jamesenoch

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/ranking-the-best-pitches-in-the-top-100/ "1. Grayson Rodriguez (FF, SL, CB, CHG)—Simply put, Grayson Rodriguez’s pitch mix is on another planet. His four-seam fastball has average movement, but he ranks third in average fastball velocity for pitchers on the Top 100, along with the third highest whiff rate on his fastball at a mark of 37%. His slider generates whiffs at a 40% rate, while landing in the zone at an above-average rate. His curveball is one of the top three curves on the list, as he was one of two pitchers in the top 100 with a curveball that had both a strike rate above 60% with a whiff rate above 50% (Cade Cavalli was the other). The changeup, however, might be Rodriguez’s best pitch. He has the only changeup on the list with a true negative IVB, meaning he has an innate ability to kill lift, or ride, on the pitch. This unique movement profile allows the pitch to generate good outcomes at a high rate as Rodriguez boasts the only changeup in the top 100 with both a strike rate above 65% and a whiff rate above 45%. It’s Rodriguez’s command of his plus stuff that sets him apart from other pitching prospects. 3. D.L. Hall (FF, SL, CB, CHG)—Unfortunately, injuries robbed us of a full season from Hall in 2021, because when Hall is healthy he boasts some of the best lefthanded stuff in baseball. Case and point, Hall is the only pitcher on this list with four different pitches with whiff rates above 40%, meaning every pitch in Hall’s arsenal has the ability to miss bats at a high rate. His fastball is the only heater on this list with a whiff rate of 40% or above, and he showed the ability to get the pitch in the zone, with a strike rate just a hair below 70%. It’s the combination of plus velocity and a flat approach angle that drives results on Hall’s fastball, as he has the flattest approach angle of pitchers on this list that averaged 97 mph or above on their fastball. Batters were helpless against his four-seamer even when they did make contact, batting just .119/.246/.186 against it in his brief 2021 season. While Hall’s primary secondary as an amateur was a curveball, his slider and changeup have become equally important parts of his arsenal. His curveball still misses bats, and hitters had the lowest slash line against the pitch of any in his mix, but his command is better on both his changeup and slider, meaning the curveball’s utility is primarily as a chase pitch. His slider, on the other hand, was one of six sliders on the list with a strike rate of 60% or above and a whiff rate of 40% or above. His changeup was hit the most of his quartet of pitches, but also drove the most whiffs, while seeing an average strike rate. In closing, Hall has an easy plus fastball that is metrically double-plus, with a trio of strong secondaries that miss bats. It's just a matter of sustained health and improved strike-throwing on his curveball and changeup."

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/five-players-who-could-rise-up-the-top-100-prospects-in-2022/ "Colton Cowser, OF, Orioles Top 100 Rank: 98 The fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Cowser hit .354 in a decorated college career at Sam Houston State and continued to rake with a .375/.490/.492 slash line in his brief pro debut. While he put up those numbers in a mid-major college conference and his pro debut came against complex league and Low-A competition, there is little doubt he will hit at higher levels with his sweet lefthanded swing, exceptional strike-zone discipline and growing power. Add in plus speed and a chance to stay in center field, and Cowser has the attributes to rise quickly as long as he continues to prove he can hit against more advanced pitching, with a strong likelihood that he will."

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/12-breakout-prospects-with-top-100-potential/ "Coby Mayo, 3B, Orioles A well over-slot signing in the fourth round of the 2020 draft for $1.75 million, Mayo stayed back in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League as a 19-year-old in 2021 as the Orioles played it conservatively with him coming off a knee injury in the spring. He was so good in the FCL that the Orioles pushed him to Low-A Delmarva, where he hit .311/.416/.547 in 125 plate appearances. Coming off the knee injury, Mayo didn't look his best defensively, and at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, there's some risk he ends up at first base. There's also a chance his offensive impact will be good enough to carry him at either spot. For a young, long-armed hitter, Mayo is able to keep his strikeouts in check, has a mature offensive approach and raw power that is at least plus and could end up higher with physical maturity."

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/here-are-15-players-who-just-missed-the-top-100/ Westburg comes in at #107 "Jordan Westburg, Orioles: Though Westburg did not have a tremendous amount of fanfare coming out of Mississippi State, the 2020 supplemental first-round pick made his presence known in 2021. Climbing three levels of the minors, Westburg hit .285/.389/.479 with 47 extra-base hits across 506 plate appearances. His overall numbers were heavily inflated by his production at both levels of Class A, and his 30-game Double-A sample was uneven. The infielder should return to Bowie to start 2022, where he’ll look to replicate his Class A production. With some of the best plate discipline of any player that just missed the Top 100 list, Westburg has a strong chance of moving onto the back end in the next update."

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2021-mlb-undrafted-free-agent-tracker-agreements-for-all-30-teams/#Orioles Carson Carter, RHP, Oklahoma Daniel Federman, RHP, Miami Logan Michaels, C, Virginia Preston Price, RHP, Arizona

I simply do not post on this site (maybe less than 300 times in 18 years), but I thought this was an interesting quote : “I know the Orioles are in rebuild mode, but come on. It’s embarrassing to the sport what they’re doing, or aren’t doing. They’re not even signing the better minor league free agents, in my opinion.”—NL vice president of scouting https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/survey-says-19-anonymous-mlb-scouts-executives-offer-2021-predictions/

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">jonathan hughes, hs rhp, told orioles he wants to honor his georgia tech commitment. o's get pick No. 68 back in '16.</p>— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/622108436591980544">July 17, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">2nd-rder Jonathan Hughes, <a href="https://twitter.com/Orioles">@Orioles</a> will not reach a deal. He'll attend Georgia Tech. <a href="http://t.co/S1kUe9wwRk">http://t.co/S1kUe9wwRk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBDraft">@MLBDraft</a></p>— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimcallisMLB/status/622071353374605312">July 17, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Hughes is not going to sign with O's.

Too funny...