Baltimore Orioles Top 20 Prospects in Review

This list was originally posted January 6, 2008. THIS IS NOT A NEW LIST!!! THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE OLD LIST!!!!!!!!!

1) Matt Wieters, C, Grade A-
    .352/.445/.602 after being promoted to Double-A Bowie. The best overall prospect in baseball right now, in my opinion.
2) Troy Patton, LHP, Grade B+
     Torn labrum, out for the year.
3) Radhames Liz, RHP, Grade B
     3.76 ERA with 63/26 K/BB in 67 innings for Triple-A Norfolk, 7.47 ERA with 33/32 K/BB in 47 innings for the Orioles. Command is obviously the issue here.
4) Bill Rowell, 3B, Grade B
     .232/.303/.354 for Class A Frederick. Not thriving the way the Orioles hoped. Still young, but appears to be stagnating.
5) Nolan Reimold, OF, Grade B-
     .290/.365/.505 for Double-A Bowie. Looks good, sound strike zone judgment with a low strikeout rate.
6) Garrett Olson, LHP, Grade B-
     5.67 ERA with 55/40 K/BB in 98 innings for the Orioles, 119 hits allowed. I think he's capable of better, will be interesting to see how long the Orioles stick with him.
7) Jake Arrieta, RHP, Grade B-
     2.87 ERA with 120/51 K/BB in 113 innings, 80 hits allowed. Strong K/IP and H/IP ratios match plus stuff, stock has risen.
8) Chorye Spoone, RHP, Grade B-
     4.57 ERA with 32/27 K/BB in 41 innings at Bowie, on the DL with shoulder problems.
9) Jim Hoey, RHP, Grade B-
      Out with shoulder problems.
10) Pedro Beato, RHP, Grade B-
       5.06 ERA with 39/23 K/BB in 69 innings, 81 hits allowed for Frederick. Obviously unimpressive numbers.
11) Tim Bascom, RHP, Grade B-
       7.08 ERA with 43/37 K/BB in 61 innings for Frederick, 81 hits allowed. Seems to be winning a who sucks more contest with Pedro Beato.
12) Brandon Erbe, RHP, Grade C+
      4.40 ERA with 122/38 K/BB in 121 innings for Frederick, 103 hits allowed. Very strong component ratios, but the ERA is high due to 18 homers.
13) Brandon Snyder, 1B, Grade C+
       .295/.337/.482 for Frederick. Has made progress, plate discipline still an issue.
14) Mike Costanzo, 3B, Grade C+
        .258/.330/.393 for Norfolk. Not enough. Strikeout rate very high but just 10 homers.
15) Scott Moore, 3B, Grade C+
        .247/.321/.408 for Norfolk. Unimpressive. Has been bothered by knee injury.
16) Randor Bierd, RHP, Grade C+
        2.77 ERA with 21/6 K/BB in 13 innings in the minors (three levels combined), 1.47 ERA with 11/8 K/BB in 18 innings in the majors. Interesting guy if he can stay healthy.
17) Bradley Bergesen, RHP, Grade C+
       13-3, 2.68 with a 58/20 K/BB in 117 innings for Bowie, 110 hits allowed. Having a good year, winning games, but low strikeout rate is a warning sign.
18) Bob McCrory, RHP, Grade C
       3.14 ERA with 26/13 K/BB in 29 innings for Norfolk. Walked four in 0.2 major league innings. Has the stuff, needs to throw strikes.
19) David Hernandez, RHP, Grade C
       2.63 ERA with 129/55 K/BB in 109 innings for Bowie, 84 hits allowed. Rated a sleeper pre-season and has lived up to that, command still an issue but K/IP and H/IP are strong.
20) Jeff Fiorentino, OF, Grade C
       Traded to Reds, waived to Oakland, then waived back to Baltimore. Hitting .263/.339/.340 for Norfolk. Prospect status appears at an end.

Injury attrition and simple ineffectiveness have claimed several of the pitchers. The anchor, of course, is Wieters, who has been everything the Orioles could have possibly hoped. This is good because Rowell doesn't look much like a prospect right now, and Snyder, while improved, faces an uphill climb at first base. The development of Reimold and Arrieta is a positive.