We continue our four-part series evaluating the Orioles Top 40 Prospects entering this 2019 season.
Yesterday we posted Part 1, which looked at numbers 40-31.
Here in Part 2, we look at players 30-21.
(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)
(#30) Alex Wells, LHP
Ceiling: 40 Risk: High ETA: 2020 Role Description: Long Relief
Ht/Wt: 6’1” / 190 lbs. B/T: L/L Highest Level: A+ Age (as of April 1, 2019): 22y, 1m
Spotlight | Report
A 2018 Futures Game selection for the World Team, the Australian lefty posted absurd walk numbers in 2017 and was named the organization’s Pitcher of the Year. He was hit harder last season in High-A, exposing what grades as below-average stuff across the board—albeit with 60-grade control. Wells has excellent feel and knows how to get outs, but his stuff is just too short to realistically fit a true back-rotation profile. Double-A is always a good test for this type of prospect, and Wells is on pace to start 2019 in the Eastern League. He profiles as a longman or mopup option at the big league level.
(#29) Michael Baumann, RHP
Ceiling: 40 Risk: High ETA: 2021 Role Description: Middle Relief
Ht/Wt: 6’4” / 225 lbs. B/T: R/R Highest Level: A+ Age (as of April 1, 2019): 23y, 6m
Video #1 | Video #2 | Spotlight
Baumann worked in the mid-90s early in the year, the grind of starting every fifth day took its tool in his first full pro season. His fastball was sitting in the low-90s by August, missing fewer bats upon a promotion to High-A Frederick. He showed a hard slider in college but threw the pitch less last year, working on developing a fringy curveball change. Baumann might wind up having more value in the ‘pen, allowing his stuff to tick back up.
(#28) Rylan Bannon, 2B
Ceiling: 40 Risk: High ETA: 2020 Role Description: Bench Player
Ht/Wt: 5’10” / 180 lbs. B/T: R/R Highest Level: AA Age (as of April 1, 2019): 22y, 11m
Video #1 | Video #2 | Spotlight
Bannon had a huge start to his first full pro season last year in the Cal League, slashing .296/.402/.559 before winding up a supplementary piece of the Manny Machado deal. The hitter-friendly environment certainly helped Bannon’s lift-happy contact profile, and while he struggled in Double-A in the O’s system after the trade, it was impressive he was even there as a 2017 draftee. Bannon is a smaller player who hits with a slugger’s approach, generating lots of aerial contact and drawing walks with a long, pull-happy swing that has numerous holes. He can put a charge into the ball for a hitter his size, but there’s still some effort and sell-out required for him to get to the power in games. It’s an interesting offensive profile considering his defensive ability, as Bannon plays a solid 2B and can shift over to 3B in a pinch. We’re conservatively projecting him as a potential bench player, though Bannon has some overachiever traits.
(#27) Matthias Dietz, RHP
Ceiling: 45 Risk: Extreme ETA: 2021 Role Description: Setup Relief
Ht/Wt: 6’5” / 220 lbs. B/T: R/R Highest Level: A Age (as of April 1, 2019): 23y, 6m
Video #1 | Video #2 | Video #3 | Spotlight
Dietz repeated the South Atlantic League in 2018 and was named a league all-star at mid-season before moving to High-A. His control totally went off the rails at Frederick, and Dietz finished the year pitching from the ‘pen. His power two-pitch mix profiles better in relief anyway, though the O’s could opt to return him to a starting role for the time being to develop his pitchability. Dietz gave a flash of what his stuff might look like in one-inning stints during the South Atlantic League All-Star Game, working in the high-90s with heavy sink and a sharp power slider. How much his control bounces back will be something to follow in 2019.
(#26) Jean Carmona, SS
Ceiling: 45 Risk: Extreme ETA: 2022 Role Description: Role Player
Ht/Wt: 6’1” / 183 lbs. B/T: S/R Highest Level: SS-A Age (as of April 1, 2019): 19y, 5m
Video #1 | Video #2 | Spotlight | Report
Carmona was part of the Brewers’ return for Jonathan Schoop last year, moving to the New York-Penn League from Milwaukee’s Pioneer League affiliate. He’s an athletic middle infielder with good strength for his size, something that gives hope there’s a chance for some pop and offensive impact paired with defensive versatility. Carmona can play SS, 3B, or 2B, showing a 55-grade arm that plays down right now due to sloppy footwork and throwing accuracy. He’s likely to outgrow shortstop but has the defensive tools and power potential to remain on the left side of the infield. Carmona struggled at the plate last year but was just 18-years-old, still showing intriguing batspeed from both sides of the plate.
(#25) Cadyn Grenier, SS
Ceiling: 45 Risk: Extreme ETA: 2021 Role Description: Role Player
Ht/Wt: 5’11” / 188 lbs. B/T: R/R Highest Level: A Age (as of April 1, 2019): 22y, 5m
Video #1 | Video #2 | Video #3 | Spotlight
The O’s selected Grenier with the 37th overall pick in this year’s draft, then challenged him with an assignment straight to Class A Delmarva. Grenier struggled in the South Atlantic League just a few weeks removed from winning a College World Series. A polished defender at shortstop, Grenier will need to prove he can hit enough to fit a consequential big league profile. He’s known for his glove and will stay at the position, but there’s reason to question how much impact he will have at the plate. It’s too early to shut the door on Grenier’s offensive upside, though we’re more confident his ceiling is closer to defensive specialist than regular option at this point.
(#24) Steve Wilkerson, 2B/3B
Ceiling: 40 Risk: Moderate ETA: 2018 Role Description: Bench Player
Ht/Wt: 6’1” / 195 lbs. B/T: S/R Highest Level: MLB Age (as of April 1, 2019): 27y, 2m
Video | Spotlight
Wilkerson got a brief cup of coffee at the end of last season with the O’s. He’s 27, so while not quite prospect aged, he’s also ready to contribute right away. Wilkerson is a plus athlete who plays a good 2B, able to shift across the infield to 3B when needed. A switch hitter, his swing is geared towards line drives and handles fastballs better than soft stuff. He profiles as a bench player and could crack the big league roster in that capacity next year.
(#23) Drew Jackson, SS/UTIL
Ceiling: 40 Risk: Moderate ETA: 2018 Role Description: Bench Player
Ht/Wt: 6’2” / 200 lbs. B/T: R/R Highest Level: AA Age (as of April 1, 2019): 25y, 8m
Video | Spotlight
Jackson played in the Dodgers system last year, acquired by the Orioles during the Rule 5 Draft in a draft-and-swap move with the Phillies. Philadelphia technically selected Jackson in the Major League Phase, sending him to Baltimore shortly thereafter for future considerations. The athletic middle infielder is coming off his best season as a professional, having slashed .251/.356/.447 in the Texas League. His improvements at the plate centered around an increased focus on lift and power, as Jackson’s home run totals spiked accordingly with a jump in aerial contact. He has the speed to steal bases and is athletic enough to move around the field, able to occasionally fill in around the outfield while shuttling mostly between 2B and SS. There are plenty of spots on Baltimore’s roster, so Jackson has a good chance to stick as a Rule 5 player with defensive versatility that plays in a bench role.
(#22) Hunter Harvey, RHP
Ceiling: 45 Risk: High ETA: 2020 Role Description: Setup Relief
Ht/Wt: 6’3” / 175 lbs. B/T: R/R Highest Level: AA Age (as of April 1, 2019): 24y, 3m
Video | Report
2018 was the same old story with Harvey, who flashed intriguing stuff but missed considerable time with injuries. It’s time for him to transition to the ‘pen, where there’s a better chance Baltimore can maximize his value without worrying about durability over longer outings. Lots of pitching has entered this system since the Orioles took Harvey 22nd overall in 2013, and while he has been passed by other arms in the system, his two-pitch mix still has some upside in relief. Harvey’s fastball was touching 96 mph with a hard curveball before he was shut down with elbow discomfort in June.
(#21) Jean Carlos Encarnacion, 3B
Ceiling: 45 Risk: Extreme ETA: 2021 Role Description: Role Player
Ht/Wt: 6’3” / 195 lbs. B/T: R/R Highest Level: A Age (as of April 1, 2019): 21y, 2m
Video #1 | Video #2 | Video #3 | Report
Acquired from Atlanta in the deal that sent Kevin Gausman to the Braves, Encarnacion is one of the few risk/reward position prospects in this system. Years of neglecting the international market left Baltimore’s farm thin on players with this type of skill set, so Encarnacion was an especially welcome addition in that way. He’s an athletic 6-foot-3 with plus raw power, though it’s a raw hit tool with limited present feel or approach. Defensively, his hands and footwork can be stiff at times, but Encarnacion has the mobility and strong arm to potentially stick at 3B despite being on the larger end for the position. There’s a big gap between his ceiling and floor: the raw tools are here to develop into a low-end regular or part-time power bat, but Encarnacion won’t be much without shortening his swing and learning to control the zone.
A native of Washington, D.C., Adam will be periodically contributing scouting pieces on Orioles prospects for Baltimore Sports and Life. Currently, he’s the Assistant Director of Professional Evaluation at 2080 Baseball. Previously, Adam worked in the Baseball Operations departments of the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers after serving as a Senior Prospect Writer for Baseball Prospectus. You can follow him on Twitter: @2080adam. Adam can be reached at amcinturff@2080baseball.com for all podcast and media requests.