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Orioles' farm system showing major improvement despite lack of rankings movement

Originally posted on Baltimore Orioles on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 4:00 PM ET

It wasn’t too long ago that the Baltimore Orioles had the best farm system in baseball, overflowing with highly rated prospects that were expected to become the team’s next core.

As shared by MLB.com, their midseason rank in 2023 was No. 1 and they held that spot into the 2024 preseason. They dropped to No. 3 during the midseason update last year, but became a middle-of-the-pack system shortly after that.

Graduations have been a contributing factor, with second baseman Jackson Holliday, outfielder Colton Cowser, outfielder Heston Kjerstad, infielder Coby Mayo, and starting pitcher Cade Povich all graduating in 2024 or 2025. With the team being in the playoff hunt the last two years, trades were also made involving prospects to improve the team’s odds of making a run to the World Series. Given the amount of talent lost from the prospect list, the Orioles plummeted to No. 15 in the 2025 preseason.

Orioles' farm system has successfully restocked

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MLB Pipeline has updated its farm system ranks for the 2025 midseason edition and Baltimore has surprisingly not moved up. But things are on the rise for the Orioles, who added an incredible amount of depth to their minor league system via the 2025 MLB Draft and trade deadline.

“The Orioles are holding serve here. They were VERY busy at the deadline as sellers of big league talent with the season in Baltimore not going as planned. So while Basallo is their lone Top 100 representative, it’s a deeper system than it’s been in a while,” as shared by MLB.com.

As the most disappointing team in baseball, Baltimore was a shocking seller this year, but general manager Mike Elias made the most of a bad situation. The Orioles traded outfielders Cedric Mullins and Ramon Laureano, designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn, infielder Ramon Urias, starting pitcher Charlie Morton and relievers Gregory Soto, Bryan Baker, Seranthony Dominguez and Andrew Kittredge for 15 total prospects and one draft pick.

One of the players acquired in return, left-handed pitcher Boston Bateman from the San Diego Padres, landed inside the team’s top 10. Four of their draft picks, catcher/outfielder Ike Irish, shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, outfielder Slater de Brun and catcher Caden Bodine, also cracked the top 10.

Right-handed pitcher Esteban Mejia and outfielder Nate George are now at Nos. 7 and 8, respectively, meaning catcher Samuel Basallo and outfielders Dylan Beavers and Enrique Bradfield Jr. are the only holdovers from the preseason rankings.

Don’t be surprised if this system pushes closer to the top 10 when the 2026 preseason edition is released, because there is a lot of burgeoning talent on the rise.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Orioles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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