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5 Baltimore Orioles prospects who should debut in 2023
The Orioles' farm system is beginning to pay dividends. Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, and DL Hall debuted last year, but there are still plenty of prospects remaining in the system who should debut in 2023.
Even after that, prospects like Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad, and Cade Povich aren't far behind, likely to debut in 2024. These are the five prospects most likely to debut for the Baltimore Orioles in the 2023 season.
Note: This refers specifically to prospects who should debut in 2023. Gunnar Henderson and DL Hall are prospects, but both debuted in 2022.
Grayson Rodriguez
After a right lat strain sidelined him for a good portion of 2022, Rodriguez's MLB debut was pushed back. He likely would have reached MLB by August or September had he pitched a full season. Rodriguez posted a 2.09 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 56.0 innings in Triple-A before the injury. The question now is not whether he will pitch in the MLB in 2023, but rather when.
When Rodriguez returned from injury last season, he tossed just 19.2 IP in 6 starts. He may still take some time to return to form and to stretch out his innings. If the Orioles feel comfortable with Rodriguez pitching 5+ innings right from the start of the season, he should make it on the Opening Day roster. Otherwise, he might start out in Triple-A to ramp up before making the roster by mid-April.
Jordan Westburg
Aside from Rodriguez, Westburg feels the most certain to debut early this year. Not only are the Orioles once again weak at second base, signing veteran Adam Frazier to a one-year deal, but Westburg seems to be ready for the majors. In 91 games in Triple-A last season, he hit .274/.361/.508 with a .869 OPS and 18 HR. He walked at a clip of 10.7% while striking out just 21.8% of the time. Westburg is a mature hitter who can already hit for power while getting on base at an above-average rate.
Westburg actually spent most of his 2022 season at shortstop. Still, he can handle second base just fine. Jorge Mateo has SS secured for the foreseeable future, but 2B is pretty much wide open on the MLB roster. He's shown an ability to play 2B, 3B, and SS in the majors, but assuming Mateo at SS and Gunnar Henderson at 3B, Westburg is likely to come up as a second baseman. His versatility could get him to the majors even quicker, as any opening in the infield can be filled by Westburg.
Just how soon Westburg will be in Baltimore is unclear. There's a chance of him cracking the Opening Day roster and taking over the starting job immediately. His bat is going to force his way into the lineup if he keeps hitting like he did last season.
Colton Cowser
Assuming Austin Hays in left, Cedric Mullins in center, and Anthony Santander splitting time between RF and DH, the Orioles are probably set in the outfield. Santander could move to being a full-time DH, a position that will likely be split between a few players, to allow Colton Cowser to come up at some point this season.
The path isn't as clear for Cowser as it is for Rodriguez or Westburg, but Cowser, like the others, should force his way onto the team. After putting up insane numbers in Double-A, posting a .469 OBP, Cowser cooled off in Triple-A. In 27 games, he hit just .219/.339/.429, and his walk rate fell from 16.1% to 10.5%. That's still a good walk rate, and a solid OBP, but the drop off was pretty significant. He'll start the season in Triple-A, but when the opportunity arises, or when he shows he's ready, he should have a starting job in the outfield. That opportunity will most likely come in 2023.
Cowser seems to be another safe bet to debut this year, but there is one scenario where I can see him not making the team - a deadline trade. The Orioles are still lacking a true ace, and while Grayson Rodriguez could develop into one, it's a lot to ask of a rookie. Corbin Burnes seems unhappy in Milwaukee and is just two years away from free agency. Maybe the Orioles could make a run at a trade with Cowser as the centerpiece?
Joey Ortiz
An injury cut his 2021 season short, and he started off the following year slow, but Ortiz broke out in a big way in the minors last season. From July 1st through the end of the season, Ortiz slashed .352/.416/.610 with a 1.026 OPS and 15 HR between AA and AAA. He had just a .596 OPS before warming up.
At 24, Ortiz is a mature hitter with a solid plate approach. While he had just an 8.3 BB% last season, he also had an exceptional 16.3 K%. He did this while displaying contact, a .284 AVG that rose to .352 during his hot streak, and power, with 35 doubles and 19 home runs. Sure, you'd expect a 23-year-old to play well at Double-A, but Ortiz improved his own game while coming off a serious injury. His personal improvements are very encouraging to see.
Ortiz has spent most of his amateur and pro career at SS with a bit of time at 2B and 3B. At his floor, Ortiz is a utility man who can play great defense across his infield, giving him a place on the major league team. At his best, Ortiz could become the team's starting shortstop. He'll likely spend a good portion of the season down in Triple-A, but he could have a role on the team later this summer as a utility man, even if Jorge Mateo doesn't yield the starting shortstop job.
Drew Rom
Drew Rom has been around in the system for awhile, drafted by the O's back in 2018. His progression through the minors was slow thanks to the lost 2020 season, but he pitched well in the lower levels. His short look of 40.0 innings in Double-A in 2021 was pretty solid, as he posted a 3.83 ERA with 10.6 K/9, but his 2022 season was underwhelming.
Across Double-A and Triple-A in 2022, Rom pitched to a 4.43 ERA with a 1.475 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9, and 10.8 K/9. While it's encouraging that his strikeout numbers stayed high, he also posted single-season highs in ERA, WHIP, and BB/9. As he was finally progressing through the minor leagues, he took a step back in performance. Still, there are reasons Rom could debut in 2023.
First, he's been in the minors for a while. The Orioles will probably want to get at least a short look at him in the minors, and as he grows used to Triple-A hitting, he may be more ready to face major league hitting. Second, his 2022 season wasn't all bad. He's still an excellent strikeout pitcher who topped out at a 30.3 K% in A-ball back in 2019. That rate hasn't fallen off much since.
Third, he projects well as a backend starter or long reliever in the majors. While he doesn't have an overpowering fastball, sitting in the low 90s, he has good control of his fastball and off-speed stuff. His command has helped him generate strikeouts and groundballs, but it was just this past season that walks became an issue and his ground ball rate fell. There are the elements of a good backend starter here, and if Rom can put it all together in 2023, he should have a shot to fill in for injuries in the rotation at some point in the majors.