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Format = Position Player | Age on 4/1/2025 | Highest Level Played | Estimated Time of Arrival 

1. C Samuel Basallo | 20 | AAA | 2025 

Basallo has virtually zero chance of unseating Adley Rutschman while Adley is in town, which isn’t the end of the world because he could still sub there while mixing in at first base and DH. Nonetheless, the Inn is pretty crowded in Baltimore, and they love their reclamation projects, so who knows how long Basallo will have to wait for some extended playing time. I’m trying not to let that detract too much from a guy who I think will really hit. He even swiped ten bags last year as a 6’4” 190 lb catcher, an interesting development for an average runner playing against guys who are much older than him. He’s a good throwing catcher, so perhaps he pays a little more attention to who else might be full of openings.

 

2. 3B Coby Mayo | 23 | MLB | 2024 

The club’s plan to move the fences impacts Mayo more than anyone else on this list. He’s a pull hitter with quick hips and easy plus power, and while Trey Mancini’s line drives to the gap were only ever doubles, Mayo should get a little more bang for his barrels. In 89 Triple-A games this year, he slashed .287/.364/.562 with 22 home runs and four stolen bases. He hit just .098 in 17 MLB games, but I’m not holding that against him. Wouldn’t anyway, but he came up during a pennant push when the team needed a jolt and probably felt some extra pressure. 

 

3. OF Enrique Bradfield Jr. | 22 | A+ | 2025

A three-year starter at Vanderbilt, Bradfield Jr. features 80-grade speed in center field and plus plate skills at the dish. A left-handed hitter at 6’1” 170 lbs, he stole 74 bases in 108 games across two levels, striking out just 72 times against 50 walks. Not every day you see a guy with more steals than strikeouts. In deep leagues, I’d push him up the lists a little because his excellent defense will earn him a lot of playing time even on a crowded roster. 

 

4. OF Heston Kjerstad | 25 | MLB | 2023

Look, I get it, he’s been here forever, and he’s no longer rookie eligible by service days, but he’s also at just 129 MLB at bats, which makes him prospect eligible the way I (and some dynasty leagues) cut it up at 130 at bats or 50 innings pitched. And he should matter to fantasy leagues this year after the club avoided using him for much of 2024 even though he played well in the minors and posted a .351 on base percentage in the majors. Here’s hoping we get to see how handles 500 plate appearances this season. 

 

5. OF Vance Honeycutt | 21 | A+ | 2027

If you were going to pick any place to send a super toolsy prospect with patience but some hit tool questions, you might pick Baltimore, who selected Honeycutt 22nd overall. He has produced speed and power throughout his ACC college career with North Carolina, but the strikeouts have been an issue. They haunted his debut pro season; he was punched out 24 times in just 13 games across two levels. 

 

6. RHP Chayce McDermott | 26 | MLB | 2024

McDermott battled through a 1.41 WHIP across 100 Triple-A innings but was still hard to square up and worked to a 3.78 ERA, improving his control and confidence little by little and earning a major league start along the way. The Orioles could go any number of ways this winter, but McDermott should be part of the pitching staff for a portion of 2025 regardless of how many arms they add. 

 

7. OF Dylan Beavers | 23 | AA | 2024 

A 6’4” 206 lb left-handed hitter, Beavers built a sturdy line of .241/.343/.413 in 119 Double-A games this year alongside 16 home runs and 31 stolen bases. Like a lot of Baltimore’s guys, he’s got patience, size, athleticism and just enough swing-and-miss to make you wonder if any of that’s gonna matter in the long run. 

 

8. OF Stiven Martinez | 17 | DSL | 2029

He won’t turn 18 until August, and he’s already 6’4” 198 lbs with a solid DSL season under his belt. The second-highest paid Oriole signing from the 2024 class, Martinez features plus patience, power, and good athleticism for his size. A right-handed hitter with pull-side power, he saw his topside tick up with the new left-field dimensions. 

 

9. RHP Brandon Young | 26 | AAA | 2025

Young is going to be a bit higher here than other places, I suspect, because I tend to like a 6’6” righty who can fill up the zone with four pitches. Not that others don’t, I guess, but I’m a little surprised to see him checking in behind so many swing-and-miss longshots on other lists. His Triple-A ERA (3.44) and WHIP (1.28) aren’t ideal, but that’s still a fairly effective 89 innings pitched for that league. He’s got everything he needs except plus velocity, but if he somehow found a tick or two in his 210 lb frame, he could be a real innings eater. 

 

10. SS Griff O’Ferrall | 22 | A+ | 2027

Is this a bully name or what? Somewhere between a Back to the Future Tannen and O’Doyle Rules? Anywho, the O’s selected O’Ferrall with the pick they got when Gunnar Henderson won Rookie of the Year. A sum-of-his-parts type at 6’1” 195 lbs, O’Ferrall hit just eight home runs in his three seasons as a starter for Virginia but has shown the requisite skills for pro ball throughout his career, including a successful stretch with wooden bats.  

Thanks for reading! 

 

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J.R.
J.R.
18 days ago

How would Povich have slotted?

I really hope they move some of these guys. Im happy that Stowers and Norby are getting a shot vs wasting away in minors.

Is Chayce = Chase?

Last edited 18 days ago by J.R.
J.R.
J.R.
Reply to  The Itch
17 days ago

Thanks! I wasnt high on Povich and had a dude trying to sell me and I didnt have him very high. Not bad, just someone looking at guys like Chandler in return. Sorry if it looked like I was correcting you about Chayce/Chase. My question was actually on pronounciation lol.

james
james
Reply to  J.R.
15 days ago

I agree- Povich has upside, but i am not sure how much leash the Os give him next season. I think they pull the trigger on at least 2 starters in the offseason (likely via FA)- and that could push him into fighting with several guys for the #5 spot during a big chunk of the season- and bradish could complicate things down the stretch.

junior56
junior56
18 days ago

Morning Itch! Love your assessment of Bradfield as I have him in 4 dynasty leagues. I also grabbed Brandon Young in one also. I was a bit shocked that the O’s resigned O’Hearn does that mean Basallo is odd man out for now?

james
james
Reply to  The Itch
15 days ago

Ohearn is not likely to get a buyer for anything of note- his arb value now is closer to what i think teams would pay for a similar guy on the open market- mountcastle may be the more interesting move- or move both and sign a splashy 1b (hard sell on Balt post Crash Davis, but if they do not want to spend on SP, that is the easiest position to upgrade this offseason- since Alonso is going to cost the same aav as the 2nd fiddle SP)

Philip
Philip
18 days ago

Good stuff as usual, Itch. So you have Bradfield above Kjerstad, which is intriguing. Do you see Bradfield becoming a top-50 OF in the future?

And more importantly… are you down on Xavier Isaac at all? Seems like the majority of pundits are put-off by his K-rate. Would you be shopping him, or do you still envision a 35-homer dude here?

Thanks!