Mike Wright

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #10 prospect in 2016
  Wright's progress toward the majors culminated in his 2015 big league callup on May 17. He touched 98 mph while throwing 14 scoreless in his first two starts against the Angels and Marlins. He even struck out Mike Trout for his first major league whiff. Wright went 13-3, 1.75 in his last 22 starts at Triple-A Norfolk dating back to late 2014. He was the Orioles' minor league pitcher of the year in 2013. Wright pitches with a fastball that sits between 90-95 mph and tops out at 98. He throws with good downhill plane, but struggles to repeat his delivery and throw strikes at times. His slider and changeup are close enough in quality that each can be considered his best secondary pitch, but he struggles to command those fringe-average pitches. He also throws a fringy curveball. He can battle nerves at times and struggled after his early big league success by running up an 8.90 ERA over 30 innings with a corresponding 16-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Wright should battle for a big league job in 2016--but in what role? Some scouts say Wright has starter stuff and just needs to command it better, but some also envision him throwing in the high 90s as a potential setup reliever.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #8 prospect in 2015
  The organization's Jim Palmer award winner in 2013 as its top minor league pitcher, Wright got off to a slow start in 2014 but had a very strong finish at Triple-A. He pitched to an 0.76 ERA with a .176 opponents average in five August starts, including falling one out short of a no-hitter against Durham in his next-to-last start. Scouts look at Wright and see a tall, strong, hard-throwing durable starter--albeit one without a picture-perfect delivery. Wright throws across his body from the first-base side of the rubber and lands on a stiff front leg. His fastball works between 89-93 mph, touching 95, with good sink. He throws both a slider and curveball as well as a changeup, which some scouts leaned to as his best secondary pitch, a solid-average offering. His low-80s slider also can be solid-average, and his fringy curve gives hitters another look. He doesn't have a put-away pitch or the stuff to elevate as a starter. The Orioles believe his fastball would play up in the 96-98 mph range if he was airing it out on every pitch out of the bullpen. Wright is likely to return to the Triple-A rotation in 2015, and the Orioles added him to the 40-man this winter since he was Rule 5 eligible for the first time. He needs to avoid another slow start if he hopes to make a run at a major league spot in 2015.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #8 prospect in 2014
  Wright nearly won the organization's pitching triple crown in 2013, leading in wins (11) and ERA (3.11) and finishing a close second in strikeouts to Parker Bridwell. He made his Triple-A Norfolk debut on Sept. 2, with a scoreless start for a team still in the playoff hunt. Wright throws a fastball, slider, curve and changeup. He pitches at 92-93 mph with sink, touching 95. He has an aggressive tempo and fills up the strike zone with all four pitches when he's going well. He also keeps the same arm slot with all his pitches, including a hard cutter-type slider around 85 mph and a changeup with good sink and life. His curveball is his fourth pitch, and more of a surprise-attack option. None of his pitches grade as a true plus, so he has to be fine with his command. While he doesn't have a true out pitch, Wright has a good feel for pitching and profiles as a durable No. 4 starter. His stuff could play up if he's pressed into bullpen service. He should begin the 2014 season in Norfolk's rotation as he tries earn a spot on the 40-man roster.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #8 prospect in 2013
  Liking Wright more than the industry consensus in 2011, the Orioles drafted him in the third round. He impressed in his first spring training, striking out Mark Teixeira and two other Yankees in two innings to get on the fast track, and he reached Double-A in his first full season. He missed six weeks with a hamstring injury but made up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League. Wright doesn't have a true out pitch, but he gets good leverage out of his durable pitcher's frame, keeping the ball down and generating groundouts. His fastball operates from 89-95 mph and mostly sits at 92-93 with hard sink. His slider is inconsistent but flashes plus potential, and his changeup continues progressing. Wright threw a curveball in college, and Baltimore reintroduced it last year to give him a fourth pitch. Like most pitchers, he runs into trouble when he leaves the ball up and out over the plate. He's highly competitive. Given Wright's combination of size and stuff, Baltimore will leave him in the rotation and see if he can reach his No. 3 starter upside. Scouts outside the organization suggest he might fit best as a late-inning reliever, perhaps in a set-up role. He'll open 2013 in Triple-A.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #11 prospect in 2012
  When Wright heard his sister scream, he knew he was an Oriole. Both were following the 2011 draft at home on their computers, and her connection was faster so she saw first that Baltimore took him in the third round. He signed quickly for slot money, $363,300, and pitched 46 innings at three minor league stops. He also worked 100 innings during the spring at East Carolina, but injured his foot stepping on a bottle cap and didn't pitch in instructional league. Wright is a sinker/slider pitcher, usually working in the low 90s and touching 96 mph with his two-seam fastball, and he keeps the ball down and generates a lot of groundouts. His slider is a solid pitch and has more upside than his changeup, though his changeup is more consistent right now. He's a strike-thrower who will sharpen his command as he moves up, as he already has learned that pro hitters will punish mistakes in the zone. Wright has the look of a mid-rotation starter, as he's competitive on the mound and has a 6-foot-5 frame that could carry a few more pounds of muscle. After getting his feet wet last summer, he'll probably open his first full season in low Class A.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Liking Wright more than the industry consensus in 2011, the Orioles drafted him in the third round. He impressed in his first spring training, striking out Mark Teixeira and two other Yankees in two innings to get on the fast track, and he reached Double-A in his first full season. He missed six weeks with a hamstring injury but made up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League. Scouting Report: Wright doesn't have a true out pitch, but he gets good leverage out of his durable pitcher's frame, keeping the ball down and generating groundouts. His fastball operates from 89-95 mph and mostly sits at 92-93 with hard sink. His slider is inconsistent but flashes plus potential, and his changeup continues progressing. Wright threw a curveball in college, and Baltimore reintroduced it last year to give him a fourth pitch. Like most pitchers, he runs into trouble when he leaves the ball up and out over the plate. He's highly competitive. The Future: Given Wright's combination of size and stuff, Baltimore will leave him in the rotation and see if he can reach his No. 3 starter upside. Scouts outside the organization suggest he might fit best as a late-inning reliever, perhaps in a set-up role. He'll open 2013 in Triple-A.