Orioles 2022 #9 Prospect Connor Norby - 2B/LF

[RZNJ]

15 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

This is why I thought Basallo would be the pick.  I do not see how you have Basallo in the top 10 now and it surprises me that you would take Norby over him if you had to choose between the 2.

To me, Norby should be on the trading block.  

Whether Norby should be on the trading block or not has nothing to do with his ranking above Basallo.   Basallo has a higher ceiling because he might be able to be a good catcher with a power bat.   But he hasn't proven himself in full season ball.   That's probably the only reason he isn't going to be in the top 10 this time around.

Norby could be a power hitting 2B or he could be a power hitting LF, IF you believe in the bat.   He was supposedly bat over power, just like Cowser, coming out of college.   Curiously, both look more power over bat, after this season.    I think both are exciting offensively, because both sacrificed some hittability to tap into the power.    Norby seemed to be finding the happy medium at Bowie (20% strikeout rate/.661 slugging in August) and, especially Norfolk (16% strikeout rate combined in September/.629 slugging), combining contact with power.   Hell of a combination.    If and when Cowser can do the same, wow!

Norby could have a special bat.  I don't know but those numbers look like the best combination of power/contact in the system.

Edited November 14, 2022 by RZNJ

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Whether Norby should be on the trading block or not has nothing to do with his ranking above Basallo.   Basallo has a higher ceiling because he might be able to be a good catcher with a power bat.   But he hasn't proven himself in full season ball.   That's probably the only reason he isn't going to be in the top 10 this time around.

Norby could be a power hitting 2B or he could be a power hitting LF, IF you believe in the bat.   He was supposedly bat over power, just like Cowser, coming out of college.   Curiously, both look more power over bat, after this season.    I think both are exciting offensively, because both sacrificed some hittability to tap into the power.    Norby seemed to be finding the happy medium at Bowie (20% strikeout rate/.661 slugging in August) and, especially Norfolk (16% strikeout rate combined in September/.629 slugging), combining contact with power.   Hell of a combination.    If and when Cowser can do the same, wow!

Norby could have a special bat.  I don't know but those numbers look like the best combination of power/contact in the system.

Never said that Basallo has any impact on Norby being on the trade block.

[Sports Guy]

Norby reminds of the Huira situation.  Hopefully his bat translates better than Huira’s did.

[RZNJ]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

Never said that Basallo has any impact on Norby being on the trade block.

Never said you did.

[RZNJ]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Norby reminds of the Huira situation.  Hopefully his bat translates better than Huira’s did.

Huira's numbers were good but unspectacular until he played in the PCL.

[Tony-OH]

2 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

Your take reminds me a little bit of Steve Pearce. Pearce was listed 5-11. Good enough bat to DH, but athletic enough to play some 1B, OF, and even 2B in a pinch. Norby could be a similar DH-Utility guy and get 500 AB's. 

He has a skill set that might work well at 1st base, but I do think the size thing is an issue. Infielders like those lanky targets and while there are no numbers available on how many plays extra a lanky can make at 1B over a shorter guy, it just makes sense that the preference is for the tall lanky guy.

Offensively he's got more power than Pearce, but may not have as good a hit tool but overall, Pearce is not the worse comp for him. Dave Uggla might be a the best comp right now for me and the good news is Norby is way ahead of Uggla's development.

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

Whether Norby should be on the trading block or not has nothing to do with his ranking above Basallo.   Basallo has a higher ceiling because he might be able to be a good catcher with a power bat.   But he hasn't proven himself in full season ball.   That's probably the only reason he isn't going to be in the top 10 this time around.

Norby could be a power hitting 2B or he could be a power hitting LF, IF you believe in the bat.   He was supposedly bat over power, just like Cowser, coming out of college.   Curiously, both look more power over bat, after this season.    I think both are exciting offensively, because both sacrificed some hittability to tap into the power.    Norby seemed to be finding the happy medium at Bowie (20% strikeout rate/.661 slugging in August) and, especially Norfolk (16% strikeout rate combined in September/.629 slugging), combining contact with power.   Hell of a combination.    If and when Cowser can do the same, wow!

Norby could have a special bat.  I don't know but those numbers look like the best combination of power/contact in the system.

I'll be honest and say Norby was a tough one for me to place because that power/contact rate was impressive. Ultimately the defensive concerns put him at #9 for me, but the difference between 4-9 prospects on this list is not huge for me.

It's fun to debate and go back and forth, but I could build cases in various scenarios that would have guys switch around between 4-9 and not feel bad about it.  That shows the strength of the system.

[Tony-OH]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

This is why I thought Basallo would be the pick.  I do not see how you have Basallo in the top 10 now and it surprises me that you would take Norby over him if you had to choose between the 2.

To me, Norby should be on the trading block.  

I don't want to give too much away when it comes to Basallo, but the contact rate and low LD% combined with his distance from the big leagues dropped him below guys like Norby for me. The ceiling is immense, but the risk is extreme. 

[RZNJ]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I'll be honest and say Norby was a tough one for me to place because that power/contact rate was impressive. Ultimately the defensive concerns put him at #9 for me, but the difference between 4-9 prospects on this list is not huge for me.

It's fun to debate and go back and forth, but I could build cases in various scenarios that would have guys switch around between 4-9 and not feel bad about it.  That shows the strength of the system.

Yes.  Ortiz and Norby are both on the smaller side compared to Westburg and Cowser.    On one hand you have Ortiz and Norby who have shown power, especially over the 2nd half, and show better contact skills.   You would think that would translate better to MLB.   On the other hand Westburg, Cowser, and Mayo look to have more raw power, are bigger athletes, but seem to have more swing and miss.   I'm torn sometimes on which players I like better as future ML players/hitters.

[Sports Guy]

27 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I don't want to give too much away when it comes to Basallo, but the contact rate and low LD% combined with his distance from the big leagues dropped him below guys like Norby for me. The ceiling is immense, but the risk is extreme. 

So, higher ceiling but lower floor and bigger risk profile?  Fair to say that?

[Frobby]

53 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Yes.  Ortiz and Norby are both on the smaller side compared to Westburg and Cowser.    On one hand you have Ortiz and Norby who have shown power, especially over the 2nd half, and show better contact skills.   You would think that would translate better to MLB.   On the other hand Westburg, Cowser, and Mayo look to have more raw power, are bigger athletes, but seem to have more swing and miss.   I'm torn sometimes on which players I like better as future ML players/hitters.

They’re all going to be all-stars!   

[RZNJ]

10 minutes ago, Frobby said:

They’re all going to be all-stars!   

No, but I don't know which ones will and which ones won't.  lol

[Tony-OH]

4 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

So, higher ceiling but lower floor and bigger risk profile?  Fair to say that?

Yep, that covers it.

[Roll Tide]

5 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

I'll be honest and say Norby was a tough one for me to place because that power/contact rate was impressive. Ultimately the defensive concerns put him at #9 for me, but the difference between 4-9 prospects on this list is not huge for me.

It's fun to debate and go back and forth, but I could build cases in various scenarios that would have guys switch around between 4-9 and not feel bad about it.  That shows the strength of the system.

If he at all reminds you of Steve Pearce I’m not excited.

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, Roll Tide said:

If he at all reminds you of Steve Pearce I’m not excited.

That's pretty myopic.  Steve Pearce had a 13 year career, and was worth 10 WAR, and had a career OPS+ of 108.