Orioles govt vp and common supervisor Mike Elias typically speaks of his need to see prospects “graduate Triple-A” when it comes to efficiency earlier than selling them to the majors. Jordan Westburg’s cap and robe ultimately got here Monday.
After greater than a yr of sturdy performances with Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles known as up Westburg, a 24-year-old infielder Baseball America ranks because the No. 4 prospect within the group and No. 46 within the sport, earlier than Monday evening’s recreation in opposition to the Cincinnati Reds. To create roster house for Westburg, the Orioles optioned infielder Joey Ortiz to Norfolk, whereas catcher José Godoy cleared waivers and accepted an project to Norfolk, opening a 40-man roster spot.
In 158 video games with the Tides throughout the previous two seasons, Westburg hit .283/.366/.533 with 36 house runs and 128 runs pushed in. Promoted to Norfolk alongside eventual high general prospect Gunnar Henderson early final June, Westburg needed to wait for much longer for his first alternative within the majors. Westburg had 714 Triple-A plate appearances earlier than his promotion, in contrast with Henderson’s 295.
Like Henderson, Westburg was Baltimore’s second choice in a draft, taken thirtieth general in 2020 out of Mississippi State a yr after the Orioles drafted Henderson out of an Alabama highschool atop the second spherical with choose No. 42. His school expertise gave him an early leg up on Henderson, however the pair spent a lot of their climbs up Baltimore’s farm system sharing infields. Most of Westburg’s defensive appearances within the minors got here at shortstop, however he typically ceded the place to Henderson and Ortiz whereas seeing common time at second and third base.
Both beat him to the majors. Henderson was known as up final August, baseball’s high prospect arriving amid the Orioles’ surprising playoff push. Ortiz, additionally a member of Baltimore’s 2019 draft class, was eligible for the Rule 5 draft this previous offseason and thus was added to the group’s 40-man roster, making it simpler for the membership to advertise him over Westburg when a necessity arose for a right-handed-hitting infielder early this yr.
Earlier this month, the Orioles added Josh Lester, a minor league veteran, to the 40-man roster and promoted him over Westburg, with supervisor Brandon Hyde explaining Lester’s call-up by saying the membership sought one other left-handed bat forward of a string of matchups with right-handed starters. In his skilled profession, Westburg has fared much better in opposition to right-handed pitching, posting an OPS greater than 350 factors greater this season when going through same-handed pitchers in contrast with when he has the platoon benefit.
If Westburg had any frustrations over being bypassed, he by no means allow them to present in his play. He completed 2022 with an .852 OPS, 27 house runs and 106 RBIs between Norfolk and Double-A Bowie, acknowledged because the group’s minor league participant of the yr. This season with the Tides, Westburg has hit .295/.372/.567 with 18 house runs and 54 RBIs in 67 video games. Westburg additionally made six defensive appearances within the outfield for Norfolk, reflecting the flexibility he now brings to Baltimore.
Westburg’s efficiency displays the reward teammates and coaches heaped on him in spring coaching, with many selecting the phrase “consistent” because the one which finest defines him and his recreation. He was certainly one of six infield prospects in Baltimore’s main league camp who appeared on at the least one offseason record of baseball’s high 100 prospects, and solely he and Henderson lasted till the top of spring. A late-camp damage to one of many Orioles’ established infielders may need resulted in Westburg touchdown on the opening-day roster.
Instead, his wait continued months into the season. On Monday, it’ll lastly finish.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com