Baltimore Orioles: Ryan Wilson Is Emerging As A Pitcher To Watch In Delmarva

An already stout pitching staff in Delmarva is seeing another starter emerge as a force to be reckoned with. That pitcher is Baltimore Orioles prospect Ryan Wilson.

The Delmarva Shorebirds (Low-A), with a record of 56-22 entering play on June 29th, are the talk of the Baltimore Orioles Minor League system.  The pitching staff has been the main reason for that talk as it leads the entire Baltimore minor league system with a 2.93 ERA.

Delmarva is loaded with pitchers to watch led by Baltimore’s top prospect Grayson Rodriguez.  Some of the other standouts include 27th ranked prospect, Drew Rom Gray Fenter, Tyler Joyner, Ofelky Peralta, and LHP Nick Vespi.

Recently, left-hander Ryan Wilson, has emerged as a pitcher to keep an eye on in a case of the rich getting richer in Delmarva.

Wilson was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Pepperdine University where he compiled a 12-10 record with six saves in 43 games (32 starts) in three seasons.  He  finished his college carer with a 3.13 ERA with 187 strikeouts in 230.0 career innings pitched.

As with most collegiate pitchers, Wilson started his professional career in the Gulf Coast League (Rookie) before moving to Delmarva in 2018.  Out of the bullpen in the GCL, Wilson appeared in 23 games, two of which were starts. He produced a 0-3 record with a 3.50 ERA over 61.2 innings.  None of this indicated what would transpire in 2019.

Wilson got a late start to the 2019 season; he was made active on May 18th.  He has made seven starts for the Shorebirds, pitching to a 3-2 record with a 3.48 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 33.2 innings.  He is holding South Atlantic League batters to a .240 batting average and with 11 walks allowed, possesses a 1.25 WHIP.  In keeping with the emphasis on strikeouts, Wilson has a strikeout/9 inning rate of 8.6 and he is striking out almost 3 (2.91) batters for every one he walks.

It is Wilson’s last three starts that he has been simply dominant.  He is 2-0 in those starts and over a span of 18.0 innings has allowed 6 hits, 1 unearned run and 5 walks while striking out 14.  South Atlantic League hitters have been held to a .103/ .185/ .103 slash line over those three games; Wilson has been virtually un-hittable.

A multitude of quality pitchers is good for any team and the Shorebirds certainly have that right now.  It would seem that only promotions would disrupt what is going on in Delmarva but with Wilson’s emergence even promotions may not disrupt the Shorebirds’ winning ways.  The lower levels of the Baltimore system are stocked with quality arms and Wilson is showing he is one.

If Orioles fans didn’t know of Ryan Wilson before, they should take notice of the 22 year-old southpaw now.  What Wilson brings to the table is another solid option for Shorebirds manager Kyle Moore; he is keeping runners off base.  As a part of an already dominant pitching staff he should only get better; his ERA streak of 0.00 will certainly not continue but if he continues to limit batters and baserunners both he and the Shorebirds will continue to succeed.  Pay attention to him, fans, if you do you will like what you see.