Who are the 2023 Orioles #3 and #4 prospects?

[Tony-OH]

Who are the 2023 Orioles #3 and #4 prospects?

[LookinUp]

Sam is 3. Heston is 4.

Only other option is Mayo at 3 and Heston at 4, IMO.

I think Tony loves Mayo and has him above Basallo.

And I assume that Tony really likes Kjerstad, but just not as much as those other two.

[Aristotelian]

35 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

Sam is 3. Heston is 4.

Only other option is Mayo at 3 and Heston at 4, IMO.

I think Tony loves Mayo and has him above Basallo.

And I assume that Tony really likes Kjerstad, but just not as much as those other two.

This is my thinking exactly. 3/3 so far and feeling confident about this pick.

[Mooreisbetter27]

I have not done very good this time so far.  Only 1 out of 3.  But, gotta be Basallo - Kjerstad.

Tony is really big on Mayo.  Then again, I wonder if the questions about his position long term may have pushed Mayo to 3.  Damnit, I already voted.  

Basallo and Kjerstad!

[btdart20]

The big part of this question isn't who's 3 and 4, but who's 2 and 3.  Jackson at 1.  Then who?

Even if HK's bat were projected to the same level as Mayo/Basallo, he doesn't play the premium positions of C or 3B.

Mayo's closer, so I'll put him #2.  

[ChuckS]

Think Basallo will be the surprise at #2.  19 year-old catching prospects who are able to hit their way to Double A in their first full professional season are exceedingly rare. 

Mayo and Kjerstad in these slots. 

[sportsfan8703]

Basallo has some serious helium and it wouldn't surprise me if he cracked the top 20 on some of the various lists out there.  Depending on the draft and how fast some of the top guys like Crews, Skenes, etc... move up to the MLB... Basallo has a chance to be our next #1 overall prospect in MLB.  

[RZNJ]

Tony seems to think Mayo can stick at 3B so I think he’s got Mayo at #2 and Basallo at #3 which means Kjerstad is #4.

[Sports Guy]

I think it’s Basallo over Mayo but I also think that’s a toss up. Tony has been very high on Mayo from the beginning, so I think he will rate him a little higher but I’m guessing it’s very close.  
 

What Basallo did this year and the idea that he is younger and a catcher certainly gives him the right to be over Mayo.

[Frobby]

This has to be either Mayo/Kjerstad or Basallo/Kjerstad, and it boils down to whether Mayo or Basallo is our no. 2 prospect.   And that is an extremely tough call.   Both those guys came on like a freight train at the end of the year.   

On the one hand, I think Basallo has the higher ceiling because there’s a decent chance he can stick at catcher.  Catchers who can hit and play decent defense are among the rarest commodities in baseball.   So if I was doing this purely on ceiling, I’d go with Basallo.

On the other hand, you can’t ignore that Mayo was mashing in AAA at 21 years old.  .905 OPS in 267 PA there, and he hit .360/.491/.674 in September.  Basallo’s offensive ceiling is about equally high, but with 16 PA in AA, there’s just a bit more risk that upper level pitchers will find some holes in 2024.   

So, by a razor thin margin, I think Mayo will be no. 2 and Basallo no. 3, resulting in a Basallo/Kjerstad choice for this poll.  It’s great to see Kjerstad up this high, and already with a foot in the door in the majors, when you consider his health setbacks and his struggles at Aberdeen in 2022.   He came a long way this year.  

 

[interloper]

1. Holliday
2. Basallo
3. Mayo
4. Kjerstad

 

[Tony-OH]

You guys are making a loot of good comments. The one thing I will say is that whoever is #3 is really #2b. 

[jamalshw]

I love how we were wondering (or at least I was) whether Kjerstad could make the huge jump this year and we saw Basallo last year, but wondered what he would do. Both were at interesting points in their development journeys this year with questions to be answered and both answered those questions about as well as possible. I voted Basallo and Kjerstad here just because I see Mayo further in the development and as a bigger certainty. Positionally, Basallo could be given the edge.

[btdart20]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

You guys are making a loot of good comments. The one thing I will say is that whoever is #3 is really #2b. 

Or is #3 really #1c?!   

[sportsfan8703]

It's hard to believe that we've graduated so many top prospects already but still have guys past Holliday that could you make an argument for top 25 in all of baseball.  Cowser already was.  Kjerstad could be and was creeping up in the rankings.  Mayo and Basallo seem like they make make some off season lists, but definitely some updated lists once some older players graduate.  

We're also getting three number 1 picks in this upcoming draft.  With the possibility of trading Santander, Mullins, and Hays, over the next two offseasons.  Our player identification abilities and development success, really add a huge "pro" to the pro/con list of making any of those trades.