Baltimore Orioles: Ties to franchise’s past extend to Minor Leagues

The Baltimore Orioles are very good at embracing their glorious history. Many ex-players have roles with the team, and ties to the past are present in the organization, even at the Minor League levels

The Baltimore Orioles have a long history that includes three World Championships and six Hall of Fame players. One thing that the organization does well is celebrate that glorious history.

Links to the Orioles past are prevalent in the here-and-now, in the form of ex-players serving as special assistants and advisers to ownership, as broadcasters, and as executives and advisers during Spring Training.

Brooks Robinson, Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Ben McDonald, Brian Roberts, Mike Bordick, Rick Dempsy, and Brady Anderson, among others, all have a role with the team and serve as ties to the past.

Fans may not be aware, however, that there are four prospects in the Baltimore Orioles minor league system with ties to the team’s past as well. Brandon Bonilla, Dalton Hoiles, Preston Palmeiro and Ryan Ripken are prospects in the Orioles’ system, and are the sons of former Orioles Bobby Bonilla, Chris Hoiles, Rafael Palmeiro and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr, respectively.

Brandon Bonilla was drafted in the 13th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Hawaii Pacific University. In two seasons, Bonilla has produced a 1-6 record with a 2.52 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 29 games at Aberdeen (A-Short) and Delmarva (A-Low) combined.

He most recently finished the 2018 season in Delmarva, where he pitched to an 0-4 record over 7 games, with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. I expect that Bonilla will pitch for the Shorebirds again in 2019.

The Orioles signed Dalton Hoiles as a minor league free agent in 2018 and assigned him to the Aberdeen Ironbirds. In 48 at bats over 19 games, Hoiles struggled to a slash line of .146/.305/.188 with just two extra-base hits and 3 RBI. I’d expect that he returns to Aberdeen in 2019.

Preston Palmeiro, who made the switch from first base to second base in 2018, was drafted out of North Carolina State University in the 7th round of the 2016 draft. His career minor league slash-line is .252/.312/.391 with 30 home-runs and 159 RBI.

Playing second base for the Frederick Keys (A-High) did not seem to hurt Palmeiro’s performance; the position change looked seamless for him as he committed just 11 errors, good for a .975 fielding percentage.

His bat remained steady this past season despite the major position change as his slash-line in Frederick reflected his career one – .251/.309/.401. Palmeiro hit 17 home-runs with 64 RBI in 2018, a sign that his power is developing.

Despite the power surge, and keeping in mind that Frederick’s Nymeo Field is seen as a hitter’s park, I see him returning to Frederick in 2019, but would not rule out a mid to late-season promotion to Bowie (AA) should he maintain his solid performance.

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Ryan Ripken was originally drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 15th round of the 2014 draft and joined the Orioles’ organization following his release by the Nationals in 2017.

He played in his family’s hometown of Aberdeen in 2017 and moved to Delmarva for the 2018 season. In 2018, he produced a slash line of .244/.281/.327 with 7 home-runs and 44 RBI in 106 games. I expect that Ripken will join Bonilla on the Shorebirds’ roster in 2019.

There is no doubt that the Orioles hope these prospects develop as their familial bloodlines suggest they might, and that they become valuable members of the team and contribute to the franchise’s history.

The Baltimore Orioles are very good at embracing their glorious history. Many ex-players have roles with the team, and ties to the past are present in the organization, even at the Minor League levels

More from Birds Watcher

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