O’s atop rankings with No. 1 prospect, 8 in Top 100
Over the previous two years, Gunnar Henderson rapidly climbed every full-season stage of the Orioles’ Minor League system. That culminated with the 2019 second-round Draft decide getting his first style of the Majors throughout a formidable 34-game stint with the Orioles on the finish of the ’22 season.
Henderson is now the No. 1 total prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline, which launched its up to date Top 100 Prospects checklist throughout an MLB Network broadcast on Thursday evening. He’s the second Baltimore participant to carry that spot inside the previous 12 months, as catcher Adley Rutschman was ranked No. 1 on the time of his arrival within the huge leagues final May 21.
The Orioles have eight gamers on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects checklist getting into the 2023 season, probably the most of any staff. The Dodgers and Guardians are tied for second with seven every.
Here are the O’s prospects ranked among the many Top 100:
Henderson, Rodriguez, Holliday, Cowser, Westburg and Hall all remained on the checklist, holding spots from the top of the 2022 season. Kjerstad and Ortiz each had spectacular years that pushed them into the Top 100.
Although a few of these Baltimore prospects will nonetheless be within the Minors to open 2023, Henderson is a lock to make the Opening Day roster (assuming he stays wholesome by means of Spring Training). He has the flexibility to play throughout the infield, but it surely’s possible he’ll be the beginning third baseman.
“A guy that can play both spots on the left side of the infield and do them extremely well,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned on the Winter Meetings final month. “Loved the way he played third base.”
Henderson can do just about every little thing nicely, although. He leads all third-base prospects within the energy (65), working (55), arm (70) and fielding (55) instruments, graded on the 20-80 scouting scale.
Last 12 months, Henderson posted a .946 OPS in 112 video games between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk, which led to him getting his first callup to the Majors on Aug. 31. He went on to slash .259/.348/.440 with 4 homers, seven doubles and 18 RBIs in his time with the O’s.
With that helpful expertise beneath his belt, Henderson is making ready for the primary Spring Training wherein he’ll know he ought to be breaking camp with the massive league staff.
“Just working a little smarter, because I usually work really hard during the offseason. Sometimes I’ll spend way too long in the cage,” Henderson mentioned in a latest look on MLB Network’s Hot Stove. “Just being a little bit smarter, because I know there’s a few more games in the Major League season and it’s a little bit more taxing from traveling every third or fourth day, rather than every sixth, seventh day in the Minor Leagues.”
Rodriguez and Hall ought to be a part of Henderson on Baltimore’s 26-man roster in 2023, probably even for Opening Day. Rodriguez, baseball’s No. 2 right-handed pitching prospect, possible would have made his Major League debut final 12 months had he not missed three months resulting from a proper lat pressure.
During Spring Training, Rodriguez and Hall will each be within the rotation combine, with the previous extra prone to earn a spot among the many Orioles’ beginning 5. Hall may find yourself in Baltimore’s bullpen, or he may return to Triple-A to work as a starter and await a possibility.
The O’s sturdy illustration on the Top 100 Prospects checklist earned them 398 Prospect Points (100 goes to the staff with the No. 1 total prospect, 99 to No. 2, and so on.). It’s probably the most they’ve had since MLB Pipeline started rating prospects in 2004, and probably the most any staff has had because the Padres earned 408 within the ’21 midseason replace.
Baltimore’s eight prospects on the Top 100 checklist are probably the most for a staff in a preseason rating since Tampa Bay additionally had eight representatives at first of 2021.
