I truly don’t want to come across as arrogant.
But the truth is I’ve waited nearly 40 years for my most beloved sports team, the Baltimore Orioles—the one I joke that I follow “366 days a year”—to win a World Series. It’s been a brutal stretch, with a few postseason appearances and mostly futility.
To my friends who have allowed me my delusional passion all these years and never rubbed the success of their teams in my face: Thank you. I hope some of that discipline and humility rubs off on me.
But something is happening in Baltimore that allows the future to burn very bright. And I kind of want to let the world know.
A jaded fanbase is suddenly hopeful. So, what should non-O’s fans and even Orioles trolls (there have been too many over the years) pay attention to?
Adley Rutschman: The current “#1 prospect in baseball” made his debut May 21. So far he’s looked every bit the part of team leader who instantly adds to an already elite clubhouse culture. The offensive stats may not yet be elite, but one look at him in the box and his plate discipline and it’s apparent he can be a middle-of-the-order bat for them for years to come.
The Bullpen: This was projected to be the 28th best (of 30) in baseball. At the end of May the Birds’ pen is tied with the Yankees for the fourth best E.R.A. in baseball. There are a lot of good arms there, many of them previously unheralded: lefty Cionel Pérez, flame-throwing Félix Bautista, long-man Keegan Akin, Dillon Tate and converted starter Jorge López who closes games with a rare four-pitch mix. Much of the credit here can go to, among others, Executive VP and General Manager Mike Elias for finding the unheralded talent and Pitching Coach and Director of Pitching Chris Holt for developing it.
Austin Hays: Long touted but too often injured, Hays has come into his own this year, playing all sides of the ball with equal levels passion and talent. He’s becoming a legit five-tool player, able to excel with his bat (average and power), glove, arm and speed. As long as he stays healthy he could man the new larger left field in Camden Yards for years to come.
Tyler Wells: Picked up by the Orioles from the Minnesota Twins in the Rule 5 draft, this 6’8” right-hander features a legit four-pitch mix and is coming into his own. Breakthrough moment: his May 30 start against the second-ranked AL offense Red Sox. The O’s got clobbered 12-2 the day before. Wells pitched 6 innings of 2-hit shutout ball and the O’s went on to win 10-0 and take the rubber game of a five-game series at Fenway. All but 14 of his 88 pitches were strikes.
More on the way: The Orioles currently boast the #1 farm system in baseball. This year could see the call-up of several more prospects, some of them elite. The #1 pitching prospect in the game, RHP Grayson Rodriguez, suffered a setback, but could well get called up later this summer. As could lefty starter D.L. Hall whose fastball routinely touches 101. But there’s also 20-year-old infielder Gunnar Henderson, who possesses a plus arm and an elite athleticism that may allow him, despite his size, to man the middle infield in Baltimore for years to come. He and fellow prospect Jordan Westburg just joined the Triple-A club in Norfolk. There’s also Kyle Stowers. Described by MLB as “surfer-haired (and) sweet-swinging,” Stowers possesses a bat projected to do major damage, as it has at each of his last three stops through the minors.
Also keep an eye out for: Cesar Prieto, a 23-year-old established star in Cuba whom the O’s picked up in the International Draft for a mere $650,000. Prieto has excellent strike zone discipline and is a pure contact hitter, which should complement the speed and power already at the ML club. Currently at AA Bowie, he’s expected to rise quickly through the system. RHP Kyle Bradish has struggled a bit lately but his stuff is electric. He features a 12-6 curve ball that starts in the zone and drops heavily out of it. His motion also hides the ball well, adding some mph to an already plus fastball. Bradish will improve by refining his location on fastballs (keeping them up in the zone rather than well above it) and by improving his changeup, which he’s noticeably doing. The upside here is huge.