Baltimore Orioles Top 15 Prospects

Ridiculous power potential for a teenager and production at the lower levels have Basallo rising quickly despite evaluators not being sure where his long-term defensive home may be. He is well on his way to becoming an offensive monster.

Offense

Starting with his bat resting on his shoulder, Basallo features a smooth, rhythmic load to get his hands slotted and sink into his back hip. Already built like a freight train, Basallo produces plus exit velocity power to all fields. He has reached exit velocities as high as 115 mph prior to his 20th birthday, and while there may not be a ton of projection in his frame, he will almost surely get stronger as he develops.

Basallo is an aggressive hitter with a fair amount of in-zone whiff, but he has kept his strikeout rate at a palatable rate thanks to his ability to make contact on pitches outside of the zone. He shows some adjustability in the box with relatively simple moves, providing optimism for an average hit tool. Basallo already does a good job of getting into his power in games, especially to his pull side.

That said, there’s even more game power in the tank for Basallo as he could still cut down on the ground ball rate some and improve his swing decisions.

Handling aggressive assignments well, Basallo tore through High-A and Double-A as a teenager while posting strong numbers left on left. The biggest question for Basallo will be whether his chase rate north of 30% holds him back at the highest level, but his ability to do damage in seemingly every pitch location and track record of hitting as one of the youngest players at each stop give him huge offensive upside.

Defense/Speed

A plus throwing arm is the leading defensive tool for Basallo, who may be a candidate to move from behind the dish. He moves well enough to continue to get looks at catcher, but his blocking and receiving have a ways to go, with the latter particularly standing out as a weakness.

His catch and throw skills are strong, gunning down around 30% of attempted base stealers as a pro with impressive pop times. Basallo’s defense may ultimately be fringy, but as long as he is not a liability, his bat will justify several starts per week behind the dish with reps at first base mixed in, which the Orioles have made a point to get him more experience at.

Outlook

If Basallo’s defense can inch closer to big league average, he could be a rare commodity as an elite left-handed power threat at a tough position. His bat pushed him to Triple-A in his age-19 season, but it is still early in his overall development as a catcher.

Even if he is only behind the dish in a part-time capacity, his 30+ home run upside from the left side. Average hit and plus or better power will ultimately play anywhere. With Adley Rutschman manning the catching position in Baltimore, Basallo’s most clear path with the org is likely first base while catching a couple of times per week.

If he were to get traded, he has shown enough improvement defensively to warrant more catching reps as he inches closer to average in that regard.

2. Trey Gibson – RHP – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 245 | Bat/Throw: R/R | UDFA, 2023 (BAL) | ETA: 2026

Gibson is looking like a major scouting success for the Orioles, signing as a non-drafted free agent after standing out on the Cape in 2023. A deep bag of pitches and command that has made a leap in 2025 has him tracking like a potential rotation piece for the Orioles in 2026.

Arsenal

A five-pitch mix, Gibson can really spin it with plus extension. His fastball sits near the mid-90s, topping out at 98 MPH with sneaky run and ride that plays up from his nearly seven feet of extension. He utilizes his secondaries pretty evenly with a slight edge to his upper-80s cutter and low-80s curveball.

The cutter is an effective weak-contact inducer, generating a low average exit velocity and high ground ball rate. It tunnels off of his heater well, resulting in a plus chase rate. The depthy curveball may be Gibson’s best pitch, averaging roughly 17 inches of vertical break and 10 horizontal.

Despite the big shape, Gibson commands it well, landing it for a strike 65% of the time with a plus zone-whiff rate. He favors the pitch more to lefties, who have struggled to do anything against it across multiple levels, but will still mix it in to righties.

The sweeper is utilized more against righties, with plenty of movement in the mid-80s. He has the tendency to miss over the heart of the plate more frequently with the sweeper than his slider, exemplified by the slug numbers yielded, but the underlying data points towards it being at least an average pitch.

The slider is not far off in velocity from the cutter, though its slurvy shape distinguishes it with more downward action and an even higher ground ball rate. It’s his least used pitch, but not due to lack of effectiveness, generating some of the most gaudy whiff and chase numbers of his entire arsenal at just north of 10% usage.

Outlook

Gibson has all of the ingredients to be a reliable big league starter, and his leap from fringy command to above-average only helps his case. It’s a clean, repeatable delivery from a 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame with an arsenal that should give him consistent platoon splits and the ability to pitch deep into ball games with the way he can vary his looks. There’s middle-rotation upside.

3. Dylan Beavers – OF – (MLB)

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 205 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (33), 2021 (BAL) | ETA: 2025

A well-rounded hitter, Beavers has cleaned up his swing mechanics and the positive results have followed as Beavers has mashed Triple-A pitching with the best strikeout-to-walk numbers and slug of his career.

Offense

Starting upright with his weight stacked slightly towards his backside and hands high, Beavers sinks into his back hip as he gets into a medium-sized leg kick and loads with his scap. The moves are in sync and create good separation.

Beavers’ path is much more efficient, living in the zone for a long time, generating plenty of contact in the air with the quickness to crush balls pull side. His exit velocities are up big in 2025, seeing his 90th percentile jump by more than three mph and hard hit rate by 7%. With above-average contact rates and a chase rate below 20%, it’s hard to poke a hole in Beaver’s offensive game. He is even performing well in left-on-left matchups.

Nothing jumps off of the page offensively, but there’s the potential for above average hit and plate discipline and average power.

Defense/Speed

A fringe-plus runner, Beavers takes long, quick strides and covers plenty of ground in the outfield. His reads are shaky, not always looking the most comfortable as he closes in on balls which in turn affects his routes as well. His speed helps him get by in centerfield in a pinch, but he projects best in a corner where his plus arm plays well.

An efficient base stealer, Beavers swiped 31 bags on 34 tries in 2024 and is on pace to exceed that in 2025.

Outlook

Beavers has at least 50 grade tools across the board, making him a high probability big league regular. With the uptick in power, he fits the corner profile more easily, where around 20 home runs with good on-base skills would place him in the comfortably above-average regular territory. His speed makes him a legitimate 20-20 threat and a bat you may not have to platoon thanks to his success left on left.

4. Ike Irish – C/OF – (CPX)

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 205 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (19), 2025 (BAL) | ETA: 2027

Irish offers the potential for an enticing blend of hit and power that transcended his lack of defensive home enough to make him a sure-fire first-round pick, albeit with plenty of pressure on the bat.

Hitting

Starting upright and open with his hands just in front of his back shoulder, Irish gathers into his back side as he pulls his hands back. His mobility with his lower half really stands out. The way he can ride his back hip while still gaining ground with his lead leg is somewhat reminiscent of Kerry Carpenter, as is his ability to go down and g et balls at the lower half while still holding his back side.

The difference with Irish is that his path is much flatter, and he’s not quite as quick bat speed-wise. As a result, he covered four seamers at the top as well as just about any hitter in the class, but he also had the tendency to roll over the top of sharper secondary stuff.

Between his adjustability and a path that gives him a bigger contact window, Irish produces good contact rates inside the zone and great outside of the zone, making him difficult to punch out as an amateur.

Irish will likely need to make some tweaks to reach his offensive potential, given the downhill and sometimes swatty nature of his swing. He flashes the potential for above-average power, especially with the way he utilizes the ground, but until he can elevate stuff at the bottom half of the zone at even just a respectable clip there will likely be slug left on the table.

Defense/Speed

Irish mostly played in the outfield in his draft year at Auburn, where he looked closer to average as the year progressed. He still has the tendency to float to the spot, but his jumps have improved with enough speed to close in on the balls he needs to. His plus arm helps his case as well in a corner.

The Orioles have not shut the door on Irish catching, though his receiving and blocking are far off. He has the athleticism and arm strength to give himself a shot at becoming a fringe-average defensive catcher with instruction and reps.

Outlook

Irish has the foundation to provide above-average hit and power, but he’s likely a swing adjustment away from getting there. While he is not position-less per se, Irish is unlikely to provide much value beyond the bat, placing more pressure on his ability to slug.

If he can’t catch in even a part-time capacity, the outlook starts to slip closer to an Alec Burleson type in the respect that his advanced blend of hit and power gives has a good chance to stick league lineup, but it’s likely going to require peak offensive seasons to eclipse three WAR.

5. Esteban Mejia – RHP – (Low-A)

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 175 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $150,000, 2024 (BAL) | ETA: 2028

An electrifying teenage arm who is still learning to harness his stuff, Mejia offers as much upside as any pitcher in the Orioles organization.

Arsenal

A three-pitch mix, Mejia’s arsenal is headlined by a fastball that can exceed triple digits and averages just north of 98 MPH. He’s slender and long levered, which creates a whippy arm action from a cross-fire delivery that can be difficult for hitters to pick up. With that same notion, those components to his delivery make both his shapes and command inconsistent.

The fastball has more run than ride, but the latter plays up from his below-average release height. That said, it can hover near the dead zone shape-wise, at times and he will tend to miss badly arm side.

His swing and miss pitch is a gyro slider that averages 90 MPH. It plays up from his crossfire release, tunneling well off of his heater. He will favor it more in right-on-right matchups, though the action it features at such a high velocity makes it an effective pitch darting under left-handed barrels as well.

Mejia’s changeup is the furthest off, though it flashes above average. It’s a power changeup in the low 90s somewhat reminiscent of Edward Cabrera’s, but he tends to spray it with inconsistent shape.

Outlook

Mejia won’t turn 19 years old until the start of the 2026 season and already pitched his way off the complex and into Low-A in 2025. While he has plenty of time and the raw stuff to inspire all the patience needed, Mejia will need to make some serious command gains to stick as a starter.

Tightening up his arm action could benefit him as he has a long arm swing that he struggles to repeat, paired with lower-half ti ming that can be inconsistent from that cross-fire delivery.

Mejia has the stuff to be great, potentially boasting three plus pitches and a fastball that can sit near triple digits. The focus will be on becoming more of a pitcher than a thrower in full-season ball to fend off a move to the bullpen.

6. Enrique Bradfield Jr. – OF – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 170 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 1st Round (17), 2023 (BAL) | ETA: 2025

Elite wheels and defense with minimal slug, Bradfield is a throwback center fielder with a high floor, but repetitive hamstring issues have become a cause for concern.

Offense

Bradfield has tweaked his setup since being drafted by the Orioles, flattening his barrel in his setup while starting slightly open and a bit more in his base. Even with the adjustments, Bradfield still struggles to keep his weight back as long as he needs to, often drifting onto his front foot, creating too many weak and armsy swings.

Where Bradfield stands out is his elite feel for the strike zone and good feel for the barrel. He has been one of the more selective hitters in the minor leagues since he debuted, while posting strong contact rates.

Between his ability to draw free passes and be a pest in the box, Bradfield should ride his 80-grade speed into a high on-base percentage, but he would benefit from spraying more line drives than just beating most of his hard hit baseballs into the ground, which ties back into the drifting point earlier.

Ultimately, Bradfield is likely to be a slash and dash bat, dependent on grinding out free passes and stealing hits on the infield to push the OPS north of .700.

Defense/Speed

80-grade wheels and the instincts of a veteran center fielder, Bradfield is one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball at any level. He seems to always know where he is on the field, finding the wall consistently with comfort, even at full speed. He will take his eyes off the ball to sprint to a spot and pick the ball back up in stride when it’s hit straight over his head or if he has to make an adjustment. His arm is fringy, but accurate. 

Stealing 130 bags in less than 200 collegiate games, it was more of the same for Bradfield in his first pro season, swiping 74 bags in 106 games, albeit with 13 caught stealings. The output has been subdued as he has battled hamstring issues in 2025, but swiped 18 bags on his first 20 tries.

Outlook

The hamstring issues are a cause for concern given how dependent Bradfield’s game is on his legs. Even with the inconsistent offensive results, Bradfield is a high-probability big leaguer given his elite defense and wheels with the ability to get on base.

He’ll have to find a way to get his lower half more properly involved in his swing to reach closer to his everyday centerfield upside as his current operation in the box is unlikely to produce the production needed to be a first division regular, which would likely only require something near a .700 OPS, assuming he can leave the hamstring issues in the dust.

Bradfield is more likely to land as a second division regular in center field.

7. Caden Bodine – C – (CPX)

Height/Weight: 5’10″, 200 | Bat/Throw: S/R | 1st Round (30), 2025 (BAL) | ETA: 2027

A switch-hitting catcher with great bat-to-ball and elite receiving skills, Bodine is a high probability big league backstop, but will really need to hit to carve out primary reps.

Hitting

From the left side, Bodine starts upright with his feet roughly shoulder-width apart and the bat resting on his shoulder. He gathers into his back side with a rhythmic leg kick while pulling the knob of the bat towards the catcher. His hand load creates a decent-sized barrel tip as he gets to his slot, which could make it difficult to get back on plane for higher velocity stuff, though it was far from an issue as an amateur.

He is even more narrow with his setup from the right side, with the barrel flatter as he loads his hands. Bodine produced some of the best contact rates in the country, rarely missing within the zone and spoiling pitches consistently just outside of it. The bat to ball is comparable from both sides, but he does a better job of elevating from the left side.

The power is well below-average, and he is pretty maxed out physically, giving him more of a gap-to-gap outlook with the ability to mix in a handful of homers per year. For Bodine to be a primary catcher, he has little room for his plus hit tool to degrade as a pro.

He can get a little expansive against harder spin, which will be important to monitor as plate discipline will be essential to bolstering his offensive profile, assuming the game power is around 30 grade. What’s clear is he will put the ball in play consistently, which should have a stronger correlation with a high batting average if he can increase his average launch angle on batted balls 90+ MPH.

Defense/Speed

Bodine’s calling card behind the dish is his superb ability to receive and steal strikes. His arm is fringy, but he gets the ball out quickly, resulting in average pop times. His arm strength will likely need to improve to limit the running game consistently at the highest level, but his instincts and quick transfer hedge enough. Bodine earns high marks for his intangibles as a catcher and easily projects as at least an above-average defender.

Outlook

The contact and defense give Bodine a nice floor, but his offensive profile makes it an uphill battle to a .750 OPS. The Ernie Clement profile serves as a proof of concept if Bodine does not add much raw power, but at least increases his average launch angle with the hope that he provides similar defensive value at a premium position. At worst, Bodine has a g reat chance of at least landing as a quality backup option.

8. Braxton Bragg – RHP – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 205 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 8th Round, (241) 2023 (BAL) | ETA: 2027

Another impressive scouting success by the Orioles, Bragg went from sitting in the low 90s at Dallas Baptist to sitting in the mid-90s with good life on both a four-seamer and sinker. Tommy John surgery put a halt to what looked like his breakout season in 2025, likely keeping him out until 2027.

Arsenal

Prior to going down with a torn UCL, Bragg’s fastball was sitting in the mid-90s, utilizing both a four-seamer and sinker that averaged a tick slower at 94 MPH. The run and ride on the four seamer is exacerbated from his low release, generating plenty of whiff at the top of the zone.

His sinker averages more than 18 inches of horizontal break and six inches less of vertical break, resulting in plenty of ground balls and challenges for hitters to differentiate the two iterations of the fastball until it’s too late.

His best secondary pitch is a gyro slider in the mid-80s. He will mix it in to righties and lefties evenly with success, but lefties particularly struggle against the offering. Bragg’s sweeper is a good equalizer against same-handed hitters in the low 80s, though he still shows the willingness to mix it in to lefties as well.

Bragg adjusted his changeup in favor of a splitter heading into the 2025 season with the pitch looking much more effective. Flashing above average in the mid 80s, Bragg struggled to command it with the same success of the rest of his offerings, but when it was around the zone, it generated plus whiff and chase.

Outlook

Had Bragg not gone down with Tommy John surgery in the middle of the 2025 season, his blend of improved stuff and above-average command could have easily seen him climbing into the 50 future value tier, as the results were there at Double-A as well.

Now set to be out until his age 26 season with only 12 starts above Low-A, Bragg’s value is hampered a bit. The good news is, if his stuff and command are anywhere near where it was in his nine starts with Double-A Chesapeake, he won’t need much more time in the minor leagues once he is built back up.

Bragg’s ability to blend whiff and ground balls gives him a chance to be a quality No. 4 starter, assuming he returns in the same form.

9. Nate George – OF – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 190 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 16th Round (489), 2024 (BAL) | ETA: 2028

A standout athlete who also played football and ran track in high school, George’s game is raw, but he has still turned in strong results at the complex and Low-A, earning a promotion to High-A shortly after his 19th birthday.

Hitting

George has great hand-eye coordination with the twitch and athleticism to make turns in strong results at the lower levels despite a raw operation in the box. He starts crouched and will sink further into his backside in his load, but he will tend to push out of it as he gets ready to fire the barrel with the tendency to leak open with his front side.

He’s strong with quick hands and good barrel accuracy, which helps circumvent his raw mechanics, though his armsy swing and lack of cohesion between his torso and lower half could turn into shakier results at the upper levels.

The flip side of that argument is that with better mechanics and a more properly involved lower half, George could potentially tap into more power and offensive upside.

Most of the balls he hits in the air are inside-out swings, while most of the batted balls to the pull side are on the ground. Regardless, he has posted above-average contact rates in his first pro season while holding his own against all pitch types, making him an exciting prospect to follow heading into 2026.

Defense/Speed

An easy plus runner, George can cover plenty of ground in the outfield and has the skill set to develop into an above-average centerfielder. His jumps are a work in progress, as the first step can be delayed before showing off the closing speed to compensate. He does a pretty good job already of tracking the ball down once he is underway. George has the speed to be a good base stealer, but has been incredibly inefficient in his first season, being caught 19 times in his first 58 tries in 2025.

Outlook

George is a difficult player to assess, as the lower-level results and athleticism are impossible to deny, but the swing mechanics and overall feel for the game will need to come along further to project as an everyday centerfielder. The feel for the barrel definitely helps his case and has played a big part in the strong offensive output at the complex and Low-A.

It will be interesting to monitor how George handles High-A as higher quality fastballs could expose the armsy nature of his swing. Regardless, the start of his career has been impressive given his multi-sport background as an amateur. He will be an exciting prospect to follow after what would be his first full pro offseason as a guy who could show up to camp in 2026 ready to take off with the right tweaks.

10. Wehiwa Aloy – SS – (Low-A)

Height/Weight: 5’10″, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round-CB (31), 2025 (BAL) | ETA: 2027

The 2025 Golden Spikes Winner, Aloy has big power potential with a great chance of sticking on the left side of the infield, but there’s legitimate concern that he may not hit enough.

Hitting

Starting upright and closed off, Aloy utilizes an early toe tap that starts when the pitcher breaks his hands, then he strides out from there. There’s a small hand pump in tandem with the initial toe tap, and as he strides forward he pulls his hands back up and behind him further.

Though it’s not the loudest move, it can contribute to some timing issues as he is not always in the same spot as the pitcher’s release.

Aloy is sturdy and powerful, not getting cheated on his swings with the capability of doing major damage to all fields. Both the approach and whiff improved some in his draft year, but contact and chase rates were still somewhat concerning. Aloy’s ability to do damage on pitches outside of the zone hedges some of that concern, though it will be harder to do so with much consistency against more challenging competition.

The exit velocities are easily plus thanks to standout bat speed that helps him turn around velocity and crush pitches to the pull side. His slight gains against sliders in 2025 was a good sign, but his ability to both consistently hit and recognize spin is a potentially deficiency.

While Aloy has the power to hit 30 homers, his hit tool and plate discipline may hold him back from doing so. The most realistic gain for Aloy will be in the plate discipline department, where if he can lean into a three true outcome approach, he may be able to walk and slug his way to an everyday role.

Defense/Speed

Aloy has arguably made the most gains on the defensive side of things in college, giving himself a chance to stick at shortstop with footwork that improved in his draft year, reliable hands, and a strong enough arm. You wouldn’t know he’s just a fringy runner by the way he moves in the infield, showcasing the range required at short. If he slows some, he could make the move over to third base, where he’d potentially project as an above-average defender.

Outlook

If Aloy can even be a fringy hitter with average plate discipline, he has the tools to be an above-average regular, but he enters pro ball closer to below average in those departments. The 21-year-old has time to shore things up, and the Orioles are likely to move him a bit slower than his peers. As he stands now, Aloy looks the part of a lefty masher who can move around the infield.

11. Michael Forret – RHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 195 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 14th Round (421), 2023 (BAL) | ETA: 2027

Forret has a good feel for a quality four-pitch mix, which has turned into dominant results in his second taste of High-A. He creates plenty of deception with a cross-fire delivery from a short arm action. As a result, hitters really struggle to pick up the ball, with his 93-95 MPH getting on hitters more quickly than the velo and extension would imply.

The right-hander’s slurvy breaking ball is even more of a challenge for hitters. Given his setup on the first base side of the rubber and landing spot on the third base side, hitters see the numbers on his back before he uncorks to snap the 82-84 MPH breaking ball with late bite. He has picked up both elite zone whiff and chase figures on it.

While Forret’s curveball and changeup don’t stand out from a data perspective, both play up for the same reasons as his slider. The curveball can blend a little with the slider at points, but the changeup has come along as another potential above-average secondary.

Adjusted from the splitter he threw previously, Forret’s arm-side fade on the pitch will generate some ugly swings from lefties who struggle to pick it up.

The Orioles have been careful with the 21-year-old’s workload through his first two pro seasons, generally keeping him below 70 pitches in each outing with 2-3 inning appearances mixed in. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain his velocity as his workload scales up, as well as how much the deception will aid him at the upper levels, but Forret looks the part of a back-end starter.

12. Slater de Brun – OF – (CPX)

Height/Weight: 5’9″, 190 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 1st Round-CB (37), 2025 (BAL) | ETA: 2027

de Brun has a compact frame but is strong for his size with twitchy athleticism. His calling card is his double-plus wheels that help him get down the line quickly. While his speed helps him compensate, his routes can be adventurous in the outfield, sometimes a tick late on his jumps as well.

He has made strides with his swing, producing above-average contact rates on the summer circuit with a short, direct stroke. It is still on the stiffer side, lending some concern to how adjustable his swing can ultimately be, which will be important as de Brun will likely need to be a plus hitter to be an everyday player.

de Brun’s contact skills, patience, and speed give him a solid foundation, though for a player of his archetype, the hit tool and defense likely need to be closer to plus.

13. Boston Bateman – LHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’7″, 245 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 2nd Round (52), 2024 (SD) | ETA: 2028

A towering, hard-throwing lefty, Bateman is more of a thrower than a pitcher in the early going of his professional career, but the stuff is plenty projectable. Bateman was one of the key prospects acquired in the Laureano/O’Hearn return.

Arsenal

Bateman twists inward with a high leg kick, but a moderate stride down the mound, resulting in a more upright delivery despite his low-three-quarters arm slot. He has a live arm, sitting in the mid mid-90s90s with his fastball, running it up to 98 MPH. It lacks some desired life, but the whip he generates from a position where his front shoulder is closed off from home plate helps the ball get on hitters more quickly despite the below-average extension.

He leans on the fastball heavily, throwing it roughly two-thirds of the time in the early going of his pro career, blending decent whiff rates with a high ground ball rate. The most used secondary pitch for Bateman is a slider at 85-87 MPH.

The shape plays up a bit thanks to his horizontal release. His command of the pitch has progressed with each pro start in the early going, with it looking like it could be an above-average offering.

Rounding things out is a changeup that flashes decent fade, but has an inconsistent feel for it. The pitch has come along as the season has progressed, looking like a potential average third pitch.

Outlook

There’s a fair amount of reliever risk with Bateman, but already touching the upper 90s from the left side prior to his 20th birthday makes it easy to dream on a high-leverage arm if things do go in that direction. That said, his progress as a strike thrower and improved feel for the changeup as he has settled into pro ball has him trending in the direction of a potential back-end starter.

14. Nestor German – RHP – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 225 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 11th Round (331), 2023 (BAL) | ETA: 2026

Another late-round find by the Orioles on the bump, German is a sturdy righty with a high release that works well with his arsenal. His fastball sits 93-95 MPH with good carry at the top of the zone. His high release can make it hittable when he tugs it down to the middle or lower third, but he picks up plenty of chase at the top.

His best pitch is his plus splitter, which parachutes off of his fastball at a 10 MPH deficit. It’s difficult for hitters to pick up from his over-the-top release with late drop that misses barrels within the zone and picks up chase beneath it.

The slider looks like it can be an average third pitch, especially to righties, thanks to his feel to locate it and he will mix in a taste-breaking curveball as well. If German’s command can improve to above average, he has the stuff to be a No. 5 starter, but even with average command, he is likely a quality depth option.

15. Tyson Neighbors – RHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 220 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 4th Round (118), 2024 (SD) | ETA: 2026

After a lights-out Sophomore season at Kansas State, where Neighbors was one of the best relievers in the country, he took a bit of a step backwards in his draft year, seeing his ERA balloon from 1.85 to 3.96. With such impressive fastball characteristics and solid command, the Padres nabbed Neighbors in the fourth round, and he has made a smooth transition into pro ball.

Neighbors’ fastball sits in the mid-90s, averaging more than 20 inches of induced vertical break from a slightly above average release height, giving it impressive ride. Working off of it is a gyro slider at 88-91 MPH that tunnels well off of his hoppy fastball from an over-the-top release. Neighbors’ curveball looks like a second potential plus pitch for him as well

Names to Watch

Wellington Aracena – RHP – (Low-A) : The headline prospect acquired from the Mets for Gregory Soto, Aracena is likely a reliever, but with loud stuff. His 92-94 MPH cutter is a wipeout pitch and the fastball can exceed triple digits. With improved command, Aracena has a great chance to pitch in high leverage.

Luis De Leon – LHP – (High-A): A hard throwing left-hander with a plus slider, De Leon has really hit his stride in High-A as the 2025 season has progressed. Command of his mid 90s fastball is an important variable and when he is on point with the heater, the changeup starts to play really well off of it as well.

Joseph Dzierwa – LHP – (CPX): A tall, lanky left-hander, the Orioles snagged Dzierwa in the 2nd round of the 2025 draft after he impressed with a 2.36 ERA in just over 90 innings with Michigan State. The fastball mostly sat 91-93 MPH, up a couple ticks from the year prior and at 6-foot-8, 200 pounds, there’s plenty of room to add strength and potentially some extension in his delivery.

The changeup is his best pitch, looking like a plus offering while the spin lags behind. The Orioles are excited about the template that they have to work with in Dzierwa and their recent track record with arms should inspire optimism that he can tap into more as he settles into a pro regimen.

Jud Fabian – OF – (Triple-A) : Fabian is a plus glove in center field with above-average pop, along with pretty significant swing and miss concerns. He has cut down on the Ks in 2025 as he has become more patient in the box. There’s the potential to become a three true outcome second-division regular in centerfield, though he looks more like a fourth outfielder with some thump.

Raimon Gomez – RHP – (High-A) : Acquired in a three prospect package for Cedric Mullins, Gomez is a flame throwing right-hander who has touched 104 MPH with his fastball. The command is well below average and his slider is inconsistent, but when you averaged 100.5 MPH on your four seamer, you’re going to be worth monitoring.

Cobb Hightower – SS – (Low-A) : A versatile infielder with a good feel to hit, Hightower was banged up to start the year and got off to a slow start at Low-A before being included in the package for Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano. There hasn’t been much slug yet, but he has flashed some sneaky pop. Hightower projects as a utility-infield type.

Vance Honeycutt – OF – (High-A): An elite defender in center field, the offensive barrier required to be a big league regular is lower for Honeycutt than most, yet he is still a long ways from it. Striking out north of 40% of the time in High-A in 2025, Honeycutt has a long way to go to potentially project as a big league piece, but his elite defense and speed will buy him time.

Anthony Nunez – RHP – (Triple-A) : Acquired along side Raimon Gomez in the Cedric Mullins trade, Nunez has a great feel to spin the baseball, with a plus cutter and sweeper. He is knocking on the door of being a decent relief option for the Orioles if the command can come along a little bit more.

Andrew Tess – C – (Low-A) : A 12th round pick in the 2024 draft out of the Florida prep ranks, Tees looks like another potentially savvy scouting find alongside Nate George. He has the skill set to stick behind the dish and potentially even be above average back there with more power in the tank and a patient approach. The Orioles challenged Tess with a Low-A promotion prior to his 19th birthday after he tore up the FCL.

Juaron Watts-Brown – RHP – (High-A) : A third round p ick in 2023, Watts-Brown has missed plenty of bats as a pro thanks to his pair of impressive breaking balls (31% strikeout rate), but he has also has struggled in the run-prevention department above Low-A due to a poor fastball (6.35 ERA in 45 1/3 High-A innings in 2024). Watts-Brown has developed his changeup to be a solid fourth offering, which has helped him turn in better results in the early going of 2025. Between the elevated walk rate and OPS allowed north of 1.000 against his fastball as a pro, Watts-Brown will likely be challenged to produce consistent results, however if the command can improve, he could mask the fastball enough to stick as a No. 5 starter.

Levi Wells – RHP – (Double-A): A right-hander with a plus heater and above average curveball, Wells has made a smooth transition to Double-A in his age 23 season after really struggling in High-A in his first pro season. A fourth round pick in 2023, the Orioles have managed Wells’ workload somewhat, with him only exceeding five innings pitched once since in more than 40 pro appearances.