2007 Orioles Prospects

by John Sickels on Nov 29, 2006 6:12 PM EST in News

2007 Baltimore Orioles Prospects

Bill Rowell, 3B, Grade B+ (looks like a very strong bat)
Brandon Erbe, RHP, Grade B+ (one of my favorites)
Nolan Reimold, OF, B (power should carry forward but batting average?)
Garrett Olson, LHP, B (solid mid-rotation starter type)
Pedro Beato, RHP, B (throws hard, needs time to develop)
Radhames Liz, RHP, B (throws hard, but needs a good dose of Triple-A)
James Hoey, RHP, B- (high octane bullpen arm but was rushed last year)
Jeff Fiorentino, OF, B- (I see him as a really good fourth outfielder, B- might be high)
Brandon Snyder, C, C+ (complete collapse of plate discipline last year is a bigger issue than the shoulder injury)
James Johnson, RHP, C+ (back-end rotation or swingman type)
Jason Berken, RHP, C+ (underrated 2006 draft guy)
Chris Vinyard, 1B, C+ (very impressive power in the New York-Penn League)
Ryan Adams, SS, C+ (Young, promising bat but will need time)
Val Majewski, OF, C (I liked him a lot before he hurt his shoulder)
Kieron Pope, OF, C (great tools but skills are still weak)
Zach Britton, LHP, C (good arm but raw)
Brian Burres, LHP, C (could be useful swingman)
Brett Bordes, LHP, C (lived armed LOOGY could advance quickly)
Brian Finch, RHP, C (I don't like his K/BB ratio)
Blake Davis, SS, C (held own in Sally League jumping from college ball)

Spots 16 through 20 are interchangeable with a bunch of other guys depending on what you want to emphasize.

Others to consider: Paco Figueroa, 2B; Pedro Florimon, SS; Beau Hale, RHP; Tyler Henson, SS; David Hernandez, RHP; Ryan Keefer, RHP; Luis Lebron Gustavo, RHP; Jeff Moore, RHP; Cory Morris, RHP; Luis Ramirez, RHP; Arturo Rivas, OF; Marino Salas, RHP; Chorye Spoone, RHP; Josh Tamba, RHP.

The Orioles In One Sentence: This organization has improved and has some intriguing guys at the top, along with some pitching depth, but they need to try and find more impact bats.

I might be getting tougher with my grading of C/C+ guys. As the book process proceeds, I will go back and make the grades more uniform across organizations.

Note: Remember that ALL GRADES ARE PRELIMINARY. There is a lot of slack in the B-/C+/C range and players may move up and down depending on how my thinking progresses. Feel free to make comments, point out sleepers I may have missed, etc. Note that there is only a limited amount of space in the book, and the max I can do is 35-36 players per team.

And, as always, there is the helpful reminder to Buy My Book, which will lay out reports for all these guys (and more) in detail.

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Comments

Penn

Apparently Hayden went over the limits, but out of curiousity any chance you could let us know what grade you would give him?

by drwmsu1 on Nov 29, 2006 6:19 PM EST reply actions

Wow

What a dead thread. Where's a Lincecum when you need one.

OK, I'll get it going... ROWELL SUCKS!!! 3rd baseman that may grow to 6'7" are destined to get hurt or end up as bench players ;)

by slurve on Nov 29, 2006 8:41 PM EST reply actions

re

Troy Glaus? He gets hurt, but has had a productive career

by ScottAZ on Nov 29, 2006 10:32 PM EST up reply actions

Well...

he's averaging over 1 strikout a game. I believe he improved after striking out at an alarming rate upon being playing in rookie ball. He's going to have a huge strike zone, much like Glaus, Sexson, and Dunn. But all 3 of Glaus, Dunn, and Sexson showed much better strikeout rates in the minors on all levels though. Also, his power hasn't really developed but you gotta think it will when he fills out. Does anybody have questions on whether he will stay at SS/3B or not?

by Havok1517 on Nov 29, 2006 11:29 PM EST up reply actions

re

Glaus was alreay a polished product after attending UCLA and leading them to the CWS. Hard to compare a 18 year old that is still growing into his body to a 22 year old that was fully mature when he entered pro ball.

He won't play SS. Afterall, Glaus was a SS through college. No reason to think at this point he couldn't handle 3b

by ScottAZ on Nov 29, 2006 11:42 PM EST up reply actions

I'm sure you're kidding, but...

Or they end up moving positions. See Carlos Lee, Burrell, Pujols, Teixiera, Dmitri Young among others who although admittedly shorter than 6'7" started at 3B.

I don't think many envision Rowell staying at 3B, esp. if he keeps growing. Thus the bigger question is whether Rowell's bat will play at corner outfield (arm is apparently pretty good) or first base. So far the indications are positive that it will.

by Mario66 on Nov 30, 2006 9:11 AM EST up reply actions

Erbe

is one of my favorite pitching prospects. I could be wrong, but I think in a year or two he will be one of the most hyped pitchers in baseball, and the way he is pitching, should make the majors at a very young age

by rangersfan24 on Nov 29, 2006 9:15 PM EST reply actions

I'll see your Brandon Erbe

...and raise you a Will Inman.

by battlekow on Nov 30, 2006 10:50 PM EST up reply actions

not a bad systerm

considering they graduated markakis, loewen, and penn(or did he graduate in 2005?)

About Nolan, anyone know his BABIP from last year or if he was in a brutal pitchers league?

I got him stashed deep on my roster and I like his power/patience potential, but that .255 scares me at A+. But its only one year.

by Team Moneyball on Nov 29, 2006 10:12 PM EST reply actions

reimold's BABIP = .301

according to minor league baseball splits

http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/pl/460/460099FreCARb06.html

by vaclipper on Nov 29, 2006 10:21 PM EST up reply actions

Reimold

The Carolina League is a pitchers' league, but Frederick's one of the best hitters' parks in that league.

I thought Reimold was a little bit tentative at the plate a year ago, and it got worse as the season went on. Like Jeremy Hermida a year earlier, sometimes he just couldn't pull the trigger, and when he did the result was frequently a bad swing at a pitchers' pitch. I know we like to harp on plate discipline, but I think there is such a thing as being "too" patient, and some of these guys need to be told to SWING THE ######### BAT ALREADY!

Mike Emeigh http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/minor_key/

by MikeE on Nov 30, 2006 7:41 PM EST up reply actions

John

Rowell = Parmalee and Marero?

by vaclipper on Nov 29, 2006 10:43 PM EST reply actions

Ryan Adams

seemed to have a very strong debut for a high school bat, what's your opinion on him and his future, I always thought he was one of the underrated high school bats in the draft

by sagecoll on Nov 30, 2006 9:16 AM EST reply actions

Retarded question

But am I the only one who, initially looking at the picture, sees a pelican facing left rather than an oriole facing right?

Just as a general comment, I definately like Erbe better than Rowell at this point.

by Brickhaus on Dec 1, 2006 12:28 AM EST reply actions

IS there any hope for...

Val Majewski? I'm a Rutgers guy, so I'll always hold out hope, but age/injuries starting to work against him getting a full shot?

If it wasn't for disappointments, I wouldn't have any appointments.

by kings33 on Dec 2, 2006 9:26 AM EST reply actions

Maybe

he gets packaged in a trade for a slugger. Val would be an attractive buy low guy. Sad, I really liked him before his shoulder injury.

by Havok1517 on Dec 3, 2006 2:06 AM EST up reply actions

Ray, Markakis, Loewen, Penn...

These guys just lost prospect eligibility within the last couple of years...usually you see a drop in the system when you have so many top guys leave eligibility...considering that, this system is still right there in depth and high potential guys...the comment about the need for more high impact bats is correct...the organization is obviously building around pitching, and considering the higher risk and how long pitching can take to develop, I can understand why the Os current ML struggles has lasted longer than what Os fans would like...

...the Os for the last few years has been sprinkling in a few middle-late round solid bats and an occasional top pick...but most of it is usually pitching...

..also, I think Sickels is under-rating Florimon...

by basemonkey on Dec 2, 2006 10:20 PM EST reply actions

Will Inman vs. Erbe...

...isn't too close...Erbe started younger and throws harder, 95 mph at age 17 but hits 97-98 today...but both are fine prospects...

by basemonkey on Dec 2, 2006 11:36 PM EST reply actions

Actually, I agree

I was just trying to sneak MY favorite under-the-radar guy into the conversation. Erbe's got much better stuff, but Inman does have a significant advantage in control.

by battlekow on Dec 3, 2006 2:25 PM EST up reply actions

Erbe's control is good too...

...but you're right about Inman's control rates...he's got stellar control...it will be interesting to see how he advances with stellar control but not necessarily stellar stuff (not that Inman's stuff is sub-par though)...I like Inman a lot...those types of pitchers (plus changeups specialists) are harder to project IMO when they are in the lower minors...

by basemonkey on Dec 4, 2006 8:38 AM EST up reply actions

2007 Toronto Prospect List

I have seen a lot of Fisher Cat games and listened to the rest and I can not understand
Mike Mac Donald not being listed while David Purcey and Jessie Litsch who both really struggled
were.

by blackbearem on Dec 10, 2006 2:31 PM EST reply actions