Infielder Joey Ortiz performed 5 strong video games final week, however it was the one he didn’t play that raised eyebrows.
Ortiz, the Orioles’ No. 7 prospect in accordance with Baseball America, hit .364 with six RBIs for Triple-A Norfolk to proceed his strong begin to the season. But he was held out of Saturday’s sport as a precaution as Baltimore infielder Ramón Urías was being assessed in concussion protocol, the Orioles introduced.
Ortiz wasn’t referred to as up Sunday or Monday, but when Urías has to go on the seven-day injured listing as he progresses by concussion protocol, it’s possible that Ortiz would obtain his first call-up to the large leagues.
Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde wouldn’t remark Sunday a couple of potential Ortiz promotion, as an alternative specializing in how Urías was “feeling a lot better” a day after taking a 96.2 mph pitch to the helmet.
Ortiz, who turns 25 in July, is certainly one of three outstanding infield prospects in Norfolk, alongside Jordan Westburg and Connor Norby, ranked Nos. 5 and 6, respectively. All three have been ranked this offseason in Baseball America’s high 100 listing.
Primarily a shortstop, Ortiz is the perfect defender among the many membership’s stockpile of younger infielders. He made a change to his swing in the course of final season and has hit effectively ever since. In 9 video games and 43 plate appearances in Triple-A this yr, Ortiz is batting .325 with a .751 OPS.
Ortiz, nonetheless, wasn’t the one participant on the farm to carry out effectively final week. That’s why every 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. Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Colton Cowser
Cowser, the Orioles’ No. 3 prospect, broke out final week after a tough begin. The 23-year-old went 3-for-30 with 10 strikeouts to open the yr, however he bounced again to go 10-for-23 with six walks, 9 runs, two RBIs, two doubles, a triple and a stolen base since. He collected two hits in 4 video games and has walked in 5 straight and in 9 of his 13 begins. The 2021 No. 5 general choose made it to Triple-A on the finish of final season, and whereas he struggles at occasions with strikeouts, his batting eye and plate self-discipline are maybe the perfect within the system. Fellow Tides outfielder Hudson Haskin, who was featured on this listing final week, continued his scorching scorching begin to the season with a 10-for-21 week.
2. Double-A Bowie outfielder-first baseman Heston Kjerstad
Cowser and Haskin have been excellent final week, however neither was the perfect outfielder on the farm. That was, unsurprisingly, Kjerstad, who was maybe the Orioles’ finest hitter in huge league spring coaching and has carried that over with Bowie. In six video games, Kjerstad, Baltimore’s No. 11 prospect, went 8-for-23 with 4 house runs, two doubles, 5 RBIs and two stolen bases for a 1.401 OPS. Kjerstad is slashing .314/.429/.800 in 9 video games this yr. The 2020 No. 2 general choose misplaced two seasons, however he bought his toes moist within the second half of the 2022 season, received the Arizona Fall League MVP, stood out at huge league camp, and is now crushing Double-A pitching.
3. Low-A Delmarva catcher Creed Willems
In 68 video games with the Shorebirds final season, Willems hit simply 4 house runs throughout 246 plate appearances. He’s matched that homer whole in simply seven video games this yr. Willems, who turns 20 in June, struggled in 2021 and 2022 after the Orioles drafted him within the eighth spherical and gave him a $1 million signing bonus that was effectively over slot. He hit simply .190 in 2022. But Willems is coming off maybe his finest week as an expert, going 8-for-21 with three house runs, a double and eight RBIs. Across 34 plate appearances, the 6-foot, 225-pound backstop has a 1.494 OPS with 11 RBIs.
4. Double-A Bowie left-hander Cade Povich
In his first begin of the season earlier this month, Povich pitched simply three innings, permitting 4 hits, three walks and two runs. He bought again on monitor Saturday by pitching 5 shutout innings with seven strikeouts. The 6-foot-3 left-hander scattered two hits and two walks for the seventh scoreless begin of five-plus innings in his skilled profession. Povich, the Orioles’ No. 3 pitching prospect behind Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall, was acquired from the Minnesota Twins final summer season within the Jorge López commerce.
5. Triple-A Norfolk left-hander Drew Rom
But Povich wasn’t essentially the most spectacular beginning pitcher on the farm final week. That was Rom, who tossed 11 shutout innings throughout two begins for the Tides. Rom, a fourth-round choose in 2018 by the earlier regime in Baltimore, allowed simply three hits in six innings towards the Nashville Sounds on Tuesday, placing out 4 and inducing 12 floor balls. On Sunday, he pitched 5 innings of scoreless ball, surrendering two hits and placing out 5. In three begins this season, the 23-year-old has a 1.69 ERA and 0.938 WHIP.
The high prospect not featured to this point
Jackson Holliday, Baltimore’s No. 2 prospect, continued to impress towards Low-A pitching final week. The 19-year-old went 5-for-18 with three extra-base hits, 5 RBIs, six walks and two stolen bases for Delmarva. Holliday, whom the Orioles chosen with the primary choose in final yr’s draft, went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and 4 RBIs on Wednesday. He’s slashing .355/.487/.581 in eight video games with extra walks (eight) than strikeouts (5).
International acquisition of the week
Willems and Holliday weren’t the one standouts in Delmarva final week. Stiven Acevedo, a 20-year-old outfielder, went 11-for-19 with 5 RBIs, two walks and three stolen bases. After hitting effectively in Rookie ball to start final yr, Acevedo posted a .168 common towards Low-A pitching. In seven video games this season, the Dominican Republic native is hitting .429 with a .933 OPS. The Orioles in 2019 signed Acevedo, simply 16 on the time, and gave him a $275,000 signing bonus — the best bonus of the primary signing interval beneath government vice chairman and basic supervisor Mike Elias.
Time to present some shine to …
Another worldwide signee, Jean Pinto pitched effectively for the second straight begin to start his season in High-A Aberdeen. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed three hits throughout 5 innings of one-run ball Thursday and struck out eight batters. Pinto, who posted a 3.83 ERA with 103 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings in Aberdeen final yr, has allowed two runs in 9 1/3 innings with 14 strikeouts by two begins. In 179 2/3 profession minor league innings, Pinto has a 29.6% strikeout charge. The Orioles acquired the Venezuela native within the José Iglesias commerce with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2020.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com