That's fair, and I don't disagree. Like I said, I'd prefer him over Hays/Santander and I agree that those guys aren't elite but neither is Stowers.
My argument is that I don't necessarily see Stowers as a future piece. For that matter, I don't see Hays/Santander as future pieces either...since I view them all as fungible, I don't get the outrage, outside the fact that Stowers is the one with upside.
If I had to guess, I would assume that the Orioles don't want another strikeout machine in the lineup. Hays and Santander whiff a lot, I'm wondering if the Orioles think they can get Stowers to work on his contact issues at Norfolk.