2022 Orioles Prospects Power Rankings (Top 40)

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Thanks, @Tony-OH.   This has been great fun to follow.   I kind of wish there was a way to track how some of the rankings have fluctuated over the season.  For example, I’d imagine that Cowser, Norby and Ortiz may have moved down a good bit and then climbed up perhaps beyond where they started.   

It’s kind of sad to see Kjerstad falling to 15, but I can really argue with it, as he’s never really gotten it going at Aberdeen.  I’m wondering if he’ll start there again next year, or if they’ll push him to Bowie hoping that a promotion will jump start him.   I also think he remains a good candidate for the AFL.
 

I would be surprised if Kjerstad doesn't go to the AFL. I think he almost HAS to go there to get more PAs. Can't bury him because we saw what Aberdeen and the Orioles hitting ways did to Cowser there and how he rebounded in Bowie, but certainly would like to see a little something from Kjerstad at Aberdeen.

[Frobby]

6 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I would be surprised if Kjerstad doesn't go to the AFL. I think he almost HAS to go there to get more PAs. Can't bury him because we saw what Aberdeen and the Orioles hitting ways did to Cowser there and how he rebounded in Bowie, but certainly would like to see a little something from Kjerstad at Aberdeen.

Two weeks to go in their season, plus the playoffs.   That’s still enough time to show something.  It’s interesting looking at his game log while at Aberdeen.   He pretty much never goes two straight games without a hit, but he also almost never gets two hits in a game.  Honestly one decent hot streak could make his overall numbers look pretty good in a sample this small.  But he’s never really gotten hot since leaving Delmarva.  

This brings me to another point, which is that the gap between low A and high A seems to have widened a lot since they eliminated short season A ball.   
 

[sportsfan8703]

College bats move fast. We’re just absolutely loaded from AAA-A+.  The MO has been to typically point out the lack of pitching depth, but our major league pitching staff has been killing. 
 

It looks like the Dominican players that struggled in Delmarva will get a 2nd go around along with our new promotions from the FCL/DSL. We need really need to get that pipeline going because we won’t be picking very high for a long time. 
 

Also, I’m not worried about Kjerstad. I’m just happy that he pretty much played a whole season finally and is healthy. This season was essentially a long ST for him. 

[sportsfan8703]

15 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

These will probably be the last power rankings of the year though we could do one more. 

@Tony-OH Appreciate all the hard work. The list has really somehow made this place even better. Thank you!!!!  But could you squeeze out one more though…  

[emmett16]

I'll echo what the others have said.  This power ranking thread is by far my favorite, and I look forward to all the updates, comments, and discussion.  Thanks for all the hard work Tony.  

[seak05]

@Tony-OHthanks for doing this, it’s one of my favorite threads, and I appreciate the work 

[Fiver6565]

Thanks for doing the list.  If its the last one, you probably want to update the Holliday location (he's in Delmarva now right?) so its accurate all offseason.

[ChuckS]

Really enjoyed the lists, I've been checking in every week.  

One minor typo to point out, the big riser Darnell Hernaiz. 

[RZNJ]

Since Kjerstad really never got untracked in the power department, even while at Delmarva, I’m hoping it’s more of just having a full off season of proper weight training.  Perhaps the bat speed was just not 100% this year.   

[sportsfan8703]

I’d swap Norby and Mayo. Remember pre draft when #20-#30 were all interchangeable and not very deep. Well that’s not the case anymore. That’s now the case for #35-#50. 
 

It looks like Elias and Co. nailed the draft with the college bats. We’ll see what Kolby Perez brings on J2. I remember when Elias was hired and hoping we’d get to where the dodgers were and be able to make a legit Top 75 list. I think we’re real close. Not asking @Tony-OHto do that. But Wow. Just wow. 
 

Good times. 

[RZNJ]

This is a power rankings. Performance counts.  I think you can make a case that Joseph Ortiz should be #4 on this list based on his ranking before the labrum surgery and what he has continued to do since July 1.  Currently the best player at Norfolk and his statistics suggest he has the least amount of red flags in the system, offensively or defensively.  No questions about where he can play.  Uses all fields. Controls the strike zone without a high number of strikeouts.  Shows power and a little speed.  He gets dinged by some because he just turned 24 but he lost one season to Covid, 2/3 of another to injury, and it affected the first half of this year.  Time to acknowledge that he is the top all around performer in our entire minor league system.

[Sports Guy]

While I know he will retain his prospect status, I’m personally taking Gunnar out of my top 10 list. I’m also removing Stowers.

GRod

Holliday

Mayo

Cowser

Westburg

Hall

Ortiz

Norby

Basallo

Povich

I can make a case for Hall being lower but he did get through the season healthy and the talent is immense.

 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Sports Guy

[LookinUp]

1. Gunnar
2. Rodriguez
3. Holiday
4. Cowser
5. Hall
6. Mayo
7. Ortiz
8. Westburg
9. Norby
10. Beavers
11. Fabian
12. Basallo
13. Hernaiz
14. Seth Johnson
15. Kjerstad

Nitpick the order, but this system is absolutely loaded. I couldn't find room for a couple of nice bats like Wagner, Bencosme and Estrada, and I'm kind of liking the 2021 drafted pitchers and think some may become prominent in the system next year. And there's a decent chance that once Baumler pitches healthy that he flies into the top 10 kind of like Ortiz has done this year.

[UMDTerrapins]

My two deep dive prospects from last year continue to catch my eye this year. Greg Cullen reached base five times today. He's an on-base machine (.403 OBP this year). I'd love to know what happened to him in the middle of the season.....I know he had injury issues. He's a poor fielder and struggles to get at bats behind highly regarded prospects, but I really like his at-bats. And Xavier Moore quietly put up a 1.36 ERA for Aberdeen, striking out 15.8 per 9 innings. I've wondered if he's been held in Aberdeen this season so he wasn't likely to draw Rule V attention this offseason. 

[Tony-OH]

There are obviously going to be some changes since the last power rankings, but I've decide to not make another one this season. I've begun work on the final top 30 so I'm going to focus on that.