The Orioles’ second-best hitting and pitching prospects nonetheless within the minor leagues dominated final week and had been honored in consequence.
Outfielder Colton Cowser was named the International Player of the Week after posting a 1.477 OPS for Triple-A Norfolk, and pitcher Cade Povich received the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week Award after his spectacular begin for Double-A Bowie.
Cowser, the Orioles’ No. 2 prospect nonetheless within the minors behind Jackson Holliday, based on Baseball America, continued his torrid begin to the season, going 11-for-22 with 9 runs, 5 RBIs, two doubles, two house runs and 9 walks. He reached base in 20 of his 31 plate appearances.
The 23-year-old reached base in 5 of the Tides’ six video games and tallied 4 multi-hit video games. On Thursday, he went 3-for-3 with two house runs and two walks. He then reached base 5 instances on Saturday, going 3-for-4 with two walks.
In 36 video games, Cowser is slashing .336/.477/.567 for a whopping 1.044 OPS. His .477 on-base proportion is the most effective within the International League. He’s strolling almost as soon as a recreation and nearly as a lot as he’s putting out, with 35 free passes versus 38 strikeouts.
Cowser went 2-for-24 in his first week of the season with 10 punchouts. Since then, he’s hitting .391 with seven house runs, a 1.197 OPS and extra walks (30) than strikeouts (28).
Povich, the Orioles’ No. 2 pitching prospect nonetheless within the minors behind DL Hall, was picked as the most effective pitcher within the Eastern League after putting out 10 batters in 5 shutout innings for the second time this season. A little bit over two weeks in the past, he tallied 10 punchouts whereas permitting simply three base runners; on Thursday, he allowed 4 batters to succeed in safely (three hits, one stroll). The 23-year-old leads the Eastern League in strikeouts with 44.
Povich, who was certainly one of 4 pitchers the Orioles acquired from the Minnesota Twins in return for Jorge López, has a 3.38 ERA in 26 2/3 innings this season with a 1.16 WHIP and a formidable 40% strikeout charge. For comparability, Grayson Rodriguez, the highest pitching prospect within the sport, struck out 39.9% of the batters he confronted in his time in Double-A.
It wasn’t simply Cowser and Povich who stood out on the farm final week, although. 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 lower.
1. Triple-A Norfolk left-hander DL Hall
In late April, Hall was promoted to Baltimore because the twenty seventh man for its doubleheader towards the Detroit Tigers. He offered three innings of aid and was despatched again to Triple-A that evening. His two outings since have been the most effective of his season. After pitching 5 scoreless innings two weeks in the past, Hall struck out 9 throughout six innings of two-run ball in his begin final week. In his earlier three outings, together with the one with the Orioles, the left-hander has struck out 24 batters in 14 innings. Just as necessary because the outcomes, although, is the truth that Hall went six innings for the primary time since July 6 and solely the seventh time of his skilled profession.
2. Double-A Bowie infielder César Prieto
Prieto turned 24 on Wednesday and celebrated together with his second of 4 straight multi-hit video games. The infield prospect went 2-for-4 on his birthday and 11-for-21 throughout the week to proceed his wonderful begin to the season. The Cuba native hit two doubles, a triple and a house run for a 1.402 OPS final week whereas taking part in second base, shortstop and third. In his second season within the Orioles’ group after agreeing to a $650,000 signing bonus in January 2022, Prieto has adjusted to Double-A pitching after struggling towards it final season. His .392 batting common leads all certified hitters within the Eastern League, whereas his .984 OPS ranks fourth.
3. High-A Aberdeen right-hander Jean Pinto
Prieto was removed from the one worldwide acquisition to excel final week. Pinto, a right-hander the Orioles acquired within the José Iglesias commerce with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2020, began two video games for the IronBirds and struck out 15 batters in 8 1/3 innings. He fired 4 1/3 no-hit innings final Tuesday with seven punchouts after which tossed 4 innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts. On the season, the 22-year-old Venezuela native has a 2.08 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 30 1/3 innings with a 39.2% strikeout charge.
4. Double-A Bowie infielder Coby Mayo
Mayo may not be hitting almost .400 like Prieto or smashing house runs with ease like Heston Kjerstad, however he stored up his regular marketing campaign final week. The 21-year-old third baseman went 5-for-20 with two doubles, a triple, a house run and 6 walks for a 1.023 OPS. Mayo, the Orioles’ No. 9 prospect, is slashing .267/.403/.495 — good for a .898 OPS — in simply his second full season {of professional} ball.
5. High-A Aberdeen right-hander Alex Pham
Povich might need received his league’s weekly pitching award, however he wasn’t the Orioles prospect who struck out essentially the most batters in a recreation. That was Pham, who punched out a career-high 11 throughout 5 scoreless innings of one-hit ball Friday. The scoreless outing was nothing new for Pham, although, because the 23-year-old prolonged his streak with out permitting a run to 17 innings. The final time he allowed a run was in his third inning on April 16. On the season, the 2021 Nineteenth-round choose has a 1.93 ERA in 23 1/3 innings with a 35.8% strikeout charge.
The high prospect not featured up to now
Jackson Holliday final week moved as much as No. 7 on Baseball America’s prospect record, and this week he jumped 9 spots to No. 3 on MLB Pipeline’s rating. The 19-year-old shortstop maintained his on-base streak to start the 12 months, reaching safely in all six video games final week with High-A Aberdeen and every of his first 29 accomplished contests in 2023. Holliday went 6-for-18 with 5 walks, a double and a homer and posted one other week with an OPS above 1.000. Holliday is already the most effective hitter on the IronBirds with a .940 OPS, and throughout Low-A and High-A, he’s slashing .349/.485/.576.
International acquisition of the week
In his first 12 months of full-season ball, Samuel Basallo is proving each bit well worth the $1.3 million signing bonus the Orioles gave him in 2021 out of the Dominican Republic. Last week with Low-A Delmarva, Basallo, who’s rated as Baltimore’s high worldwide prospect by Baseball America, went 8-for-22 with two doubles, a house run and 6 RBIs. On the season, the 18-year-old catcher is slashing .318/.350/.527.
Time to present a shout-out to …
Justin Armbruester. While Povich is logging double-digit strikeout performances and profitable weekly awards, Armbruester is true behind him as probably the greatest pitchers in Double-A. Armbruester, Baltimore’s No. 3 pitching prospect nonetheless within the minors, tossed 5 innings of one-run ball final week for his sixth consecutive begin permitting two or fewer runs to start the season. His 1.86 ERA ranks second amongst certified starters within the Eastern League. In 29 innings, the 6-foot-4 right-hander has given up simply six runs whereas putting out 26.
Angels at Orioles
Tuesday, 6:35 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com
