Orioles outfield prospect Nate George has been one of the true out-of-nowhere surprises throughout Minor League Baseball this year.
George was taken by the Orioles out of Minooka Community High School, about 60 miles southwest of Chicago, in the 16th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. He signed for $455,500, roughly fifth-round money, rather than pursuing junior college ball at Northwest Florida State College.
The 6-foot, 200-pound outfielder hit .383/.451/.556 with six extra-base hits in 23 games with the FCL Orioles earlier this year, earning a promotion to Low-A Delmarva. He hit .337/.410/.491 with 16 extra-base hits in 43 games with the Shorebirds, earning a promotion to High-A Aberdeen. Those performances earned him a spot on Baseball America’s latest top-100 prospect list.
Considering George just turned 19 in June, it’s been quite a rapid rise.
“I’ve always been one of those guys [who has] kind of been under the radar, especially after getting drafted so late,” George said on Glenn Clark Radio Aug. 22. “Obviously, I had expectations to go higher but that’s not how it’s always going to work out. It’s not always going to play out how you want it. Going into the offseason with a chip on my shoulder, knowing that when I showed up to Florida for spring training I had something to prove. Ultimately, taking pride in my work and just being consistent every day knowing that I’ve got something to prove when I go out for the season.”
George began playing baseball at 6 years old and grew up a Cubs fan. George’s hair-on-fire approach to the game, as evidenced by how he plays the outfield and runs the bases, is obvious to anyone who watches him play.
“Ever since I got to high school, this is something that I knew I wanted to do,” George said. “I try to not take it as a job every day [but as] an opportunity that I get to use to just go out and have fun and do what I love. It’s obviously a job for me now, but I try not to look at it that way. I just try to look at it as a game, so just go out and have fun and make sure I’m working hard and staying consistent with my work. Ultimately, that’s my goal. I want to be a Major League Baseball player.”
George is hitting .209/.327/.279 with three extra-base hits since joining the IronBirds, but he has enough time to make some adjustments before the end of the season. He plans to train in Sarasota this offseason rather than back home in Illinois.
“In Illinois I love the places that I train, but I don’t really get any strict one-on-one coaching and one-on-one development with professionals — guys that have done it and have been through the whole process,” George said. “Those are guys that I want to be surrounded by this offseason.”
Training in Sarasota will also give George an opportunity to dig into the resources provided by the organization in an effort to become a better ballplayer.
“We are really analytical as an organization, I would say, and I’m slowly starting to pick it up,” George said. “Sometimes I try not to take too much of it in, especially on game days and when I’m playing. But definitely during this offseason that’s something that I want to hammer and develop and learn more, especially when I’m not playing games every day. The little advantages can get give me an edge in the long run.”
For more from George, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Nate Laws