RHP (AAA): Was put on the Orioles 40-man roster last offseason and then showed up to spring training out of shape before pitching his way off the 40-man and eventually passing through waivers unclaimed. Occasionally flashed the stuff throughout the season that got him protected last year, but it was few far between. His fastball sits around 93 MPH and can tough 95 but doesn’t miss bats. He started throwing a cutter to go along with his slider, but his curveball remained his best offspeed pitch. It can get swings and misses. 62. Aneudis Mordan – C/1B (FCL/A): 19-year old catcher broke out with the bat in the FCL after two years of struggling in the DSL. Earned himself a cup of coffee in Delmarva at the end of the FCL season and did not look out of place at the plate. He's got a quick bat with power potential who showed a much better ability to work counts. Defensively his arm was terrible last year although he said there was nothing wrong, but if he comes back throwing like that next year he'll need to move to 1B where his 6-1 height will not be a plus. His defensive short comings puts a lot of pressure on the bat to be special. 63. Daniel Lloyd – RHP (A+): The 22-year old right-hander brings a 93-95, t96 MPH fastball to the mound with mid-80s slider and high 80s split-change. Was really good over his last 13 games in Aberdeen (A+) pitching to a 2.09 ERA with 61Ks, 12 BB in 56 IP while holding batters to a .225/.280/.349/.629. His offspeed pitches need to improve in quality and consistency but they both can flash average on occasion. His velocity tends to drop off around 50 or so pitches so a move to the pen might allow his stuff to play up. 64. Yaqui Rivera – RHP (A/A+): At just 19-years old, the 6-foot-2, 150 pound beanpole has made his way to Aberdeen (A+) already. Acquired in the Tanner Scott/Cole Sulser deal with the Marlins, Rivera pitched mostly in relief and only threw more than 50 pitches three times, all with Aberdeen at the end of the year. He throws 92-93 MPH, but some believe when he fills out he'll throw harder. He shows a 79-82 MPH slider that occasionally flashes average and will even toss up a changeup on occasion. Reminds me a little of Oil Can Boyd. 65. Nestor German – RHP (NCAA): The Orioles 11th round pick out of Seattle University is a four pitch right-hander with a good riding fastball that sits in the 92-93 range but has been up to 96 at times. The 6-3, 225 pounder is a developmental pick selected on the analytics of his pitches vs his poor college stats. 66. Jalen Vasquez – SS/INF (A): 20th round selection in the 2023 draft, this 21-year old shortstop actually brings some athleticism and tools for such a late pick. The left-handed swinger showed solid plate discipline and actually drove the ball a bit highlighted by three triples. Defensively he's solid at SS and 2B and although he doesn't have a big arm, he gets rid of the ball quickly and showed good range. He's got above average speed as well. That combination is worth taking a flier on and watching how he does in 2024. 67. Carter Young – SS/2B (A/A+): The switch-hitting middle infielder gets one more year to show that he's a guy before he gets buried off the prospects scene. Really didn't do much in his first full professional season to make anyone think he was worth the $1,325,000 overslot signing the bonus the Orioles gave him in the 2022 draft. He didn't hit for average, power or walk much and his strike out rate was too high for a guy who hit three home runs in 452 PAs in Low-A ball as a 22-year old. Supposedly known for his defense coming out of college, he was erratic at best at SS and did not show more than an adequate arm. He's better at second base. He will get a lot of chances to proves he's not a bust but next year in Aberdeen will be a big test and year for him on the prospect scene. 68. Raylin Ramos – OF (FCL): A broken leg cost him most of his FCL season but he still remains an outfielder worth keeping an eye on. Compact right-handed hitter has some power potential and was hitting .343/.343/.486/.829 through 35 PAs when the injury occurred. Had nine strikeouts and no walks though so there are some plate discipline concerns even though it was a small sample size. An average runner, he fits best in the corner outfield positions. He'll most likely repeat the FCL in 2024. 69. Elis Cuevas – CF/OF (DSL): Billed as an under the radar guy, he repeated the DSL as an 18 year old and put up another solid offensive year. A switch hitter who was moved to the outfield this season after an unsuccessful time at 3B, he added a little more gap power this year though his overall numbers were down a little from the year before. At 5-11 there's not a ton of projection in him, but he's got some speed and should get an opportunity next year in the FCL. 70. Garrett Stallings – RHP (AA/AAA): Junkballer who will throw every pitch he can possibly think of and then the kitchen sink as well. Can have days where he pts things together and can be tough to hit, garnering a good amount of swing and miss, but on other days can be absolute batting practice. His fastball sits around 92 MPH but has reached back for 94-95 on occasion. The changeup and slider can flash average on occasion so maybe a move to the pen and the cutting down of some pitches would help his stuff play up and be more consistent. 71. Jared Beck – LHP (A/A+): This 7-foot tall left-hander is the tallest player in the minor leagues and that height helps his funkiness by creating weird angles for hitters. He's a 4-pitch lefty with a 89-92 MPH fastball. None of offspeed pitches are very good though the slider can flash average though it's not a real left on left sweeper which limits his reliever vibe. Lefties actually hit him better than righties so that will need to improve. Command overall is an issue as it's hard for him to repeat his mechanics at his height. Should start 2024 in Aberdeen at 23-years old. 72. Cesar Espinal – RHP (DSL): Repeated the DSL despite playing at 17-years old all season. He's a 6-2 beanpole with a 89-91 MPH fastball and feel for a slider and change. As with a lot of these young pitches in the DSL, the hope is if he fills out there is more velocity in the tanka and with above average command, that makes him works keeping an eye on next year in the FCL. 73. Elio Prado – OF (A/A+): Prado is like a poor man's John Rhodes in that he does everything decently, but doesn’t really have a carrying tool to get him over that hump. Saying that, Prado has occasional pop, average speed, and can play all three outfield positions though he fits better in left field. He does hit lefties well and seems to hit older pitchers with better command more consistently so he could be a guy who hits better at the higher levels where pitchers are around the zone more. 74. Kyle Virbitsky – RHP (A+): Came over with Cole Irvin in the Darell Hernaiz trade last winter, this 6-foot-7 right-hander pitched well over his last 19 starts. During that stretch he had a 2.28 ERA with 84K and 27 BB in 86.2 IP while holding batters to a .189/.265/.303/.568 clip/. He's 4-pitch guy with a fastball that can sit 92-95, and t95. He doesn't really have a go to strike out pitch though although his high 70s curveball can occasionally flash average. The slider and change are works in progress. He'll pitch at 25 years old next year and a move to the bullpen might get him a jump in stuff. 75. Fernado Peguero – 2B/OF (DSL): Diminutive switch hitter who really improved in his second go around through the DSL. Can run a bit, and drove the ball better though power is not really going to be his game. Listed at just 5-foot-7, 145 pounds, he'll need to continue to get stronger to have success in the states. Defensively he probably best fits at 2B, but he played SS, 3B and in the outfield as a super utility versatile player. He'll get his opportunity in the FCL next season at 19 years old.

We are up to 70 wreaths sold and just 30 away from our goal of 100. Thanks to everyone who supported this effort.

I considered Cowser between 4-6 on the list. I think he's better than his awful debut, but I do have some concerns on hitting velocity. Saying that, he's got the best all around combination of power, speed, and defense compared to Kjerstad and Ortiz. Ultimately, I think Cowser will be ok and will settle in as an everyday left fielder in Camden Yards for the Orioles for years to come. Kjerstad got the nod over him at #4 because of his power potential and the fact his bat looks more major league ready. He has no issues with velocity that I've been able to observe. He got the nod over Ortiz because of some questions on how much power Ortiz will ultimately have at the major league level. Ortiz does have the highest floor though because there is no doubt he'll have a long major league career as a utility guy because of his defense.

I'm sticking with Acevedo as my breakout candidate. If he can develop better plate discipline, he could really take off. The tools and premium body frame make me think there is more in there.

I could definitely see an app type thing working well with this kind of promotion. You would login and find your free seats options. then you would be given "upgrade" options around the stadium. Basically it encourages people to come out to more games overall and makes it a little bit fun to sit in different areas. I'd offer a promotion where a percentage of fans buy these packages would be offered box seats for each game making it almost like a lottery where fans would be checking each day to see if they won the better seats.

Appreciate the support once again my friend.

Our members typically help place the wreaths along with volunteers from other organizations. We are typically assigned an area, but if members purchased wreaths, they are allowed to take those wreaths to other portions of the cemetery. If you contact Wreaths Across America, they can give you more specific information for your specific cemetery and what you would need to do.

There are a lot of factors that decide who goes into the top-30, but I would agree that age and time in the system would have to be taken into consideration when it comes to figuring out that percentage. When I look at this 31-50 list, I could see multiple guys breaking out and ending up in the top 30. We'll have a better idea of guys that were just drafted last year after a full season of pro ball next year and of course, ranking 16-17 year olds is tough because some are going to absolutely flame out, and others like Sosa are going to grow three inches and come back a different guy. My goal with going out to 75 players increments of Top 30, 31-50, and 51-75 is to give the fan an idea of legitimate prospects (Top 30), Guys that could become Top 30 next year (31-50), and guys to keep an eye on who could break out as well but may have more things that need to happen to get there (51-75).

This is our annual request to support my charity Bikers For Cause Foundation, Inc by sponsoring wreaths that will placed on Veteran's graves on Sat December 16th. I'm a little late this year getting this out so if you can support, please do so as soon as possible. Thanks for the consideration. Bikers For Cause Foundation is a 501.3.C non-profit charity that supports Military Veterans, 1st Responders, and local community needs. We have chapters headquartered out of Severn, Md, Westminster, MD, and Northern Virginia. https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/174989/Overview

Just moving this to the major league board for a little visibility for abit.

Cruz will be in the next batch. I had him higher initally but after watching him more, I just have more questions. He's a small left-hander with a low-90s fastball and a sweeper slider and jut a beginning stages of a usable changeup. The command is not very good either so that's a lot to overcome.

31-50 prospects have now been posted here.

As always, don't get too caught up in the the rankings at this point. While we did take into some consideration the rule of who we would rather have being the higher prospects, most of these guys are in bins with several players that are similar in rankings. 31. Levi Wells – RHP (NCAA): The Orioles 4th round pick on the 2023 draft, Wells is a four-pitch starter who improved his stock in college after cleaning up some delivery issues that him pegged as a reliever coming out of high school. The 6-2 right-hander throw a fastball that sits 91-93, and topped out at 95 this season though his velocity was down in the lower 90s in some starts. His spins two different breaking balls, both of which can flash plus movement with the curveball being slightly ahead of the slider. He throws a firm changeup that does get some fade at times, but it's a pitch he'll need to continue to develop. 32. Teddy Sharkey – RHP (FCL/A-): The Orioles 7th round pick in the 2023 draft, this 6-0 right-hander brings a mid-90s fastball and two different breaking balls to the mound. In his pro debut, he sat 94-95 with a mid-80's slider and a low 80s curveball with good downward movement, both of which can miss bats. He actually flashed a firm changeup against lefties that had a little fade. His fastball has pretty good ride and also garners swings and misses up in the zone. The questions for Sharkey is the consistency of his offerings and the fact he's a relief only arm. There's effort in the delivery and the command will need to improve, but the quality of stuff is there to be a big league reliever. 33. Jean Pinto – RHP (A+/AA): Short right-hander who absolutely dominates lefties with a changeup that has plus movement down and away from them. He'll also use the pitch effectively against righties as well. He gets a ton of swing and miss and ground balls, particularly from lefties who roll over on the change. His fastball is 91-93 and tops out around 94 and when he's spotting it, it works, but when he gets hit it's usually when he missing in the middle of the plate with the pitch. He rarely get swings and misses on the fastball. His slider is his main breaking ball and while its inconsistent, it can occasionally get some good dive. He started to throw a big loopy high 70s curveball occasionally as well, but it’s more of a get me over pitch. Overall, his xFIP of 3.48 was the best in the organization with any pitcher over 55 innings. The Orioles rarely let him throw more than 75 pitches in an outing so there is some durability questions. There's an outside chance he can stick as a back of the rotation starter but may end up a reverse split reliever who can come in and get those tough lefties out. 34. Keegan Gilles – RHP (A+/AA): A 6-8 right-handed reliever with a mid-90s fastball that dominated A+ hitters and did well in his first taste of Double-A. A 15th round pick in 2021, Gilles suffered through an injury ridden 2022 campaign before showing up full go in 2023. A 5th year senior out of Tulane, Gilles was already 25-years old this season as he dominated Sally Leaguer hitters to a ridiculous .039/.107/.096/.203 slash line with a 27 K to 4 BB ratio over 15.1 innings before getting promotion to Double in mid-June. Had a few rough outings in Double-A here and there, but held batters to a .195/.287/.356/.643 with 34 Ks and 10 BB in 24 innings. He offsets his mid-90s fastball with a split change that gets swings and misses, a cutter and an occasional curveball . The split-change is his best pitch and while it can be inconsistent at times, when it's on hitters found it hard to lay off. He seems to work his fastball low in the zone a lot, but does get swings and misses on the pitch suggesting it has good carry. He should start the year in AAA, but if he's throwing well next year, he could be in the mix for a bullpen spot if there becomes a need. 35. Miguel Rodriguez – C (DSL): Under the radar kid who does everything well defensively. At just 17-years old, he showed an above average arm, was a good blocker, and even frames well. At the plate, he showed a great awareness of the strike zone walking 24 times and striking out just 13 in 131 PAs while putting up a team high .489 OBP in the DSL. He rarely swings and misses and while he did not show much pop, his 21.8% line drive rate suggests gap power could develop. While he's long ways off, he's one to watch at the Florida Complex League next year. 36. Hudson Haskin – OF (AAA): An injury riddled season for the former 2nd round pick was ended when he underwent season-ending surgery to repair a left hip impingement in July. He was off to a great start in AAA slashing .391/.500/.652/1.152 though his first 13 games when a hamstring injury shelfed him for a month. A lot of his success though was BABIP driven. After a two-week rehab through Aberdeen and Bowie, returned to Norfolk and really struggled slashing .111/.180/.222./402 in 10 games before getting shut down due to the hip issues. When healthy, Haskin is a line drive machine with a little pull pop. The 24-year old right-handed hitter has traditionally hit lefties well though he did not hit them very well in the small sample size last year. Haskin has plus speed which helps him make up for some poor jumps and routes in the outfield at times. He probably fits better in left field than center and has a below average arm. He's expected to be ready for spring training. Haskin may not have a high ceiling, but seems to have a 4th/5th outfielder floor if he can show the ability to hit left handers in sporadic playing time. 37. Tavian Josenberger – OF/INF (FCL/A-): A switch-hitting table setter, the Orioles nabbed this 21-year old in the 3rd round of the draft this year. A quick twitch athlete who transferred from Kansas to Arkansas for his junior year, Josenberger hit the ball with more authority though he's more of a gap to gap guy than a home run guy. He has plus speed and is a threat to steal when on the bases. He showed a good ability to work counts in his pro debut, but didn't drive the ball much in his first taste of pro ball. He's a solid average outfielder with the speed to play in center field and good enough arm to play in the corners. He was a second baseman at Kansas and the Orioles gave him a few looks there as well. If his bat ends up a little light, his speed, versatility, and strike zone judgement could make him a good fit as a utility player. 38. Jake Cunningham – OF (FCL/A-): A toolsy outfielder selected by the Orioles in the 5th round of the 2023 draft, Cunningham brings some upside if his hit tool develops. At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, Cunningham is a big guy who had plus speed before an ankle injury slowed him in 2023. He brings plus raw power to the plate but has yet to be able to translate that to consistent game power in college or in his brief professional trial last year. His hit tool was a big question after hitting .267 at UNC Charlotte during his junior year and why he was still available in the 5th round despite above average tools elsewhere. Defensively he's a solid average defender who played center field in college, but played corner outfield mostly with Delmarva due to Bradfield Jr. on the same team. He should start 2024 in Aberdeen. 39. Michael Forret – RHP (CC): An ECU recruit who went to a community college so he would be draft eligible this year was taken by the Orioles in the 14th round and given an overslot $450k signing bonus. At 19-years old, Forret is the youngest pitcher the Orioles drafted this year. At 6-foot-4 with room to fill out, he's a projectable pick that could add velocity to his already low 90s 4-seamer that has good ride. He spins a nice high 70s curveball and low-mid 80 split change as his offspeed offerings. Like most of the Orioles drafted pitchers this year, he was never assigned to an affiliate and will make his professional debut next spring when it's expected he'll be assigned to Delmarva. 40. Billy Cook – 2B/OF/1B (AA): The 24-year old infielder/outfielder has an interesting combination of speed, power, and a little versatility. A mistake hitter who can do some damage if a pitcher gets behind and has to come in with a fastball, Cooks smacked 24 home runs but got homer happy late in the year and hit a few homers, but his average tumbled and his strike out rates rose. He's susceptible to chasing offspeed pitches and older more mature pitchers gave him a harder time. He's a plus runner who stole 30 bases in 33 tries. Defensively he made starts at RF (42), 2B (35), CF (12), LF (10) and 1B (8). By the end of the year he was mainly playing second base, but he's a below average defender there, but won't kill a team. In the outfield, Cook catches everything he gets to and his speed allows him to make up for some bad jumps and routes on occasion. He's got an average arm strength wise, but his throws can be erratic at best. 41. Alex Pham – RHP (A+/AA): A short, four-pitch pitchability righty who can throw all four of his offerings over for strikes. Mixes his pitches up and is able to keep hitters of balance by changing speeds and hitting his spots. His fastball sits 90-92 with some arm side run, but doesn't miss many bats so he has to be very fine with the command. The change is his best offspeed offering and he'll throw them against righties as well as left-handed hitters. He can get some swing and miss on the pitch because he throws them for strikes and then moves them just off the plate with two strikes. His 12-6 curveball can be soft at times and his slider is more of a cutter with limited vertical movement. With no plus pitch, it's hard to see him as anything more than a 5th starter/long guy type. He does have a little Zach Davies in him so don't count him out, but he'll need to prove it AAA next year to get a chance. 42. Stiven Accevedo – OF (A-): Every once in a while, a toolsy guy will just stand out despite the lack of statistical evidence to suggest he's a guy. A 6-foot-4 guy with the ability to add more to his frame as he grows into his man strength, Acevedo raw power, speed and arm all rate above average and give hope that he'll put it all together one day. Turning 21-years old this August, this would have been his junior year of college so think of him as that toolsy 3rd/4th rounder who's hit tool is a bit of question mark. The right-handed swinger is an absolute wild card and next year will be a big year for prove his prospect status. He has just as much chance of being in the top 30 next year as being off this list. He might end up one of those hitters that hit better as the pitcher's command gets better so he could break out in Double-A if he continues to earn that chance. 43. Jacob Cravey – RHP (NCAA): The Orioles nabbed this 6-for-6 right-hander in the 6th round after being the Friday night pitcher for Samford University this year. Cravey brings a low-90s fastball (91-93) to the mound but has touched as high as 97 on occasion. His fastball has good ride and garners swings and misses up in the zone. He throws a slider and changeup with the changeup being a pretty good at times against lefties although it's inconsistent. He's got a bit of a hitch in his delivery so there is some reliever vibe in him, but he'll get developed as a starter for now. He'll most likely start his career in either Delmarva or Aberdeen depending on how he looks next spring. 44. Jesus Palacios – RHP (DSL): This Venezuelan made big strides in his second go through the Dominican Summer League leading all Orioles farm hands with 50 or more innings in swinging strike percentage (41.3%). The 6-foot-2 right-hander showed real good feel for throwing all three of his pitches over for strikes, keeping batters guessing. His fastball sits in the low 90s for now, but there is some belief he's going throw harder as he gets stronger. He spins a solid curveball and has good feel for a changeup already. He'll make his way to the states next year and could surprise and end up making Delmarva with a good spring. Even if he doesn't start there, don't be surprise if he gets some full season ball some time next season. 45. Aron Estrada – 2B/LF (FCL): Injured his leg just three games into his FCL season and never really found his groove upon his return in mid-July. Still showed good plate discipline walking 15 times and striking out just 11 times in 81 PAs. He's an athletic switch-hitter who mostly plays second base, but was moved to left field towards the end of the season with Leandro Arias getting the starts at 2B. Not a burner, but he runs well. It will be interesting to see if the Orioles move him up to Delmarva next season or return him to the FCL. 46. Justin Armbruester – RHP (AA/AAA): The big right-hander made his way to AAA in 2023 with mixed results after starting the year pitching in Bowie. Throws a 90-94 MPH fastball that touches 95 that can get some swing and miss at times, but when he catches too much of the plate he can get barreled up. He abandoned a poor changeup in favor is using a cutter this year and that has helped defend himself better against lefties. He throws both a slider and curveball with the slider being the more consistent offering though neither are consistent swing and miss pitches. He doesn't really have a go to strike out pitch and that will limit his major league effectiveness unless he develops one. 47. Edgar Portes – RHP (A-): This 6-foot-2 right-hander repeated Delmarva with solid improvements including increasing his strikeout percentage, lowering his walk percentage, and improving the quality of his slider. His fastball sits 92-93 and tops around 94. His slider is his best pitch, but it's still in inconsistent offering though he can get swings and misses on the pitch. He has a change and was working on a curveball at times, but he doesn't have much feel for either. His command still has a long way to go and he needs to improve the change up to have a better chance to defend himself against lefties who put up a .788 OPS against him. 48. John Rhodes – OF (AA): The 22-year old outfielder is best described as mediocre. He really doesn't do anything badly but also doesn't have a carrying tool that suggests his major league role would be anything more than a 4th/5th outfielder. He hits for some power, has average speed, is average defensively with an average arm, but his hit tool is below average. He doesn't have great plate discipline and will chase at times. He's prone to being streaky as well. He'll flash some promise here and there and he was only 22-years old last year, so it's too early to give up on him, but next year will be a big year for the former 3rd round pick. 49. Maverick Handley – C (AA/AAA): Actually held his own offensively at AAA slashing .236/.373/.329/.701 in 264 AAA PAs. A bit of a pull hitter who put up a decent 24.8% line drive rate in AAA, he sometimes gets a little too pull happy and tries to hit home runs despite below average power. He looks like he cheats a bit with good velocity leaving his open to getting fooled on good offspeed pitches. Defense though has always been his calling card and while he did well throwing out runners attempting to steal, he dropped a few too many pitches than most would like. He didn't have many passed balls though and his blocking was good overall. 50. Silas Ardoin – C (A+/AA): Solid defensive first catcher showed a little signs of life with the bat at AA. Slashed .286/.359/.410/.769 in 117 AA PAs. Still strike out too much for a guy without a lot of power, but he does a good job getting on base against left-handers. Ardoin is a solid defensively catcher who blocks and receives well, but his throwing has been only been ok. Still, he projects out as a backup catcher who could be the right-handed side of a platoon behind the dish.

Prieto is the best prospect of them all but he's going to be a below average defender wherever he plays. I'd say if he was still in the org I'm probably putting him the 22-25 range. He's got a good hit tool, but the power is below average and the defense while not terrible, it's not all that good either at either 2B or 3B. He doesn't run all that well so at the end of the day, what is he? He reminds me of Terrin Vavra. Rom showed in his major league debut with the Cardinals that his stuff just is not very good. I was once a bit of a believer but as soon as I got statcast data on him in AAA, I was out on him. He would not be in the top 30. I was never really too high on Showalter. He's a high effort pitcher with reliever and "arm injury" written all over him. He pitched one inning for the Cardinals before missing the rest of the year with a reported right-forearm strain. He would not have been in the top 30 either.

He was in consideration for the end of the list, but I just didn't see enough of him yet to make that call on 7th round pick reliever. There is some talent there but there's also a reason he lasted until the 7th round.

He was not eligible. Probably at #9 or 10 overall. I still believe Stowers is going to hit.

Further down the list. I just don't see a carrying tool for him. Even his defensive tools aren't anything special.

Remember, he was a 10th round pick for a reason. There's not a lot of pop in the bat and while the hit tool looks good, I'm not sure there's enough to be an everyday player, at least on a 1st division team. But we'll see. This was an aggressive ranking already. I could be way off, but there are others that like him as well. Like always we'll have a better idea after next year.

I'll be honest, that's mostly off what I've read. I didn't see enough of his defense this year to have a great feel. I'll have a better idea of him after his next year.

I had a bunch of guys in and out of the last five spots. But honestly, it's not that I loved that many guys, but more because I wasn't thrilled with my options. Really after 25 you can start throwing guys in very large bins. I went round and round with Young, Pinto, Pham, Gilles, Wells, Sharkey, Chace and D. Cruz for this last spot but ultimately think Young has the best chance of size and stuff, especially the change up for such a big guy. But if someone wanted to argue for the others guys I mentioned and probably ten more I could build a case as well. I'll be writing brief synopses' for those guys, probably out to 75 again.

Top 30 is complete with links to all profiles.

Brandon Young Throws: RHP Age (as of Jun 30th): 24 2023 Level: FCL/A-/A+/AA Pitches (current/future value) Fastball: 45/50 Curveball: 40/45 Change: 45/50 Slider: 40/45 Command: 40/50 Most Likely: Long/Swing man in bullpen Ceiling: 4th/5th starter Bio: The 24-year old right-hander returned from Tommy John surgery and made his back to Double-A (Bowie) for six starts where he was a bit up and down. At 6-foot-6, Young throws downhill and while his fastball doesn't have great velocity, he does get some swing and miss on the pitch. You can sit 90-93 with his fastball, but can move it around the strike zone though he uses it well up in the zone. Young's best pitch is his change up that he's not afraid to throw right on right at times. When it's on, he gets good fade and drop and he can throw it enough for strikes that hitters have to be aware of the pitch. His curveball is a big 12-6 pitch that he struggled to land for strikes and it rolls up there a little too much. His slider is a get me over pitch that works more like a cutter. Young's stuff wasn't very crisp on his return, but that's not surprising coming off the surgery. The hope is after a full offseason he'll return to the 4-pitcher starting pitching prospect. If you squint hard enough you can see a 4-pitch back of the rotation starter.

Francisco Morao Throws: LHP Age (as of Jun 30th): 17 2023 Level: DSL Pitches (current/future value) Fastball: 45/60 Curveball: 40/50 Change: 30/45 Command: 30/50 Most Likely Future Role: Too Early Ceiling: Too Early Bio: This is the first time we've put a Dominican Summer League pitcher in the top 30, but at this point, might as well take a shot at some upside. This 6-foot-2 Venezuelan was the best pitching prospects in the organization in the DSL, putting up very good numbers as a 17-year old. His fastball sat in the low 90s, but he reportedly has a good clean delivery and a quick arm that suggests that when he fills out he should add some velocity. He already shows a feel for a good curveball and change with the curve behind ahead of the change at this point. He dominated left-handers with the curveball. Morao held batters to just a .218/.335/.299/.635 including just six extra base hits. While his walk rate was a little high (4.8/9), his K rate (11.9/9) was the best among Orioles pitcher in the DSL. He'll start 2024 in the FCL and should be a pitcher to keep an eye on closely.