Michael Forret Stats & Scouting Report

IP	39.2
ERA	3.18
WHIP	1.13
BB/9	3.4
SO/9	11.12

Full name Michael Steven Forret
Born 04/06/2004 in Matthews, NC
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Providence
Drafted in the 14th round (421st overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2023 (signed for $450,000).

View Draft Report

School: State JC of Florida Source: JC

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 19.3
Forret opened eyes early in the juco season when he matched up against Northwest Florida State JC and threw a seven-inning, one-hit shutout. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound lefty posted a 3.34 ERA over 13 starts and 86.1 innings, with 106 strikeouts and 18 walks. He throws a fastball in the low 90s that has been up to 94, and has a nice diving changeup in the low 80s as well as a solid slider in the same range. Following the spring season, Forret pitched with Falmouth in the Cape Cod League, and through his first two starts and six innings, he posted a 3.00 ERA with eight strikeouts and three walks. Forret has a projectable frame and could add more strength in the near future.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.

Track Record: An early-season look put Forret on the Orioles’ draft radar in 2023, and his low walk rate, pitch mix and makeup convinced the Orioles to sign him for an over-slot $450,000 out of the State College of Florida junior college program. He earned raves from across the organization in 2024, with a 1.29 WHIP at the Class A levels, along with a strikeout rate near 29% over a large sample in his pro debut. He was the Orioles’ youngest pitcher to make a full-season team out of spring training in 2024.

Scouting Report: Forret has a broad and advanced arsenal, and he commands it well, which makes all of his pitches play up against low-level competition. He generates consistent carry at the top of the zone with a four-seam fastball that sat 93-95 mph and was up to 97. He added a two-seamer to the mix as the 2024 season went on that matched the four-seamer as a plus pitch. Forret also threw a pair of sliders—a low-80s sweeper and low-to-mid-80s gyro—and a pair of changeups. For most of the year, Forret used a kick-changeup in the 85-88 mph range that he developed in the offseason at Tread Athletics. He also refined the running changeup he had in junior college to return it to his arsenal later in the season as another weapon, missing bats with each. While the overall shape of Forret’s arsenal as he advances through the minors isn’t clear, the amount of weapons he has at this stage and his ability to tweak pitches and command them bode well for the generation of an above-average overall pitch mix.

The Future: Though he has a long way to go to get there, Forret, who spent the entire season at age 20 and keeps the ball in the strike zone, has the ceiling of a midrotation starter. He’ll likely return to High-A Aberdeen to start 2025 but could spend most of his age-21 season at Double-A Bowie.Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Sweeper: 50 | Split: 55 | Control: 50.

Draft Prospects

School: State JC of Florida Source: JC

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 19.3
Forret opened eyes early in the juco season when he matched up against Northwest Florida State JC and threw a seven-inning, one-hit shutout. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound lefty posted a 3.34 ERA over 13 starts and 86.1 innings, with 106 strikeouts and 18 walks. He throws a fastball in the low 90s that has been up to 94, and has a nice diving changeup in the low 80s as well as a solid slider in the same range. Following the spring season, Forret pitched with Falmouth in the Cape Cod League, and through his first two starts and six innings, he posted a 3.00 ERA with eight strikeouts and three walks. Forret has a projectable frame and could add more strength in the near future.