The Orioles have one of the top farm systems in baseball, but there are still some concerns about the system, particularly regarding its pitching depth. However, there still is plenty to be excited about considering the amount of position player talent that Baltimore possesses.
It all starts with the consensus No. 1 prospect in all of baseball, catcher Adley Rutschman.
“They have made a decision, in the draft especially, that they’re going all-in on bats,” Keith Law, senior baseball writer for The Athletic, said on Glenn Clark Radio Feb. 17. “… There are hitters coming. I do not worry about this group’s ability to put together a contending, championship-caliber lineup. And I do think they probably have all those pieces in the system right now.”
The Athletic recently released Law’s top-20 Orioles prospects list. Seven of the top 10 are position players. Rutschman is the one fans are most excited by and for good reason. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound switch-hitting catcher was the No. 1 pick of the 2019 MLB Draft and fans have been waiting for his debut ever since.
Last season, Rutschman slashed .271/.392/.508 for Double-A Bowie and .312/.405/.490 for Triple-A Norfolk. Rutschman has shown he can hit for contact and power with exceptional plate discipline. However, Law did make it a point that Rutschman still plays an incredibly taxing position.
“There’s huge positional value in a guy who can really catch and also projects to do something at the plate, but I fully acknowledge that there’s a lot of risk involved,” Law said. “And if something goes wrong with Rutschman, that’s it. By far the most likely thing that could derail him is injury.”
While injuries are something no one can ever predict, Law was simply highlighting the risk involved with catching. But Law also made sure to point out how great Rutschman could be if everything goes according to plan.
“Realistically, if he stays healthy, we sort of set that aside, what’s the lower bound for him? It’s that he’s an everyday player and that’s kind of it,” Law said. “The upper bound is he’s an MVP-type player, that this is Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk, somebody like that.”
In addition to Rutschman, Law’s Orioles top five also includes outfielder Colton Cowser and infielder Gunnar Henderson. While these are names Orioles fans have been hearing about for the past couple of years, Law explained that shortstop Joey Ortiz can help out the big-league team pretty soon. Law ranked Ortiz as the Orioles’ No. 7 prospect.
Ortiz, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound shortstop, bats from the right side. Law saw Ortiz play in 2021 and saw a completely revamped swing that produces plenty of hard contact as well as good defense at short. Law believes Ortiz could help the Orioles in the big leagues in 2022.
“I think it’s real, I think it’s sustainable,” Law said of Ortiz’s production. “I actually said at the end of the Orioles rankings, ‘I’m not going to predict he makes the top 100 next year because if he hits like that, he should be their shortstop by the middle of the season.’ He should actually graduate from the list because I think he is that ready. And who’s blocking him?”
While the Orioles have some strong bats in their organization, it is difficult to envision a future rotation made up of guys in the minor-league system, according to Law. However, if the Orioles want to make some improvements on the mound in future, they do have solid depth from which to trade.
“I don’t know how you put together a championship-caliber rotation from what’s in the system,” Law said. “And so then you’re either signing those guys or you’re trading for them. We don’t know yet.”
The Orioles’ pitching prospects are led by Grayson Rodriguez, who was ranked as the Orioles’ No. 2 prospect and No. 14 in baseball By Law. Rodriguez is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-hander who was picked 11th in the 2018 draft. Law also ranked lefty D.L. Hall as the O’s No. 5 prospect and No. 81 overall, but he did miss the majority of last season with an elbow injury.
Rodriguez’s build certainly fits the bill of a big-league pitcher. He showed off what he was capable of in the minors last season. The right-hander racked up an incredible 161 strikeouts in 103 innings between High-A and Double-A. Between both leagues, Rodriguez finished with a 9-1 record and a 2.36 ERA. While the numbers are certainly impressive, Law noted how few innings Rodriguez has thrown as a pro.
Rodriguez averaged a tick below five innings pitched per outing in 2021, which is a bit concerning to Law. Rodriguez has not suffered any injuries, yet the Orioles have continued to limit his workload.
“He has not been pushed as hard, so to speak, as most pitching prospects in the minors,” Law said. “Grayson Rodriguez can usually walk to the mound and say, ‘I’m not facing more than about 18 batters tonight, so I don’t have to pace myself that much.’ And he is so strong he can sit 98 for 75 pitches. Well what happens in 100 to 110 pitches?”
While the Orioles have a ton of great prospects in their system, they are also expected to have the first overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. As of right now, there isn’t a surefire No. 1 prospect for the upcoming draft, but things can certainly change in the lead-up to the draft. The Orioles hope they can find a future superstar.
“This is not a good crop of college position players and that’s who the Orioles want to take when they pick in the single digits,” Law said. “… Do they just say, ‘You know what, if this is a high school hitter year, we’re going to take the best high school hitter that we see out there,’ or do they try to get creative again with the money?”
For more from Law, listen to the full interiew here:
Photo Credit: Steven Goldburg