Orioles #30 Prospect Brandon Young - RHP

[Tony-OH]

Brandon Young
Throws: RHP
Age (as of Jun 30th): 24
2023 Level: FCL/A-/A+/AA

Pitches (current/future value)
Fastball: 45/50
Curveball: 40/45
Change: 45/50
Slider: 40/45
Command: 40/50

Most Likely: Long/Swing man in bullpen
Ceiling: 4th/5th starter

Bio: The 24-year old right-hander returned from Tommy John surgery and made his back to Double-A (Bowie) for six starts where he was a bit up and down. At 6-foot-6, Young throws downhill and while his fastball doesn't have great velocity, he does get some swing and miss on the pitch. You can sit 90-93 with his fastball, but can move it around the strike zone though he uses it well up in the zone.

Young's best pitch is his change up that he's not afraid to throw right on right at times. When it's on, he gets good fade and drop and he can throw it enough for strikes that hitters have to be aware of the pitch. His curveball is a big 12-6 pitch that he struggled to land for strikes and it rolls up there a little too much. His slider is a get me over pitch that works more like a cutter.

Young's stuff wasn't very crisp on his return, but that's not surprising coming off the surgery. The hope is after a full offseason he'll return to the 4-pitcher starting pitching prospect. If you squint hard enough you can see a 4-pitch back of the rotation starter.

[Sports Guy]

@Tony-OH now that the top 30 is complete….how many guys did you consider having in the top 30 and how does that compare to previous years?

[ChosenOne21]

Gotta love that our 30th best prospect has a chance to be a 4-pitch back of the rotation starter. Thanks again for all the writeups, Tony!

[Tony-OH]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

@Tony-OH now that the top 30 is complete….how many guys did you consider having in the top 30 and how does that compare to previous years?

I had a bunch of guys in and out of the last five spots. But honestly, it's not that I loved that many guys, but more because I wasn't thrilled with my options.

Really after 25 you can start throwing guys in very large bins. 

I went round and round with Young, Pinto, Pham, Gilles, Wells, Sharkey, Chace and D. Cruz for this last spot but ultimately think Young has the best chance of size and stuff, especially the change up for such a big guy. But if someone wanted to argue for the others guys I mentioned and probably ten more I could build a case as well.

I'll be writing brief synopses' for those guys, probably out to 75 again.

[LookinUp]

I went away for a few days and just caught up with prospects 19 through 30. What stuck out to me in the whole top 30 was two things. First was all of the international prospects. I take that as a positive sign. Second was the list from 21 to 25. A lot of those guys are guys that I had hoped would be much higher. For various reasons, they struggled. So overall, this list looks like it has less depth to me than last year, but with more possible upside from the international guys. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

I had a bunch of guys in and out of the last five spots. But honestly, it's not that I loved that many guys, but more because I wasn't thrilled with my options.

Really after 25 you can start throwing guys in very large bins. 

I went round and round with Young, Pinto, Pham, Gilles, Wells, Sharkey, Chace and D. Cruz for this last spot but ultimately think Young has the best chance of size and stuff, especially the change up for such a big guy. But if someone wanted to argue for the others guys I mentioned and probably ten more I could build a case as well.

I'll be writing brief synopses' for those guys, probably out to 75 again.

I’m looking forward to those write ups.  Two names I thought I might see are Deivy Cruz and Alex Pham.  Cruz at 19 made 26 appearances (19 starts) in the Carolina League and threw to a 3.62 ERA and 9.6 K/9.   Pham at age 23 made a good case to be our MiL pitcher of the year while posting a 2.57 ERA and 10.4 K/9 across A+/AA.  He’s not an imposing guy but he gets results.  

[ChosenOne21]

21 hours ago, Frobby said:

Pham at age 23 made a good case to be our MiL pitcher of the year while posting a 2.57 ERA and 10.4 K/9 across A+/AA.  He’s not an imposing guy but he gets results.  

Shades of Alex Wells?

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, ChosenOne21 said:

Shades of Alex Wells?

Could be.  I believe Pham can throw in the low 90’s and his K rates this year were significantly higher than Wells had in A+/AA.

[now]

What's up with Brandon Young?

Out of nowhere (#30 prospect above... undrafted?) he goes 3 IP with 0 hits or walks, and 7 Ks, throwing an otherworldly 26 of 31 pitches for strikes, in Bowie's game today.

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, now said:

What's up with Brandon Young?

Out of nowhere (#30 prospect above... undrafted?) he goes 3 IP with 0 hits or walks, and 7 Ks, throwing an otherworldly 26 of 31 pitches for strikes, in Bowie's game today.

He was signed in the Covid year when they only had a 5 round draft, which is why he was undrafted.  Was showing promise bur tore his UCL in 2022.  Pitched a little last year, this is his first full year back.  Nice to see the good outing.  

[Aristotelian]

7 hours ago, now said:

What's up with Brandon Young?

Out of nowhere (#30 prospect above... undrafted?) he goes 3 IP with 0 hits or walks, and 7 Ks, throwing an otherworldly 26 of 31 pitches for strikes, in Bowie's game today.

I noticed that line in the box score too and had to look him up. 

[now]

Now overall I notice 29 K's in 17 innings. That ratio of 1.7 is top of the line for a starter!