3 top prospects the Orioles can trade to improve the 2025 roster

Over the last two off-seasons, the Baltimore Orioles have begun to dip into their minor league talent pool in an attempt to improve the major league roster. Prior to the 2023 season the O's traded Darell Hernaiz to Oakland in exchange for Cole Irvin and Kyle Virbitsky. This past off-season the Orioles acquired Corbin Burnes from Milwaukee for Joey Ortiz and DL Hall. The trend will continue this off-season.

The Orioles have continued to have one of the best farm systems in baseball for several years despite trading away a few high ranked prospects and graduating many more, including three number one overall prospects. Thanks to some elite scouting and drafting, the Birds' farm system remains stocked with talent but not many places for those talented youngsters to go. The major league team is full of home grown talent that won't be going anywhere anytime soon but the roster still needs to improve.

After being swept out of the playoffs for the second straight year, the Orioles will no doubt look to make another big impact move before the 2025 season. Big impact moves require big names and nobody in the Orioles farm system should be considered untouchable. Which top prospects make the most sense to move if the price is right?

Star infield prospect Coby Mayo could be the first to go

Ranked as the Orioles top prospect following the graduation of Jackson Holliday, Mayo was dominant at the minor league level this season, but was dominated at the major league level. He managed just four hits, all singles, in 41 major league at-bats. At only 22 years of age, Mayo still has plenty of time to grow into the game-changing power hitter many expect him to be, but is there a place for him in Baltimore?

Mayo is a third baseman by trade but it's doubtful that he displaces Jordan Westburg. He has played some first base but his defense is poor. Even if the Birds decide it's time to move on from Ryan Mountcastle and elect not to pick up Ryan O'Hearn's team option, they still have Heston Kjerstad and Samuel Basallo that can play first just as well, if not better defensively with similar output offensively. Mayo is the type of big time prospect that could help bring in a top tier starter to help an ailing Orioles rotation.

The Orioles could deal 2024 first-rounder Vance Honeycutt

Honeycutt was the Orioles' first round draft pick this past July and needed just eight games to advance to High-A baseball. A fantastic defensive centerfielder, Honeycutt can go and get them as well as anyone, but so can some guys ahead of him. Maybe the Birds have moved on from Cedric Mullins by the time Honeycutt is major league ready but Colton Cowser and Enrique Bradfield are elite defensively and will have center and left field locked down.

Honeycutt does provide a powerful right handed bat that Bradfield does not, but there is some concern about his swing and miss. Furthermore, Honeycutt is a pull hitter that might make Camden Yards a difficult place for him to play. He has a lot of potential and Elias has an incredible track record in his drafts, but he might be more use to the Orioles in a trade.

The Orioles could flip Chayce McDermott for a rotation upgrade

Orioles' top pitching prospect Chayce McDermott made his major league debut in 2024, though only for one spot start. McDermott has been a very good minor league pitcher and averaged 13.0 K/9 over four minor league seasons. He has been the starter for a combined no-hitter in each of the last two seasons, one in Bowie and one in Norfolk. McDermott still has some control issues but does appear to be major league ready.

The Birds rotation is in danger of losing Corbin Burnes to free agency and Kyle Bradish if he can't return from Tommy John. As good as McDermott is, he's not the guy who's going to replace those two ace pitchers. The Orioles will be looking to strengthen the starting rotation and many times teams giving up pitching want pitching in return. McDermott may become a star pitcher in the majors later but the Orioles are looking to win right now.

These three players represent the Orioles' number one, three and five prospects. The Orioles have developed so many players into major league stars that they no longer need to have a top farm system. We can all trust that Elias will not just throw away talent because the Orioles have so much, but he should trade whoever he needs to in order to help this team take the next step. If that means gutting the farm system to win a World Series, then it should be done. The current Orioles are young enough that Elias will have time to rebuild the farm system afterward.