The Delmarva Shorebirds had a lot of promise heading into 2012. That promise quickly turned into disappointment, as a large portion of the players struggled. Besides Dylan Bundy, Eduardo Rodriguez, Devin Jones and a few others, the team really fell flat.

In 2013, the team is once again leaning towards the excitement side of the scale. The Shorebirds probably have the best roster within the entire Orioles system, but they still have a raw cast of players. The rotation is young and exciting, but there are plenty of question marks. The bullpen has their own slurry of questions that need answers. This is a good year to watch Delmarva, as the future of the Orioles really depends on how quite a few of these players shape out.

Projected Rotation

1. Parker Bridwell – LHP
Forget last season. Sure, he nearly compiled a 6.00 ERA, but the stuff is better than that. There is a reason he will be the Shorebirds opening day starter. That reason is the simple fact that he still has the best overall stuff on the entire team. There is still plenty of growth left with Bridwell, both physically and mentally. The results will eventually need to catch up with the pure ability, but he still has time. His arsenal is plus, with his fastball around 95 MPH with a strong sinking movement on it. I would say more, but I’ll save that for when I see him tonight.

2. Matt Taylor – LHP
He has a sturdy frame with some room left for growth. His fastball sits 90-93, sometimes touching 94. Last time I saw him, he was around 92 for most of the game. He has some sinking action on his fastball, and induces a lot of ground balls. I had a scout tell me Taylor had a lot of “sneak” on his fastball. His curve ball and slider are further behind than his fastball, with both needing much refinement. Taylor is a project, but there is talent. I expect him to eventually be a bullpen guy, but it is fine to stretch him out still.

3. Josh Hader – LHP
Hader is a local product, who already seems to be a steal in the later rounds of the draft. He has a wiry frame with plenty of room left for growth. This should help play up his stuff, adding a tick or two on his 88-91 mph fastball. He also has a sweeping slider and curve with some decent spin and break. He hides the ball well against LHH, although I still need to see him full time against RHH down the line. I am thrilled to see Hader start this season, as he looks to have plenty of room left for growth. He is certainly a player to keep an eye on.

4. Mark Blackmar – RHP
Blackmar is a sinkerball pitcher. He throws in the upper 80’s, displaying a two-seam fastball with some nice downward movement. He has plus command of his fastball and change. I was told from a scout last season that they think Blackmar has some room for growth, hopefully providing a tick or two in velocity. As of now, I do not think there is a large enough difference between his fastball and change for him to be effective enough at higher levels. But as of now, the Orioles still have a pitcher who will be around the plate and keep the ball in the park. But I do question his ability to miss bats.

5. Branden Kline – RHP
Kline is from a big college program, so he has innings under his belt and could move fast. His fastball is usually aroun 92-95, although I could see it up to 97 if he moved into the pen. His fastball was a little straight from when I saw him at Aberdeen, and that was mentioned to me by a few others as well. His curve ball is a solid power offering with good depth. He has a change up that needs more refinement from the last time I saw it. Kline has good command and feel of his pitches, but I do worry about the straight fastball. He throws off a solid plane, but I could see some hitters sitting back on the fastball. Delmarva should be a good test, and could be a quick pit-stop in all reality.

6. Brady Wager – RHP
Wager is a “bulldog” pitcher, with a thick body frame and a hardnose fastball. His fastball sits in the low-to-mid 90’s. He really looks to be a durable innings eater type if left in the rotation, although that remains to be seen. He is one that I didn’t see much of last season, but his stock will only rise if he proves to be capable as a starter.

Top Prospects

1. Parker Bridwell – LHP

2. Branden Kline – RHP

3. Adrian Marin – SS
Marin looks to be a nice find for the Orioles up the middle. He has some positive tools for a middle-of-the-diamond player. Quickness and agility, a solid throwing arm, soft hands and above average range are some to name a few. Marin is athletic and looks like he will stick either at SS or 2B. The bat is more contact-driven, with little power at the time. Maybe some growth into his frame provides a little pop, but I would not expect much. His bat speed is only a little more than average, which could be a cause for concern down the road. Overall, he is one of the best positional prospects in the Orioles system.

Sleeper Prospects

Juan Guzman – RHP
Guzman has an electric arm, touching 95 MPH with his fastball while usually sitting 91-93. He has a curve with improving crispness and break. I was really impressed with Guzman in the NYPL last season, although he really needed to face better competition. Guzman has questionable command and control, often being unable to throw a quality strike. He will need to strengthen this aspect of his game to move up from Low-A.

Mychal Givens – RHP
Givens has been converted to a pitcher finally. The last few seasons have been tough to watch. He simply was not cutting it as a middle infielder. There is not much I can say about him as a reliever since I have never seen him pitch, but he has the ability to hit 94 mph with his fastball and was viewed as a top talent as a pitcher in the draft as well. He is a guy to keep a close eye on this season. The Orioles still have plenty of time with Givens to find some value.

Roderick Bernadina – OF
Very toolsy outfielder. He has lightning-quick bat speed, quick hands through the zone, and drives the ball with authority. He is a free swinger, often chasing pitchers out of the zone. His plate discipline has improved, but there is still a big learning curve in this area of the game. He is a good defender, but sometimes will take some poor routes. I think he can stick as a CF down the road. His play really depends on how far he can go with sub-par plate discipline.

Conclusion

The Delmarva Shorebirds are littered with players that could be labeled as a sleeper. Jose Nivar can nearly touch 100 mph! Former first round selection Matt Hobgood is back in action, and a few other intriguing relievers are on the roster. The team also has a few intriguing position players in Torsten Boss and Christian Walker. Both could have started in Frederick, so I expect them to perform well at Low-A. Keep in mind that this level of baseball is more about growth, rather than results.

Roster

Pitchers:
Mark Blackmar
Parker Bridwell
Miguel Chalas
Mychal Givens
Juan Guzman
Josh Hader
Matt Hobgood
Kevin Jacob
Branden Kline
Williams Louico
Jose Nivar
Matt Price
Matt Taylor
Brady Wager
Tom Winegardner

Catchers:
Pedro Perez
Wynston Sawyer
Chase Weems

Infielders:
Nik Balog
Torsten Boss
Anthony Caronia
Joel Hutter
Adrian Marin
Creede Simpson
Christian Walker

Outfielders:
Roderick Bernadina
Greg Lorenzo
Anthony Vega