On the ultimate day of Joey Ortiz’s most up-to-date stint with the Orioles, his supervisor made an admission.
“I just haven’t gotten him in there enough,” Brandon Hyde mentioned Sunday after praising the infielder’s protection.
Ortiz was optioned to Triple-A the next morning in favor of Jordan Westburg, one other prime 100 infield prospect. After making his MLB debut in late April, Ortiz was on Baltimore’s roster for twenty-four video games throughout three stints as he yo-yoed between Triple-A and the majors. In that point, he totaled simply 34 plate appearances.
Could the identical factor occur to Westburg?
The promotion of the membership’s No. 4 prospect, in accordance with Baseball America, on Monday was uplifting, as Westburg checked a number of packing containers, together with his first RBI, hit and internet gem. In the wake of the joy, although, are powerful selections the Orioles’ brass and Hyde should make relating to the day by day development of their infield.
When Ortiz, the membership’s No. 5 prospect, was within the majors, that calculation — for higher or worse — ended with him usually occupying a spot on the bench. Perhaps it is going to be totally different for Westburg, who’s ranked greater on prospect lists and put up higher and extra constant numbers within the minors than Ortiz. Whether Westburg turns into an on a regular basis participant, like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson earlier than him, or serves a part-time function, like Ortiz and Kyle Stowers, stays to be seen.
Five gamers at the moment are a part of this puzzle, however solely three spots can be found. Getting probably the most out of this group will likely be a troublesome needle to string, however the means (or lack of ability) to take action will play a key function within the membership’s pursuit of a playoff spot in addition to the way it handles promotions of future prospects.
Hyde, naturally, didn’t delineate how he would divvy up taking part in time at second base, shortstop and third transferring ahead. He mentioned no specific configuration can be “set in stone,” including he’d “mix and match” the group of gamers.
“With the amount of talent we have on our roster, I think that’s gonna be fantastic to be able to move guys around a little bit, get guys off their feet once in a while,” Hyde mentioned. “To be able to have as much depth as we can, it’s gonna be fortunate.”
The gamers on this equation — Jorge Mateo, Adam Frazier, Ramón Urías, Henderson and Westburg — had been both in full-time roles final season or are younger sufficient prospects that constant taking part in time is, in concept, most popular for his or her improvement.
Henderson entered the season because the No. 1 prospect within the sport and has emerged as one of many workforce’s prime hitters versus right-handed pitchers. Mateo was one of many sport’s prime defensive shortstops in 2022, though he’s within the midst of a two-month stoop. Urías can be an elite defender on prime of being a league common hitter, however his energy has diminished this 12 months. Frazier was paid $8 million this offseason, however neither his batting common nor defensive metrics are the place they’ve been previously. And Westburg … who is aware of? He was excellent in Triple-A, however the 24-year-old solely has two large league video games below his belt.
The first two trials of this new experiment weren’t essentially consultant of how the pileup will play out, as each got here towards left-handed beginning pitchers. Westburg began each video games at second base, whereas Frazier, who bats from the left aspect, was on the bench. Mateo began each at shortstop, whereas Urías additionally began each, one at third and one at first (a place he’s performed solely a handful of video games this season as Ryan Mountcastle stays sidelined with vertigo). Henderson, in the meantime, wasn’t in Monday’s lineup however did begin Tuesday; the left-handed hitter has been within the lineup for 17 of the membership’s 28 video games versus left-handed starters.
Tuesday’s contest demonstrated the positional flexibility at Hyde’s disposal. In the eighth inning, Hyde made six defensive modifications, with gamers transferring all around the subject. Four of his outfielders can play middle subject, and he has three infielders he can use at second, quick and third, together with Westburg, who has expertise taking part in all three within the minors.
“I feel like we have a lot of guys that contribute,” Hyde mentioned. “A lot of the good teams right now have platoons with a really good bench and guys that play a lot. I expect our guys to play a lot.”
By wanting solely at offensive numbers, Mateo and Frazier are the 2 who may see their taking part in time affected probably the most — the previous versus right-handed starters, the latter towards lefties — as each have been well-below common on the plate this season.
After a scorching April because the membership’s finest hitter, Mateo has fallen off a cliff in May and June, along with his OPS falling from a team-best 1.062 to a team-worst .617. Mateo, whose monstrous April was credited to his new toe faucet, mentioned he’s been “trying to do too much” and wasn’t feeling himself on the plate earlier this month. He seems like he’s turned a nook just lately, although, after reaching base twice on each Sunday and Monday.
“I’ve been working really hard to get my rhythm back at the plate,” Mateo mentioned via workforce interpreter Brandon Quinones. “I think I’m starting to get my rhythm back now, and I’m starting to feel a lot more confident at the plate.”
Despite his struggles with the bat, Hyde mentioned he believes Mateo, who received the 2022 Fielding Bible Award as the most effective defensive shortstop in baseball, makes up for his offensive deficiencies along with his glove.
“If we don’t play well up the middle, we’re going to have problems,” Hyde mentioned. “[Mateo] has really played outstanding shortstop defense for us once again this year.”
Frazier, in the meantime, hasn’t returned to his former self the way in which fellow bounce-back candidates Kyle Gibson and Aaron Hicks have. The 31-year-old Frazier has sandwiched a strong May with a beneath common April and a poor June. He’s slashing .228/.297/.382, though his anticipated batting common based mostly on high quality of contact is greater than 50 factors greater than his precise determine, in accordance with Baseball Savant, suggesting he’s acquired dangerous batted-ball luck and might be due for optimistic regression.
“The plate appearances are still good. He still manages his at-bat extremely well,” Hyde mentioned. “I’m hoping some of these balls fall for him.”
Hyde mentioned managing his infield “hasn’t been challenging up to this point,” noting, pretty, that his workforce is likely one of the finest within the American League with a 48-30 document. But the ultimate 4 phrases of that quote — “up to this point” — might be prescient, as Westburg’s promotion, and doubtlessly these of outfielders Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad later this season, will solely complicate the lineup logjam additional.
Whether it’s Ortiz, Westburg, Cowser or Kjerstad, as soon as prospects attain the majors, Hyde mentioned their improvement is secondary to the general purpose.
“We’re gonna bring guys up here if we feel like they can help us win,” Hyde mentioned. “We feel like Jordan can help us win, impact our team positively. It’s not a development situation. We’re trying to win games.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com