Baltimore Orioles Prospects: 2024 Midseason Top 30 Update

Baltimore continues to have a farm system to envy. Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson have developed into a pair of homegrown franchise players. Grayson Rodriguez is a fixture in the rotation while Jordan Westburg, Colton Cowser and Ryan Mountcastle have all been key contributors to the lineup.

Despite all that, Baltimore has more big league ready position players than spots to play them. This ensures Norfolk remains a must-see stop for clubs who may trade with Baltimore. There’s also plenty of talent below Triple-A, giving the Orioles pieces to compete with pretty much anyone in baseball at the trade deadline.

But that’s only if the Orioles decide to pursue that route. As the astute Corbin Burnes move last offseason showed, Baltimore’s front office doesn’t worry about external pressure. They make moves on their own timetable and without overpaying.

Baseball America subscribers can see the full updated Orioles Top 30 here. Notable risers, fallers, new additions and injury updates are below.

Notable Risers

Coby Mayo, 3B

It’s hard to notice it in the rankings because Mayo was already sitting at No. 3 in the Orioles’ Top 30, but Mayo has raised his projection/ceiling with an exceptional first half of the season. He hits the ball as hard as anyone in the minors, and he has a swing geared to driving the ball in the air that makes the most of that power potential. Mayo has plus arm strength, but his throwing accuracy has been an issue. So far, he’s made improvements there. He made four throwing errors in his first 19 games at third base this year, but just two in the past 26.

Notable Fallers

Hudson Haskin, OF

Haskin underwent surgery to repair both hips. He’s back and playing, but he’s not showing the same explosive athleticism he did before the injuries.

John Rhodes, OF

Rhodes has been much better in June, but he needs to hit a good bit more to be a plausible corner outfielder who can also play first base in the big leagues.

Max Wagner, 3B

Wagner’s 2024 season has been filled with injury. He underwent surgery after fracturing his hamate bone (hand) in December, and he’s currently on the IL with a back injury. When he’s played, he’s struggled to make contact, hitting .151/.247/.256.

Notable New additions

20. Elvin Garcia, SS

BA Grade: 55/Extreme

Track Record: Garcia was one of the Orioles’ priority targets in the 2024 international signing class. He signed for $500,000 and has quickly become one of the more consistent hitters in the Dominican Summer League.

Scouting Report: A switch-hitter, Garcia is polished as a hitter from both sides of the plate for a 17-year-old. The DSL has more than its share of pitchers who struggle to find the plate, and Garcia doesn’t make a pitcher’s job any easier. He was walking as much as he struck out as of early July. He should grow into home run power, but he already shows gap power. Garcia has the athleticism, burst, actions and a plus arm to stick at shortstop, and he has a heady approach to the game defensively.

The Future: Garcia’s debut has gone as well as could be hoped. In an organization still working to show its international department is fully rebuilt and humming, Garcia should be another example to build around.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55 | Power: 40 | Speed: 60 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 60

24. Brandon Young, RHP

BA Grade: 45/Medium

Track Record: A undrafted free agent signee after the pandemic-shortened, five-round 2020 MLB draft, Young had a solid 2021 season, but he injured his elbow early in the 2022 season which sidelined him for 15 months. He’s shown no ill effects upon returning and earned a promotion to Triple-A in late May.

Scouting Report: Young is a sum-of-his-parts pitcher, but that’s not meant in a disparaging manner. His fastball, slider and hard cutter are all more effective because of how well they pair together. He sits 92-94 mph with his average fastball, also relying on an average mid-80s cutter, a fringe-average low-80s slider and a below-average changeup. His bigger, mid-70s average curveball is often his most effective breaking ball, but he doesn’t throw it as often. He is a consistent strike-thrower with plus control. He’s walked one or fewer in 11 of his first 14 outings this year.

The Future: Young isn’t flashy, but his ability to mix multiple pitches and fill the strike zone is valuable. He’s nearly ready to fill the role of an up-and-down starter who could become a No. 5 starter.

25. Leandro Arias, SS/2B

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: A $600,000 signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2022, Arias didn’t do much in his pro debut, but he was one of the standouts of the Florida Complex League last year. The switch-hitter has more than held his own as one of the younger players in the Carolina League.

Scouting Report: Though he’s one of younger players in the Carolina League, Arias grinds out at-bats like a grizzled vet. He’s a switch-hitter who excels at making contact, but he’s also shown power potential. Arias has played all around the infield. He’s not likely a shortstop long-term, but he should be able to stay in the dirt.

The Future: Arias is a bat-first infielder with the contact skills and developing power to handle second base long-term.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50 | Power: 40 | Speed: 50 | Fielding: 45 | Arm: 55

28. Cameron Weston, RHP

BA Grade: 40/Medium

Track Record: A very reliable member of the Michigan starting rotation, the Orioles picked Weston in the eighth round of the 2022 draft. He missed time in 2023 with tendinitis, but he’s made up for that in 2024. He dominated in April at High-A Aberdeen and has handled the jump to Double-A Bowie.

Scouting Report: Weston is a sinker-slider pitcher. He works to all four quadrants of the strike zone with his 90-92 mph fringe-average fastball, and then works the bottom and edges of the zone with his above-average slider. Against an aggressive hitter, he’ll move the target for his slider further and further off the plate until they stop swinging. He also throws a splitter and a changeup, although both are below-average pitches he’s working to refine.

The Future: Weston is a multi-inning, multi-role righthander who could end up as a reliever, spot starter or a little of both. He’s not the highest-ceiling pitcher in the organization, but his ability to pitch makes him a useful upper-minors arm.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Splitter: 40 | Control: 50

30. Matthew Etzel, OF

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: After drafting Southern Miss outfielder Reed Trimble with a competitive balance pick in 2021, the Orioles added another Golden Eagle outfielder in 2023 by picking Etzel in the 10th round. Etzel ended up leap-frogging Trimble, making it to Double-A less than a year after being picked.

Scouting Report: Etzel is a speedster who can handle all three outfield positions while causing havoc on the basepaths. He swiped 58 bases in his first 100 pro games at an 81.7% success rate. At the plate, Etzel is a slasher who looks to sting ground balls and line drives into the gaps. He has the pop to yank a ball over the right field fence or line a ball into the left center gap for a double or triple, but it’s below-average power. He knows the strike zone and knows that a walk often leaves him standing on second thanks to his base-stealing prowess. Defensively, he’s an average center fielder who can handle either corner and even has shown he can play first base. He is fearless near the wall.

The Future: Etzel is a promising fourth outfielder type. He can handle center field and his bat is just good enough that he could stick in that role, especially since he’s shown he can string together solid at-bats against lefties.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 45 | Power: 40 | Speed: 60 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 50