Caleb Joseph

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #28 prospect in 2011
  Joseph emerged in 2009 with a solid year in high Class A, but he gave that progress back in Double-A last year. He struggled both at the plate and behind it, and his problems were exacerbated when he injured his shoulder in late July in a home-plate collision with 225-pound Giants outfielder Thomas Neal. The Orioles sent him to the Arizona Fall League, where he went 16-for-41 (.390), but as a taxi squad member his emphasis was on instruction. At the plate, he worked on letting the ball travel deeper and hitting to right field more consistently. Behind the plate, he focused on his footwork and getting a wider base in order to improve his throwing and blocking skills. Joseph's defense grades higher than his offense anyway, and the adjustments should solidify him as an average defender with a solid-average arm. He threw out 26 percent of basestealers in 2010. Joseph's bat will determine whether he can be more than a backup. He's a bit lean for a catcher, and his lack of strength hurts him offensively. He has below-average power, so he'll have to hit for better average. He's a below-average runner but not bad for a catcher. Joseph has played a few games at first base and in the outfield, but Baltimore still sees him as a catcher. He'll go back to Double-A to try to get himself back on track this season.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #10 prospect in 2010
  When Joseph had a strong debut at Aberdeen in 2008, the Orioles jumped him a level and he spent all season at Frederick, finishing up as the catcher on the Carolina League's postseason all-star team. He wore down as the season went on and hit .156 in August, but still finished eighth in the league in batting. The more you see Joseph, the more you like him, and that seems to go for everyone from scouts to managers to pitchers, who love working with him. His tools grade out as average across the board, but his performance is consistently above-average. He understands his swing and knows how to hit, consistently centering the ball and hitting it where it's pitched. He's a good athlete and blocks and receives well. He has an average arm. Joseph's swing can get long and funky, and he'll have to hit with more power to stay out of the lower part of a batting order. He has to work on his footwork, and his release time is a bit slow. He'll need to get stronger to handle catching every day. Joseph has all the skills to be an everyday, workingman catcher. Unfortunately for him, the Orioles have Matt Wieters, who has all the skills to be a star catcher. A decision about his long-term future is still a couple of years away, though, so for now Joseph will move up to Double-A.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #30 prospect in 2009
  Joseph had a standout career at Lipscomb. He earned all-Atlantic Sun Conference recognition in both his sophomore and junior seasons, as well as A-Sun tournament MVP honors in 2008 as Lipscomb won the title and reached NCAA regional play for the first time. He also got scouts' attention as a fill-in player in the Cape Cod League in 2007, eventually earning a spot in the league's all-star game. A seventh-round pick last June, he signed for $125,000. Joseph always has performed with the bat, showing good hands and the potential for above-average power. He can drive fastballs to all fields but still is learning to handle breaking stuff. Joseph is athletic and wiry and surprisingly strong, but he'll have to bulk up a bit to handle the rigors of a full pro season behind the plate. The Orioles would like for him to stay at catcher because he moves well and has good hands, and he's also bilingual and has a knack for working with pitchers. His arm is average and he erased 43 percent of basestealers in his pro debut. If he has to find a new position, he's athletic enough to handle second base, third base or left field. He impressed club officials in instructional league not only with his performance but also his work ethic. He'll open the season as the starting catcher in Delmarva.