Baltimore Orioles: March 2020 Top Prospects 30-16

As the 2020 season prepares to begin, Zach Spedden, Bob Phelan, and myself have come together to rank the Orioles Top 30 prospects.

Today we begin with numbers 30 through 16.

You can hear us discuss the Top 30 on our On The Verge podcast.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

30) RHP Adam Stauffer– 21 years old/ 19th round, 2017/ Coatesville Area HS (PA)

A 6’7” righty who opened a lot of eyes last season while splitting his time between Aberdeen and Delmarva, Stauffer brings a four-seamer, changeup, and 12-6 curveball to the table. In 44 total innings last year, Stauffer posted a 1.02 ERA, a .143 average against, and an .093 WHIP while allowing just one home run and piling up 60 strikeouts. He’s a relief prospect who will continue to rise with some added velocity and the ability to miss bats against more advanced competition.

29) SS Cadyn Grenier– 23 years old/ Competitive Balance A, 2018/ Oregon State

No one questions Grenier’s defensive abilities, but his bat could be a limiting factor in determining whether or not the slick-fielding middle infielder ever reaches his ceiling. Grenier spent the majority of 2019 in Delmarva before finishing the year in High-A Frederick, where he will likely begin 2020. He struck out in more than 30% of his at-bats last season, but a 12% walk rate led to a .360 OBP in Delmarva and .337 mark in Frederick. The Orioles need some middle infield prospects to take the next step in their development in 2020 and if Grenier can find consistency at the plate, he becomes a more intriguing prospect at both shortstop and second base.

28) SS Joseph Ortiz– 21 years old/ 4th round, 2019/ New Mexico State

Listed at 5’11” and 175 pounds, Ortiz doesn’t possess much power at the plate, but does three things very well that will keep him on the radar as he moves up the organizational ladder. He puts the ball in play, hitting .341 with 71 extra-base hits at New Mexico State. Offensive numbers in Las Cruces, New Mexico are largely inflated, but Ortiz piled up the doubles and triples during his college days and posted outstand K/BB numbers. Ortiz owned a 75/62 K/BB ratio in college, and a 37/30 ratio in 56 games with Aberdeen last season. Scouting reports all agree he has the glove to stick at shortstop if he makes the big leagues. He’s a must-watch guy in 2020 to see how he handles South Atlantic League pitching in his first full season of pro ball.

27) RHP Blaine Knight– 23 years old/ 3rd round, 2018/ Arkansas

Knight had a fantastic SEC career, including a 14-0 record and 2.80 ERA in his junior season, but hasn’t been able to put it together in the Orioles system. Arguably, Knight has seen his stock fall the most among O’s prospects after a rough 2019 campaign in High-A. The former Razorback went 1-12 with a 6.13 ERA, a 14.6% strikeout rate, and a 10% walk rate. Lower velocity numbers and command struggles may prevent Knight from reaching his potential. A move to the bullpen may not necessarily help in this case.

26) RHP Gray Fenter– 24 years old/ 7th round, 2015/ West Memphis HS (AR)

One of the prospect darlings of 2019, Fenter was left unprotected from the Rule 5 draft, but remained in the organization after going undrafted. Fenter is 24 but has yet to reach High-A, going 8-2 with a 1.81 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 94 innings last year with the Shorebirds. His fastball and curveball are impressive pitches, leading to the possibility of Fenter moving quickly through the system as a two-pitch reliever, now that he’s fully recovered from 2016 Tommy John surgery.

25) RHP Brenan Hanifee– 21 years old/ 4th round, 2016/ Turner Ashby HS (VA)

After putting up impressive numbers in Aberdeen and Delmarva through his first two professional seasons, Hanifee’s production took a step back in 2019, but there’s no cause for concern quite yet. The 6’5” righty uses his heavy-sink fastball to generate weak contact and a career-ground ball rate north of 50% in three full seasons. He worked on using his slider and changeup more in 2019, leading to increased walk numbers (a jump from 4% to 10%) and small dip in strikeout numbers (14%), but saw his GB numbers stay high and home run numbers low. Hanifee is one of the more athletic pitchers in the system and didn’t become a full-time pitcher until very late in his high school career. He’s still on a track to develop into a backend starter and will look to showcase that back in Frederick to begin the year.

24) OF Zach Watson– 22 years old/ 3rd round, 2019/ LSU

Keep a close eye on Watson in 2020 as the former Freshman All-American at LSU recovers from a hand injury that ended his first season of pro ball prematurely. He was part of a large group of up-the-middle athletes drafted by Mike Elias last season as the Orioles general manager attempted to add strength up the middle. Watson grades out as a plus-runner and defender and someone who can utilize his speed and aggressiveness to sit at the top of a major league lineup. He was promoted to Delmarva after just 16 games in Aberdeen last season. Watson will likely be back in Delmarva to begin 2020 but if he can put the ball in play and keep his strikeout totals low, he will continue to move up quickly.

23) SS Darell Hernaiz– 18 years old/ 5th round, 2019/ Puerto Rico

Hernaiz enters the list at #23 purely based on scouting reports from those who have had the opportunity to watch him play live. A Texas high school prospect (Texas Tech commit) who spent last season in the Gulf Coast League, Hernaiz is at the top of the list of prospects to watch in 2020, simply because the reports are promising, but there hasn’t been an opportunity for Orioles fans to see him play. Raw, toosly, twitchy, and athletic are some of the more common words used to describe Hernaiz who slashed .263/.371/.364 with two home runs, a 26/17 K/BB ratio, and five stolen bases in 29 GCL games, largely as a 17-year-old (turned 18 in early-August).

22) RHP Cody Sedlock– 24 years old/ 1st round, 2016/ Illinois

Going into 2019, Sedlock was widely considered another first-round bust and removed from most Top 30 Orioles prospect lists. Forearm injuries and thoracic outlet syndrome left many questioning if Sedlock would be able to rebound and salvage some sort of a pitching career. He certainly responded well in 2019, becoming a Carolina League All-Star and going 4-1 with a 2.36 ERA and .181 average against in High-A ball. He finished the season in Double-A, making nine appearances and striking out 34 in 34 innings. His new four-seam fastball was effective and if he can command his four-pitch mix and continue to miss bats, Sedlock could find himself in the big leagues in late-2020 or 2021. A few weeks in Bowie will tell us more about what the future holds for Sedlock.

21) 3B Rylan Bannon– 23 years old/ 8th round, 2017 (Dodgers)/ Xavier

Bannon put together quite the resume last season, splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A. With the Baysox, Bannon collected 34 extra-base hits, a 120 wRC+, a career-low 16.2% strikeout rate, and a 10.6% walk rate. He finished the year in Norfolk where his bat continued to flourish, hitting .317 with 13 extra-base hits in 20 games. Bannon has the arm to stick at third and can certainly handle second base at the big league level. With a little bit of speed, above-average defensive abilities, patience at the plate, and impressive gap power, Bannon may end the season as a utility man with the Orioles and has a shot at taking over third base duties, should Rio Ruiz falter.

20) RHP Kyle Bradish– 23 years old/ 4th round, 2018 (Angels)/ New Mexico State

One of the four pitchers acquired in the Dylan Bundy deal, Bradish went 6-7 with a 4.28 ERA (4.08 FIP/3.87 xFIP) in 24 appearances against High-A competition, his first professional action since being drafted in 2018. While he posted a 10.69 K/9 IP mark, he also walked 4.72/9 IP. Standing at 6’4” and armed with an over-the-top delivery, Bradish sits in the low-90s with his fastball, with his big 12-6 curveball being his most impressive pitch. The big thing to watch in 2020 will be if he can improve his command in year two.

19) LHP Bruce Zimmermann– 25 years old/ 5th round, 2017 (Braves)/ Mount Olive

Zimmermann’s stock is rising this year after improving his velocity numbers and having a solid year in Double-A last season. He’s showcased his low-90s fastball that touches 95 mph and his swing and miss slider this spring training. Can he hit his spots and make an impact at the big league level in 2020? While he’s been successful this spring, we have seen what happens when he misses with his fastball (three HR allowed in 7.2 IP). With a clean, smooth, and repeatable delivery, Zimmermann will have every opportunity to stick in the Orioles rotation this season. If he can find his go-to pitch to get major league hitters out, the local product will be fun to watch in 2020

18) LHP Alex Wells– 23 years old/ International FA, 2015/ Australia

Wells doesn’t have much projection left, but the lefty has impeccable command of his four-pitch mix, changes his speeds well to keep hitters off balance, and has been effective at limiting the long ball, despite higher fly ball numbers as he rises through the system. Wells struggled in High-A, but increased his strikeout numbers in Double-A (19%), lowered his walk rate to 4.3%, slashed his home run rate in half (0.66/9 IP), and limited opponents to a .233 average, a 35 point drop compared to 2018. Wells has been an All-Star in all four professional seasons and once-again takes the mound at a new level in 2020 to prove his stuff plays at the big league level. If he can find success in Triple-A without a signature put-out pitch, Wells will get a shot as a backend starter in Baltimore.

17) RHP Zach Pop– 23 years old/ 7th round, 2017 (Dodgers)/ Kentucky

Tommy John surgery put Pop out of commission for 2019 and will keep him off the mound for a good chunk of 2020, so we likely won’t see much from Pop this year, but don’t forget about him. With the ability to touch 100 mph and sit in the upper-90s, Pop combines his powerful fastball with a swing and miss slider. Once he’s recovered from surgery, Pop will be in the mix for a bullpen role in Baltimore. Throughout his minor league career, Pop has a career ground ball rate hovering well north of 60% and owns a career .173 average against, 0.91 WHIP, and has allowed one home run in 80 innings. A healthy Yusniel Diaz starting everyday in right field and a reliable Pop out of the pen will make Orioles fans feel a bit better about the 2018 Manny Machado deal.

16) OF Ryan McKenna– 23 years old/ 4th round, 2015/ St. Thomas Aquinas HS (NH)

McKenna brings elite speed, a solid arm, and above-average defensive abilities to the field, but constant changes to his swing have left us with a few questions as we head into the 2020 season. McKenna was the prospect darling of 2018 after a big season in Frederick and the Arizona Fall League, but exchanged his line-drive, gap power approach for a more home run style approach in Bowie, leading to a big jump in his fly-ball numbers (40%), but a drop in his HR/FB rate (6.2%). His .232/.321/.365 slash with a 104 wRC+ in 2019 wasn’t impressive, but if McKenna can find success with his line-drive approach again and turn his speed into more successful stolen bases, McKenna has a shot at a starting outfield job. His floor is that of a 4th outfielder who can add defense and some late-game pop to make things interesting late in contests.

Be sure to listen to On The Verge wherever you listen to your favorite podcast where we will dive deeper into this list. The Top 15 on this list will be released later in the week and discussed on next week’s podcast.