Baltimore Orioles Top 30 Prospects July 2020

With the 2020 Major League Baseball draft in the books, we thought this would be a great time to update our Baltimore Orioles Top 30 Prospects list.

There may not be a minor league season this year to watch the growth of development of these prospects, but the future is bright in Birdland and the 2020 draft brought with it six new and exciting prospects into the talent pipeline. Spoiler alert, all six Orioles draft picks have made our Top 30.

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*At the time of publishing, Anthony Servideo has not yet signed with the Orioles. Both Coby Mayo and Carter Baumler are reportedly set to sign, but the signings are not official at the moment.

**All reviews for the non-2020 Draft picks, were from our Top 30 list in March. 

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30) 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.

29) 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).

28) 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.

27) RHP Carter Baumler – 18 years old/ 5th round, 2020/ Dowling Catholic HS (Iowa)

Baumler reportedly turned down multiple offers of over $1 million during the draft process and was considered a tough sign away from his commitment to TCU, but the 6’2” righty is set to join the Orioles, whenever minor league baseball returns. High school arms who throw in the low-90s aren’t typically highly-coveted prospects, but Baumler’s smooth mechanics, projectable frame, and advanced three-pitch mix make him an intriguing, high-risk/high-reward prospect for Baltimore.

26) 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.

25) SS Anthony Servideo – 21 years old/ 3rd round, 2020/ Ole Miss

Was Servideo’s breakout at Ole Miss the real deal? Depends on who you ask. The shortstop prospect hit .287 with a .429 OBP in 2019, but had just 14 extra-base hits in 66 games. He followed that up with a .149 average in the Cape Cod League last summer, but came out of the gates firing in 2020 before COVID-19 (.390/.575/.695 slash, 5 HR). If the bat comes around, Servideo has a chance to be a fast riser through the system and a true shortstop prospect to pay attention to. His career 89/78 K/BB ratio highlights his ability to see the ball well. Defensively, Servideo is a reliable middle of the infield glove with the quickness and ability to play multiple positions if his career path leads him to a utility role.

24) 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.

23) 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

22) 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.

21) 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.

20) OF Hudson Haskin – 21 years old/ 2nd round, 2020/ Tulane

With a plethora of notable pitching prospects available to start day two of the draft, the Orioles elected to dig deep and grab Haskin, a draft-eligible sophomore outfielder, out of Tulane University. Haskin has a quirky swing, but it works. He also possesses plus-speed and the tools to stick at centerfield as he moves through the organization. Haskin’s success both at Tulane and with a wooden bat in summer ball are impressive. In 105 combined games, Haskin slashed .344/.422/.575 with 16 home runs and 28 doubles. A few mechanical changes could unlock more home runs and unleashing him on the basepaths will be sure to cause a bit of havoc with his speed.

19) 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.

18) OF Kyle Stowers – 22 years old/ Competitive Balance B, 2019/ Stanford

The 6’3” left-handed hitting outfielder showcased his powerful swing with the Ironbirds last season, hitting 13 doubles and six home runs in 55 games, earning an All-Star nod in his first professional season. Stowers has a big swing from the left side that will result in a lot of home runs, but also a lot of strikeouts with his current approach. Per Baseball America, he ranked among the top 5% in average exit velocity while at Stanford and the hard hits continued in limited action as a pro. If he can show that he can hit for average, Stowers’ ceiling is that of a starting left fielder for the Orioles, joining Hays and Yusniel Diaz as a possible impressive starting outfield in 2023.

17) LHP Drew Rom – 20 years old/ 4th round, 2018/ Highlands HS (KY)

If you want a potential breakout pitching prospect in 2020, Drew Rom is a solid choice. With a fastball that sits 88-92 mph, Rom has three secondary pitches which he has above-average command of and the ability to miss plenty of bats (30.3% strikeout rate in 2019). At 6’2” and 170 pounds, Rom still has a bit of projection left in his frame and a slight bump in velocity will take his stuff up a notch as he prepares to face more advanced hitters. It was hard to remember that he was just 19 years old when he went 6-3 with a 2.93 ERA (2.74 FIP), a 1.22 WHIP, .227 average against, and a 0.47 HR/9 IP rate with the Shorebirds in 2019. Rom has a ceiling similar to Alex Wells, Zac Lowther, and Keegan Akin (back-end starter), but of the four southpaws, Rom’s ceiling slightly rises above the rest.

16) SS Adam Hall – 20 years old/ 2nd round, 2017/ Canada

Among the names on the top half of our Top 30 list here, Adam Hall may be the most polarizing due to his extreme range of potential outcomes. Hall had a solid year at the plate last season in Delmarva, slashing .298/.385/.395 with 31 extra-base hits (5 HR) and a 133 wRC+. His speed is elite (33 stolen bases in ‘19) and watching him turn routine singles into doubles is exciting, but can he develop into an everyday starter in the big leagues? Hall doesn’t possess much power and posted a meager .097 ISO in 2019 and owns a career strikeout rate of around 22% in the minor leagues, not exciting numbers from someone who won’t deposit balls over the fence. However, Hall gets on base at a high clip, can drive the ball into the gaps and still finds ways to get on base (including 33 HBP in 184 games). If he can continue this trend in the upper minors, there’s a path to the second base job in Baltimore.

15) RHP Hunter Harvey – 25 years old/ 1st round, 2013/ Bandys HS (NC)

It took more than six years, however, Hunter Harvey and his glorious mane just might have found himself a home in the major leagues. Despite an extreme list of injuries over his career, Harvey has appeared within the Top 15 on MLB Pipeline’s list of top Orioles prospects every year since being drafted because of his dominating stuff. Now in the bullpen, Harvey’s stuff played up last season, with his fastball averaging 98 mph and limiting hitters to a .118 average. Commanding his changeup and curveball will help his low-spin fastball continue to play up in the bullpen. His arm tired at the end of 2019 after throwing 82 innings across three levels, more innings then he combined to throw from 2015-2018. A healthy Hunter Harvey has all the makings of a reliable closer out of the bullpen and an unbelievable success story.

14) LHP Keegan Akin – 24 years old/ 2nd round, 2016/ Western Michigan

The king of strikeouts in the International League last season, Akin’s issue has never been missing bats, but limiting walks has been. Armed with a fastball (90-93 mph), slider, and changeup, Akin was forced to use his secondary pitches more in 2019 which resulted in more strikeouts (26%) but also a career-high walk rate (12%). Akin hasn’t had a walk rate lower than 10% in any of his three full seasons in the professional ranks, however, his high swing and miss rates and career .233 average against have helped him succeed. Akin’s ceiling is still that of back end starter, but if his velocity can tick up out of the bullpen and feel for his secondary pitches improves, he could be a reliable long-relief arm out of the pen if his rotation experience doesn’t pan out.

13) LHP Zac Lowther – 23 years old/ Competitive Balance B, 2017/ Xavier

While guys like Akin and Zimmermann are seen as MLB ready and arms like Michael Baumann and Dean Kremer took big steps forward in 2019, Lowther has quietly continued to put together solid campaigns year after year since joining the Orioles system. Expect more people to be talking about him in 2020. His fastball doesn’t have the high velo numbers, but he can mix speeds with it and put it where he wants. A bit of funk in his delivery and good movement on his fastball make it difficult for hitters to square him up. He also mixes in a major league curveball and an impressive changeup. Across four levels in the minors, Lowther has compiled 380 strikeouts in 326 innings and a career 2.26 ERA and .194 average against. While he will get the opportunity to start with the Orioles, his success against both LHH and RHH won’t limit him out of the bullpen where he could have a long, successful big league career.

12) 3B Coby Mayo – 18 years old/ 4th round, 2020/ Stoneman Douglas High School

If you enjoy watching absolute bombs leave a ballpark, Coby Mayo is your guy. Listed at 6’5” and 215 pounds, Mayo’s large frame, impressive raw power, and big arm from the hot corner earned him a spot within Baseball America’s Top 100 (#79) pre-draft rankings. BA graded his arm as one of the top in this year’s draft class, while Fangraphs tapped his raw power grade as one of the highest among the amateur ranks. He’s the type of prospect who could have easily worked his way into the first round of a future draft with a successful career in the SEC, but Mike Elias was able to grab him in the fourth-round. According to his Perfect Game profile, Mayo’s exit velocity on batted balls can get up to 105 mph already. For reference, Renato Nunez had the hardest hit ball for an Oriole last year at 114.8 mph.

11) SS Jordan Westburg – 21 years old/ 1st round (Comp A), 2020/ Mississippi State

Another high-floor, SEC bat with a track record of success against quality pitching. Westburg is an athletic middle infielder who hit .326 in the Cape Cod League last summer and was hitting .317 with a .432 OBP this season at Mississippi State before the shutdown. He hasn’t showcased much in-game power yet (10 home runs in 124 games), but scouts believe Westburg has plenty of power to tap into and pair with his contact ability. He fits the mold of the athletic, up-the-middle piece who will find a home somewhere in the lineup if he can handle advanced pitching. Westburg may have a quick path to the majors with a move to second base, especially if he starts hitting 15+ home runs and cuts down on his high strikeout rate.

10) RHP Michael Baumann – 24 years old/ 3rd round, 2017/ Jacksonville

No one on this list increased their stock more last season than Michael Baumann. Entering 2019, Baumann was seen more as a relief prospect and a risky one at that. Fast forward one year and Baumann is a prime example of what the Orioles new development program can do for a pitcher. With a four-pitch mix that includes a four-seam fastball that sits 93-95, and can continue to hit the upper-90s very late into outings, Baumann is a legitimate starting pitching prospect for the Orioles.. If he continues to trend up, Baumann is a mid/back-rotation arm in the major leagues. His floor is that of a power reliever with a big league quality slider/curveball. In Frederick, Baumann posted a 3.83 ERA, a 34% K rate, 10.7% walk rate, and a .200 average against. After moving up to Bowie, Baumann recorded a 2.31 ERA, a 24% K rate, 7.8% walk rate, and a .183 average against.

9) RHP Dean Kremer – 24 years old/ 14th round, 2016 (Dodgers)/ UNLV

A big season in Double-A (9-4, 2.98 ERA) and a solid showing in the Arizona Fall League has Kremer trending in the right direction heading into 2020. He saw plenty of action this spring, giving fans a small glimpse into why so many are high on Kremer to crack the Orioles rotation this season. His fastball, curveball, slider combination, with a developing changeup, have missed plenty of bats in the minor leagues, but can he keep missing bats in Triple-A and keep hitters off balance? He logged 19 innings with the Tides last season and while he was hit hard and often, he recorded a 21/4 K/BB ratio. If the changeup comes along and his fastball can miss big league bats, he’s a solid mid-rotation arm.

8) SS Gunnar Henderson – 18 years old/ 2nd round, 2019/ Morgan Academy (AL)

Like some of the other younger names on this list, we’re relying more on reputable reports of Henderson versus live looks as the high school product played in just 29 games last season, all in the Gulf Coast League. Much of the discussion around Henderson revolves around whether or not he continues to play shortstop or move over to third as he fills out his 6’3” and 195 pound frame. Either way, the Orioles have a lack of depth at both positions down on the farm system and if his hit and power tools develop, he profiles as an everyday starter on the left side of the infield. He has an opportunity to make a huge jump in 2020 and make some big noise with his bat in his first full season.

7) OF Austin Hays – 24 years old/ 3rd round, 2016/ Jacksonville

After a scorching hot September campaign, Hays just barely qualifies as a prospect heading into 2020 and will finally graduate this season. None of his impressive five tools have diminished over the last few seasons, but constant injuries and missed time have held Hays from reaching his potential, an above-average everyday center fielder. Whenever the 2020 season begins, Hays will find his name on the Opening Day lineup card as the starting center fielder and possibly at the top of the lineup. His aggressive approach at the plate hurts his overall offensive profile, but if he can come close to his 9.3% walk rate and 17.3% strikeout rate and improve his numbers against secondary pitches (.222 avg vs breaking balls, .100 avg vs offspeed pitches), we will finally get the Austin Hays we have been waiting for.

6) OF Yusniel Diaz – 23 years old/ International FA, 2015 (Dodgers)/ Cuba

Expectations of Diaz were high after being the centerpiece of the 2018 Manny Machado deal with Los Angeles, unfortunately, injuries have prevented Diaz to really take off with the Orioles, other than a hot spring training in 2019 and the occasional healthy month of robust numbers in Double-A. Much like Austin Hays, don’t write off Diaz just yet as the potential to be an everyday starting outfielder is still very much a possibility. Despite the injuries, Diaz slashed .262/.335/.472 with 11 home runs, a .210 ISO, and a 10% walk rate in 76 games (135 wRC+). Those are the types of numbers Diaz are capable of putting together across a full season (20+ HR potential). Combine that with his plus-arm in right field and the Orioles still have themselves an exciting outfielder.

5) OF/1B Ryan Mountcastle – 23 years old/ 1st round, 2015/ Hagerty HS (FL)

The discussions about Mountcastle’s defense are exhausting, but there’s no denying his beautiful swing from the right side of the plate and explosive hands through the zone. Mountcastle has been much younger than his competition at every level he’s played at, yet has consistently put up well above-average numbers, including a .312 average, 25 home runs, and a 117 wRC+ en route to International League MVP honors in 2019. His aggressive nature at the plate leads to low walk rates, but the power and ability to use the entire field are there. If he can eventually increase his walk numbers and on-base abilities, Mountcastle is a smart baseball player who is better defensively at LF and 1B than what the narrative leads you to believe.

4) OF Heston Kjerstad – 21 years old/ 1st round, 2020/ Arkansas

I’m going to say it and you can’t stop me. Trust the process. The Orioles identified Kjerstad as their guy with the second overall pick in the 2020 draft and they didn’t waver when it came time to make the pick. A “ potential middle-of-the-order hitter with plus-plus raw power and the ability to leave a ballpark in any direction” per Baseball America and the top left-handed hitting power hitter in the draft, Kjerstad will play the majority of his games at ballparks where power-hitting lefties thrive and he has a long track record of success against elite competition to lead many to believe he will. In two-plus seasons at Arkansas, Kjerstad slashed .343/.421/.590 with 37 home runs and 34 doubles and was one of the top collegiate hitters during his time with Team USA. Forget about the strikeouts right now, that’s baseball in 2020. The arm strength and glove in right field may not win any Gold Gloves, but won’t hurt the Orioles defensively. Once Orioles fans get the opportunity to watch him play, many of the initial post-draft hesitations should evaporate.

3) LHP DL Hall – 21 years old/ 1st round, 2017/ Valdosta HS (GA)

To describe DL Hall in one quick sentence- Electric stuff and one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in all of minor league baseball. Hall brings a four-pitch mix to the mound, including a fastball that can hold at 96 mph deep into outings, and a major league mix consisting of a changeup, slider, and curveball. Hall showed off his deep repertoire in High-A last season, striking out more than 33% of hitters and limiting opponents to a .185 average and three home runs in 80 innings. His 15.6% walk rate was a major issue last season and his command will be under a microscope in 2020, but if he can limit the walks, Hall’s ceiling is that of a top of the rotation arm. Not many MLB left-handed pitchers can hold 96 mph into the sixth inning of a game.

2) RHP Grayson Rodriguez – 20 years old/ 1st round, 2018/ Central Heights HS (TX)

Not only do the Orioles have one pitching prospect with real potential to be a top of the rotation arm, but they have two in Hall and Grayson Rodriguez. At 6’5” and 220 pounds, Rodriguez is a powerful righty with four plus pitches, including a fastball that saw velocity numbers increase throughout the season. When watching Rodriguez live in Delmarva last season, you wouldn’t believe he was 19 years old if you didn’t already know. He finished his first full season with a 10-4 record, a 2.68 ERA, a 34% strikeout rate, a .170 average against, and only four home runs allowed in 94 innings. The Orioles limited his innings last season and if there’s a 2020 season, don’t expect the kid gloves to come off just yet. Rodriguez is one of the more elite pitching prospects in all of baseball and with a new player development system guiding the way in Baltimore, there is a major reason for optimism as Rodriguez moves up the ladder.

1) C Adley Rutschman – 22 years old/ 1st round, 2019/ Oregon State

Nothing new to add here that hasn’t already been discussed over and over again since the Baltimore Orioles drafted Rutschman with the top overall pick in the 2019 draft. There aren’t a lot of questions surrounding his bat except for wondering how he will handle more advanced pitching in the upper minor leagues. With plus-tools across the board (minus his speed on the basepaths), the switch-hitting catcher shouldn’t face many struggles. While at Oregon State, Rutschman slashed .352/.473/.559 with 28 home runs and more walks (156) than strikeouts (117). Defensively, Rutschman gunned down 7 of 11 base stealers in his first taste of pro baseball. If the Orioles pair him with another advanced college bat in this year’s draft, a fun major league lineup isn’t too far away.