Once Holliday graduates, the SS depth in the system looks pretty thin

[interloper]

Shortstops Ortiz and Hernaiz have been traded, Gunnar and Westburg are on the ML team, and Holliday's ML debut is imminent. The biggest remaining infield prospect is Norby who is pretty squarely a 2B/LF. Vavra is now listed as an outfielder on the Tides roster, for what it's worth. 

So where does that leave guys who can play shortstop when Holliday makes his debut? Well... there's not a lot, actually. Here is the system SS depth down to Aberdeen:

AAA
Greg Cullen (27, .634 OPS)
Errol Robinson (29, minor league signing, .624 OPS)

AA
Collin Burns (23, .690 OPS between several levels last year)
Anthony Servideo (24, .546 OPS between several levels)

A+
Frederick Bencosme (21, .657 OPS) listed as a 3B
Isaac DeLeon (22, .621 OPS)
Carter Young (23, .657 OPS)

Of course, the rest of the system depth is pretty strong. And with 2 long-term shortstops on the roster in Gunnar and Holliday (and Westburg, too), it's not like we'll need a lot of SS depth that we can't fill with a ML signing for the bench, etc. But our once-vaunted middle infield depth in the minors has taken a hit with graduations and trades. That's all positive though because it means we're winning and we successfully developed a ton of guys. And of course, there's a ton of interesting young international talent below A-ball. 

Edited February 5 by interloper

[Sports Guy]

And this was always the plan.

[MarCakes21]

1 minute ago, interloper said:

Of course, the rest of the system depth is pretty strong. And with 2 long-term shortstops on the roster in Gunnar and Hollidy, it's not like we'll need a lot of SS depth that we can't fill with a ML signing for the bench, etc. But our once-vaunted middle infield depth in the minors has taken a hit with graduations and trades. That's all positive though because it means we're winning and we successfully developed a ton of guys. 

I think this part is key.  You have 3 shortstops on the big league club for 6 years (Henderson/Holliday/Westburg).  And Elias has shown a routine for drafting the athletic SS/C/CF as up the middle staples.  You have probably 3 years of not drafting a SS if you wanted to.

[interloper]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

And this was always the plan.

1 minute ago, MarCakes21 said:

I think this part is key.  You have 3 shortstops on the big league club for 6 years (Henderson/Holliday/Westburg).  And Elias has shown a routine for drafting the athletic SS/C/CF as up the middle staples.  You have probably 3 years of not drafting a SS if you wanted to.

Totally agree with both. 

[interloper]

And by the way, I'm not discounting the possibility that a couple of these guys could still pop. 

Burns is still young and kind of held his own last year. He could be on track for utility profile.

Servideo I believe has been injured most of his time after getting drafted (61 AB in 2021, 73 AB in 2022, 330 in 2023), so last year was his first full year as a pro essentially. 

The trio at Aberdeen still have plenty of upside. One good season would get any of them squarely on the radar as a prospect. 

[Bemorewins]

If we have 2/3/4 players who can play SS at high to decent level on the Big League club, what is the depth needed for? 

It appears that some fans are going through this struggle to accept that the results of the Major League team are much more of a priority now and going forward for the foreseeable future than prospect rankings, system depth, etc.

Personally, I would rather have the most talent in the org be on the Orioles than in the Minor Leagues. But I respect the fact that for so long, prospects and following the Minor Leagues is all we had to be excited for and it is going to take some fans time to make the switch.

[Sports Guy]

I’m sure they will be drafting some SS early this coming draft. 

[RZNJ]

Two words.  Latin America. 

1. Leandro Arias

2. Luis Almeyda

3. Emilio Sanchez

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if pick #22 or pick #32 was a SS.

Good thread.  There definitely is a gap on MI prospects from  ML level down to Aberdeen. 

[Triple Crown]

Also have to remember we’re a much bigger player in the Caribbean market now

[Triple Crown]

Just now, Triple Crown said:

 

 

[TheWall]

Depth doesn't diminish because players reach the majors. 

[Moose Milligan]

Given we should be good at SS for awhile I’m okay with it. 

[interloper]

4 minutes ago, TheWall said:

Depth doesn't diminish because players reach the majors. 

Minor league depth does, yes. Haha.

Don't mistake this thread as any kind of criticism or concern, though. I just thought it would be interesting to take stock of SS-specific guys that remain after graduations and trades. Like others have said, it's a good thing. And there's a high chance that a couple of the international guys show up on the prospect radar. And I'm sure we will be focusing on SS in the draft. 

Edited February 5 by interloper

[Roll Tide]

33 minutes ago, MarCakes21 said:

I think this part is key.  You have 3 shortstops on the big league club for 6 years (Henderson/Holliday/Westburg).  And Elias has shown a routine for drafting the athletic SS/C/CF as up the middle staples.  You have probably 3 years of not drafting a SS if you wanted to.

I really don’t see this as a problem either.

[spleen1015]

3 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Given we should be good at SS for awhile I’m okay with it. 

Yep. Plenty of time to rebuild the depth.