To this level, when the Orioles have for the primary time referred to as up a younger hitter acquired throughout Mike Elias’ tenure as the chief vp and basic supervisor, that debuting participant has been certainly one of two forms of prospect.
One group is the No. 1 total prospects. Catcher Adley Rutschman and infielder Gunnar Henderson have been Baltimore’s first two draft picks underneath Elias, with Rutschman taken with the primary total choice in 2019 and Henderson chosen atop the second spherical. Both rose to the highest of prospect lists, and after they ascended to the majors, they instantly turned regulars in supervisor Brandon Hyde’s lineups.
On the opposite finish of the spectrum have been gamers who both narrowly cracked publications’ lists of the sport’s high 100 prospects or by no means made them in any respect. Outfielder Kyle Stowers, infielder Joey Ortiz and utility participant Terrin Vavra have discovered themselves shuffled by the identical roster spots so far this season, typically serving in sporadic platoon roles whereas within the majors because the Orioles stability their improvement with main league wants.
Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg break up this binary, and in that method, they current Elias and the Orioles’ entrance workplace a prospect promotion puzzle they haven’t but confronted in Baltimore. Each entered this week with an OPS above 1.000 at Triple-A Norfolk, showcasing on-base means and energy. Neither is able to comply with Rutschman and Henderson as baseball’s No. 1 total prospect, however each are well-established as being among the many high 100 within the sport.
A 23-year-old outfielder Baltimore drafted fifth total in 2021, Cowser is Baseball America’s No. 34 total prospect, ranked thirty first by MLB Pipeline. Westburg, a 24-year-old infielder taken thirtieth total a 12 months earlier, is 68th and 52nd on these respective lists. With Henderson graduating from prospect standing earlier this 12 months, Baseball America has Cowser as Baltimore’s No. 3 prospect, with Westburg fifth.
None of Stowers, Ortiz and Vavra have been considered one of many Orioles’ 5 greatest prospects at any level, and solely Ortiz has appeared in Baseball America’s high 100, opening this season at No. 95 and since climbing to 88th. Stowers was Baltimore’s third draftee in 2019 behind Rutschman and Henderson, with Ortiz going within the fourth spherical, whereas Vavra was acquired in a commerce with the Colorado Rockies after they took him within the third spherical in 2018.
The trio has 83 mixed plate appearances within the majors this 12 months, with all however eight coming in opposition to opposite-handed pitchers. Despite usually having the platoon benefit, they’ve mixed to hit .153 (11-for-72) of their part-time roles.
“It’s not necessarily the easiest thing in the world,” Vavra acknowledged. “But no one’s job in here is easy.”
Each has had some success whereas in Triple-A this 12 months; Stowers has hit .293 with a .996 OPS, Ortiz .320 with an .895 OPS and Vavra .286 with a .333 on-base proportion, however that has but to hold over to Baltimore of their restricted alternatives.
Those outputs don’t examine with what Cowser and Westburg have executed. Coming off International League Player of the Week recognition, Cowser got here into this week batting .336 with a 1.044 OPS with Norfolk, strolling almost as a lot as he’s struck out. Westburg spent a lot of final 12 months at Triple-A, incomes the Orioles’ minor league participant of the 12 months honor, and has been even higher this 12 months, with a .321 common, 1.021 OPS and 11 dwelling runs by final week. Tuesday marked his 124th profession sport at Triple-A; Rutschman and Henderson performed 120 mixed.
“They’re ballers,” mentioned Orioles left-hander Cole Irvin, recent off a promotion from Norfolk. “They know what they’re doing. They know how to prepare. Colton is definitely a hell of a hitter, hell of a leadoff guy down there. He’s still young. There’s still things in maybe his process that he’s probably still figuring out. Westy, he’s swinging the bat, too. He’s really fun to watch night to night.”
But Hyde mentioned “it’s a total crapshoot” when requested what points of a hitters’ Triple-A efficiency are more than likely to translate to the majors.
“Pitching and hitting in Triple-A, it’s just such a different game,” Hyde mentioned. “In both ways, the talent level here is remarkably different, so you just never know until a guy gets here.”
In that sense, there are not any ensures that Cowser or Westburg gained’t endure the identical struggles as Stowers, Vavra and Ortiz or discover themselves getting totally different alternatives than that trio. Cowser, like Stowers, is a left-handed-hitting outfielder; though Cowser is extra able to taking part in middle area, he’s additionally had much less success than Stowers in opposition to left-handed pitching, making him much more prone to a platoon state of affairs. Westburg, like Ortiz, is a right-handed hitter who can play across the infield, although he’s carried out much better in opposition to right-handers than left-handers the previous two years.
But Hyde additionally has avenues the place he may give them common taking part in time with out disrupting his different starters, utilizing the designated hitter spot, relaxation days and positional flexibility.
Unlike Stowers and Ortiz, neither Cowser nor Westburg are on the 40-man roster, although the Orioles’ has a gap. Rutschman and Henderson each have been added to the 40-man roster along with their first call-ups, whereas Vavra and Ortiz have been already on it; Stowers was a substitute participant in Toronto for COVID-19 vaccination functions and wasn’t required to be added to make his debut.
Of that group, Baltimore has given instant full-time alternatives to solely Rutschman and Henderson, the previous No. 1 prospects. But even they’ve had their early struggles. Rutschman hit .207 by his first month within the majors, then completed because the runner-up for American League Rookie of the Year and has since been certainly one of baseball’s best gamers. After a powerful September cameo, Henderson is batting .184, although he’s improved of late and has continuously drawn walks. Both gamers have been afforded the alternatives to push by their troubles, which hasn’t been the case for the lesser prospects, who’ve typically been swapped out for each other by the primary quarter of Baltimore’s season.
There are long-term implications looming over calling up each Cowser and Westburg. By ready at the least a pair extra weeks to name both up, the Orioles may guarantee neither achieves Super Two standing, the place a sure portion of gamers earn an extra fourth 12 months of arbitration eligibility based mostly on their main league service time. In 2022, that cutoff date took place two months into the season, although it varies from 12 months to 12 months.
Elias mentioned final week that calling up Westburg is “an active topic of conversation” for the Orioles; he described selling Stowers in an analogous method final fall. He additionally famous Cowser’s lack of expertise at Triple-A, although his 64 video games on the stage are 9 greater than Rutschman and one fewer than Henderson performed earlier than their respective call-ups.
“Everything he’s doing is really encouraging,” Elias mentioned. “If he keeps this up, he’s going to put himself in a position to help this team. But I don’t think we’re at that moment in time yet where we can say that he’s graduated Triple-A.”
Henderson already established that continued excellence can drive this entrance workplace’s hand, although his call-up didn’t come till he gained seemingly useless expertise on the precise aspect of the infield and the Orioles ensured he retained rookie eligibility into this season, permitting them to doubtlessly obtain additional draft picks for his early-career efficiency.
Still, he was promoted greater than a 12 months earlier than he was required to be added to the 40-man roster for Rule 5 draft safety functions; Westburg can be eligible this winter and Cowser subsequent.
Both are additionally eligible to be added to the Orioles’ roster at any time. When, and the function they land in, are to be decided.
Angels at Orioles
Wednesday, 6:35 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com