The Orioles referred to as up the most effective prospect in baseball and have become a shock playoff contender. Might they repeat the previous and end the job?
On Monday, Baseball America launched its up to date record of baseball’s prime 100 prospects, with Triple-A Norfolk infielder Gunnar Henderson atop it. The 21-year-old has a .946 OPS for the Tides and has but to face a pitcher youthful than him. He had a comparatively quiet July — nonetheless posting an .826 OPS — however got here out robust within the first week of August, slashing .333/.429/.542 in final week’s sequence with Nashville.
If there’s one qualm in Henderson’s recreation this yr, it’s his efficiency in left-on-left matchups, hitting .219 with a .702 OPS. But he’s been significantly better in that regard since becoming a member of Norfolk in June, batting a decent .258/.329/.484.
With alternative seemingly out there on the Orioles’ infield, it’s presumably solely a matter of time earlier than Henderson joins fellow 2019 draftee and No. 1 total prospect Adley Rutschman in contributing to Baltimore’s playoff push.
But Henderson’s robust week wasn’t even among the many prime offensive displaying this week on the Orioles’ farm. Each week, The Baltimore Sun will break down 5 of the highest performers within the Orioles’ prospect ranks and hand out some superlatives for individuals who didn’t make that minimize.
1. Double-A Bowie outfielder Hudson Haskin
Haskin didn’t contribute to Bowie’s offensive onslaught this week towards Harrisburg with any house runs, however he nonetheless delivered extra-base hits with frequency. Baltimore’s 2020 second-round draft choose had two doubles and three triples amongst his seven hits, slashing .412/.600/.882 as he additionally walked greater than he struck out. The latter specifically was a welcome improvement from a participant who entered the week with thrice as many strikeouts as walks.
2. High-A Aberdeen left-hander Cade Povich
Making his organizational debut after being one of many 4 pitchers the Orioles acquired from the Minnesota Twins for All-Star nearer Jorge López, Povich shoved Saturday for the IronBirds. He didn’t enable a baserunner till the fifth inning or hit till the sixth as he completed six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. The 22-year-old was probably the most important piece of Baltimore’s return, with govt vp and common supervisor Mike Elias saying the group was “very, very high” on him and sees him as a possible front-of-the-rotation starter.
3. Double-A Bowie infielder Connor Norby
Entering the ultimate week of July, Norby was hitting .229 since becoming a member of Bowie in late June. He’s raised that mark almost 50 factors since by hitting .347 prior to now two weeks, slugging .796 with six house runs within the course of. Half got here this previous week as he thrived within the Baysox’s leadoff spot. His double-play companion, Joey Ortiz, constructed off a powerful July with a 1.325 OPS to open August.
4. High-A Aberdeen infielder Darell Hernaiz
After some struggles in his first full professional season, Hernaiz returned to Low-A Delmarva, incomes a promotion to Aberdeen with an .852 OPS. With a .409/.500/.545 displaying final week, he raised his OPS with the IronBirds to .853. The 2019 fifth-round choose turned 21 within the course of.
5. Double-A Bowie right-hander Ryan Watson
On Monday, the Orioles launched two gamers they signed as undrafted free brokers after 2020′s shortened draft in Norfolk outfielder Dylan Harris and Bowie first baseman J.D. Mundy. Meanwhile, Watson, one other member of that undrafted group, continued his breakout season final week with two begins wherein he struck out 11 and allowed two runs over 10 innings. The 24-year-old has a 3.45 ERA in 19 outings, with greater than a strikeout per inning and over 5 occasions as many strikeouts as walks.
The prime prospect not featured up to now
With Baseball America’s new prime 100, Henderson is clearly additionally thought of the Orioles’ prime prospect. Ranked second and third within the system, respectively, are right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, recovering from a Grade 2 proper lat muscle pressure, and shortstop Jackson Holliday, who has but to make his professional debut after being this yr’s first total choose.
That means this part falls to left-hander DL Hall, who in two begins confirmed each why he stays at Triple-A and the way shut he is likely to be to advancing previous it. On Tuesday, he reached the 100-pitch mark for the primary time as an expert, however it got here as he walked 5 and allowed three house runs in 4 innings in a second straight tough begin. He bounced again Sunday by pitching into the sixth inning on 99 pitches, putting out eight whereas permitting two runs.
International acquisition of the week
Delmarva right-hander Moisés Chace, a 19-year-old Venezuelan who was within the Orioles’ 2021 signing class, struck out 5 whereas permitting one run over 4 innings. In three outings since spending a month on the injured record, Chace has a 2.08 ERA, overcoming some stroll troubles by limiting opponents to a .207 common.
The greatest former top-30 prospect of the week
One of the system’s prime breakout gamers final yr, Norfolk outfielder Robert Neustrom hasn’t fairly constructed on that, although he’s been a strong contributor for the Tides many of the season. From May by way of July, he hit .219 with a sub-.700 OPS. He acquired off to a robust begin to August, batting .316 with a .985 OPS whereas going 4-for-4 on steal makes an attempt. There’s not a transparent path to the majors for him, however extra weeks like that can assist to create one.
Time to offer some shine to …
In the Orioles’ clubhouse, infielders Terrin Vavra and Tyler Nevin have adjoining lockers. In Delmarva, the third participant within the 2020 Mychal Givens commerce with the Colorado Rockies had a robust week. Outfielder Mishael Deson went 7-for-18 with an OPS over 1.000, strolling and putting out a good 4 occasions every. After lacking a lot of July — turning 20 throughout his absence — Deson has hit .318 upon his return.
Short-season snippets
A handful of Orioles draftees made their skilled debuts within the Florida Complex League final week, with Dylan Beavers, Jud Fabian, Silas Ardoin, Adam Crampton and Adam Retzbach collectively going hitless in six at-bats however discovering methods to achieve in any other case for an combination .467 on-base proportion.
In the Dominican Summer League, outfielder Braylin Tavera, who acquired a franchise-record $1.7 million signing bonus in January, went 6-for-12 and walked 5 occasions to submit a 1.334 OPS.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com