SARASOTA—This week, MLB.com unveiled its list of Orioles’ top 30 prospects. There’s still the same top five but in a different order.
Catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo, the 6-foot-4, 20-year-old who has impressed the Orioles his spring, has moved past corner infielder Coby Mayo into first place. Basallo is the 13th-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline’s top 100. Mayo, who was 4-for-41 (.098) in his first major league audition, is 14th.
Outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr., a 23-year-old who was reassigned to minor league camp on Sunday and was the Orioles’ top draft choice in 2023, has moved up from fourth to third.
Right-hander Chayce McDermott, a 26-year old who has yet to pitch this spring because of a right teres/lat sprain, has moved up from fifth to fourth. Outfielder Vance Honeycutt, a 21-year-old who was last year’s first-round draft pick, is the fifth-ranked prospect, down from third.
The rest of the top 10 is outfielder Dylan Beavers (age 23), shortstop Griff O’Ferrall (22), and right-handers Michael Forret (20), Keeler Morfe (18), and Patrick Reilly (23).
Beavers was also reassigned to minor league camp on Sunday. O’Ferrall was the Orioles’ second pick and the 32nd overall selection in July’s draft. Forrett was the Orioles’ 14th-round pick in 2023 and was 6-8 with a 5.06 ERA in 26 games for High-A Aberdeen and Single-A Delmarva in 2024.
Morfe, a Venezuelan right-hander, is just 5 feet 8, and throws over 100 mph. After an 0.82 ERA in seven starts, Morfe had four starts for Delmarva with a 6.75 ERA.
Reilly, a fifth-round pick of Pittsburgh in 2023, was acquired last July in exchange for outfielder Billy Cook. He allowed just 21 hits in 31 1/3 innings for Double-A Bowie, striking out 38 and walking 18. Reilly had a 1-1 record and 3.73 ERA in eight games, six starts.
New to the top 30 is right-hander Nestor German, a 23-year-old who was 3-3 with a 1.59 ERA in 21 games. The 11th round 2023 draft choice struck out 90 batters and walked just 17 in 73 2/3 innings. German gave up just two home runs in his first season of professional baseball.
Catcher/first baseman Creed Willems, a 21-year-old who has often been used as an extra player imported from minor league camp, is the 12th highest-ranked prospect.
There are 11 international players in the top 30. Besides Basallo and Morfe, there’s outfielder Stiven Martinez (13th), left-handed pitcher Luis De León (14th), infielder Aron Estrada (16th), shortstop/second baseman Leandro Arias (20th), third baseman Joshua Liranzo (21st), outfielder Thomas Sosa (22nd), outfielder Jordan Sanchez (25th), shortstop/third baseman Elvin Garcia (26th) and shortstop Emilio Sanchez (27th).
Others on the top 30 include right-handers Trey Gibson (15th) and Cameron Weston (17th), catcher/first baseman Ethan Anderson (18th), who was the Orioles’ second-round pick in 2024 and right-hander Brandon Young (19th).
Young, who was the Orioles’ minor league pitcher of the year in 2024, remains in major league camp.
Outfielder Jud Fabian, a 24-year-old who also was sent to minor league camp after a week of Grapefruit League games, is 23rd. Right-handers Trace Bright (24th) and Alex Pham (28th), outfielder Austin Overn (29th) and shortstop DJ Layton (30th) round out the list.
Bright was 0-11 with a 4.18 ERA for Bowie last year. Pham, who pitched in an early Grapefruit League game, was 7-4 with a 4.24 ERA for the Baysox last year.
Overn was the Orioles’ third-round pick and Layton the sixth-round pick in 2024.
Many of these prospects will be featured in the Spring Breakout game on March 15th. Orioles prospects face those of the New York Yankees at 6:05 p.m. at Ed Smith Stadium.
In last year’s first Spring Breakout game, Bradfield got the only hit for Orioles prospects in their 3-1 loss to the Pirates prospects in Bradenton. Paul Skenes, the eventual National League Rookie of the Year started against Cade Povich.
Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.