2021 Orioles Prospect Power Rankings (Top 50)

[Ruzious]

13 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Neustrom with a 3-run walkoff in the first game of a DH.  After 8 games, 3 hrs, 7 rib, 4 walks, 5 k, 1.068 OPS.  If I'm Austin Hays, I'm watching Neustrom and Stowers and thinking I better step up my game.

What a great moment for Neustrom.  I think he's the next guy up - if there's a trade or injury - or if they think it's time to give him DJ Stewart's spot.  

[Tony-OH]

11 minutes ago, Ruzious said:

What a great moment for Neustrom.  I think he's the next guy up - if there's a trade or injury - or if they think it's time to give him DJ Stewart's spot.  

As I discussed in Neustrom's thread, he doesn't need to be protected this year and has not hit lefties well, so that could be two reasons why he may stay at AAA the rest of the year. I know I'd rather see him than Stewart right now, but I'm guessing they won't use a 40-man roster spot needlessly this offseason.

[waynebug]

Vespi has 6 strikeouts in 3 innings at Norfolk.  Is he throwing harder ?   What has elevated him to prospect status ?

[LookinUp]

Oh hell, I’ll say it. This thread, this forum and the top 100 lists are neat, but I see 1 big big impact guy (Grayson R.), one very solid/above avg regular (AR), an electric arm I think will be hit and miss (Hall), an above average bat/fielder (Gunnar) and a few guys with solid /average potential (Baumann, Westburg/Ortiz/etc.).  I think this org needs to stay the course on prospects but will need a very significant influx in FA talent to be competitive in this division. This farm system doesn’t really get us close on its own, IMO.). 

[Frobby]

8 hours ago, LookinUp said:

Oh hell, I’ll say it. This thread, this forum and the top 100 lists are neat, but I see 1 big big impact guy (Grayson R.), one very solid/above avg regular (AR), an electric arm I think will be hit and miss (Hall), an above average bat/fielder (Gunnar) and a few guys with solid /average potential (Baumann, Westburg/Ortiz/etc.).  I think this org needs to stay the course on prospects but will need a very significant influx in FA talent to be competitive in this division. This farm system doesn’t really get us close on its own, IMO.). 

That is not surprising at all.  

[Tony-OH]

13 hours ago, waynebug said:

Vespi has 6 strikeouts in 3 innings at Norfolk.  Is he throwing harder ?   What has elevated him to prospect status ?

I try to monitor this as much as possible, but consider add an @ before more username so it will tag me and send me an alert if you want an opinion from me. 

Vespi's curveball has become a real weapon against both righties and lefties. He's still only throwing in the low 90s, but he's able to command that curveball for strikes while also getting guys to chase. 

 

[ChuckS]

Do we see Cowser enter these rankings at 5 and Norby at 10 displacing Jones and Vavra?  Jones could be in for quite a slide me thinks.  

[glenn__davis]

10 hours ago, LookinUp said:

Oh hell, I’ll say it. This thread, this forum and the top 100 lists are neat, but I see 1 big big impact guy (Grayson R.), one very solid/above avg regular (AR), an electric arm I think will be hit and miss (Hall), an above average bat/fielder (Gunnar) and a few guys with solid /average potential (Baumann, Westburg/Ortiz/etc.).  I think this org needs to stay the course on prospects but will need a very significant influx in FA talent to be competitive in this division. This farm system doesn’t really get us close on its own, IMO.). 

Don't think there's anything really controversial here.  I tend to place prospects into tiers.  Rodriguez, Rutchsman and Hall would be in that top tier.  Gunnar maybe on the cusp depending how he develops.  Then you have Cowser and Kjerstad who we have gotten a chance to see much of yet.

I think what Elias has done pretty well is improve the floor of the system.  In years past you had to really squint once you got past the top 10 or so.  Now we're to the point that our 30th ranked guy maybe would have been in the top 10-15 not long ago.  You get enough bullets, eventually one of them hits.

[Tony-OH]

4 minutes ago, ChuckS said:

Do we see Cowser enter these rankings at 5 and Norby at 10 displacing Jones and Vavra?  Jones could be in for quite a slide me thinks.  

The rankings will be out tonight now that they have played their first games. Cowser will be higher than 5...

[Tony-OH]

Lots of movement and the addition of the Orioles top two draft picks this year onto the power rankings.

[ChuckS]

Not terribly surprised to see Hall fall behind some of these hotter/healthier prospects but Cowser over Henderson? That’s a surprise! 

Quite the bump for Neustrom too but he’s earned it!

[Tony-OH]

5 minutes ago, ChuckS said:

Not terribly surprised to see Hall fall behind some of these hotter/healthier prospects but Cowser over Henderson? That’s a surprise! 

Quite the bump for Neustrom too but he’s earned it!

It's a power ranking and not a final prospect list of course, but Henderson's struggles defensively is giving me some pause about his future position and his K rate remains pretty high with good, but not great power in Aberdeen. Henderson very well may go back up to #3 by the end of the year depending on how he finished the year and how Cowser does once promoted to Delmarva. But, I ask myself, would Henderson if he was available to be drafted, be drafted ahead of Cowser? Henderson has more raw power but Cowser has shown to have tremendous plate discipline and hits for a high average in college.

As for Hall, stress fractures in elbows two months after he was sidelined scares me.

 

[waroriole]

20 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

It's a power ranking and not a final prospect list of course, but Henderson's struggles defensively is giving me some pause about his future position and his K rate remains pretty high with good, but not great power in Aberdeen. Henderson very well may go back up to #3 by the end of the year depending on how he finished the year and how Cowser does once promoted to Delmarva. But, I ask myself, would Henderson if he was available to be drafted, be drafted ahead of Cowser? Henderson has more raw power but Cowser has shown to have tremendous plate discipline and hits for a high average in college.

As for Hall, stress fractures in elbows two months after he was sidelined scares me.

 

When you say defensive struggles for Henderson, do you mean he’s not going to make it as a SS, or he may not even be a 3B?

I agree with you on Hall. It’s hard to keep him Top 5 when he’s looking more and more like a reliever. 

[sportsfan8703]

23 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

But, I ask myself, would Henderson if he was available to be drafted, be drafted ahead of Cowser? Henderson has more raw power but Cowser has shown to have tremendous plate discipline and hits for a high average in college.

 

 

Good point. Cowser is only 1.3 yrs older too. This ranking isn’t a knock on Henderson, we just drafted Cowser #5 overall. Hopefully both start out next year in Bowie. 

[7Mo]

On 8/2/2021 at 11:48 AM, Tony-OH said:

The rankings will be out tonight now that they have played their first games. Cowser will be higher than 5...

Almost sounds like a draft pick with high upside.