Cade Povich flashed plenty of potential while attempting to find his footing in the big leagues.
The Orioles have watched their fair share of rookies debut over the last few seasons. Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday all commanded national attention, while players like Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad moved the needle in Birdland.
Mike Elias inherited Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall, and he has yet to take a pitcher high in the draft. The current administration acquired Kyle Bradish in a deal that sent Dylan Bundy to LA, but the majority of the prospect hype has focused on hitters.
Baltimore entered 2024 with two pitching prospects expected to debut at some point during the season. Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott were held in similar regard at the beginning of the year, but Povich made a far greater impact with the Orioles.
Early injuries to Bradish, John Means, and Tyler Wells heightened the need for starters in Baltimore. Albert Suárez immediately emerged as one of the better stories in 2024, but the Orioles still needed help. Povich debuted on June 6 and went on to start 16 games for the Birds.
Povich struggled his first time out in Toronto, but the lefty blanked the Braves for six innings in his Camden Yards debut. He allowed five hits, struck out six, and did not walk a batter. It was the type of start that placed Povich’s potential on full display.
The 24-year-old went on to deliver an appropriate season for a mid-level pitching prospect. He walked five hitters but only allowed one run in his first start at Yankee stadium. He walked five more Yankees in a home start in July but did not allow a free pass in his next two starts. He got shelled by Oakland but absolutely dominated the White Sox. He pitched into the seventh against Boston, but the Dodgers took him to town.
The results varied as Povich attempted to find his footing. Baltimore optioned Povich on July 13, but he returned to start the second game of a doubleheader on July 29. He went back to Norfolk after the game but rejoined the O’s for good on August 17.
Povich pitched like a rookie, but he appeared to turn a corner at the end of the season. The lefty faced the red-hot Tigers in consecutive starts on September 15 and September 21. He delivered a pair of five-inning starts with two hits and two earned runs allowed in each contest. Povich struck out eight batters in Detroit and fanned seven Tigers back in Baltimore. He ended the season with 5.2 shutout innings against the Twins.
The Orioles rewarded Povich with a place on the postseason roster, but the lefty did not see game action in an abridged playoff appearance.
Povich finished the year with 79.2 innings, a 5.20 ERA a 1.431 WHIP, 69 strikeouts, and 34 walks. His FIP sat slightly lower at 4.79, but the 72 ERA+ ranked well below average. He posted a 3-9 record on the season.
Povich used a five-pitch mix but still threw his four-seamer at a 40% clip. He averaged a below-average 92.4 MPH with the heater, so he lived and died by location. The Orioles are doing great things in their analytics department, but nobody should expect Povich to throw 98 MPH next season. Pitch location will remain key for the duration of Povich’s career.
The Orioles could easily lose Corbin Burnes in free agency, and Bradish will miss a significant chunk of the year. Baltimore will attempt to fix Trevor Rogers, and McDermott should become a factor at some point, but Povich will enter spring training with a solid shot to rejoin the rotation.
Povich will look to locate his pitches and minimize the walks during his sophomore campaign. He’ll also look to improve the numbers on his curveball. The pitch profiles as his best offspeed option, and he threw it 19% of the time last season, but batters hit .333 with a 42.2 hard hit percentage against the curve. Increased control should help turn the pitch into the weapon it can be against big league hitters.
Povich will never move the needle with velocity, but there is room in this league for soft-tossing lefties. Povich should provide pitching depth for several years with the potential to develop into an above average fourth or fifth starter.
Previous 2024 player reviews: Keegan Akin, Cionel Pérez, Cole Irvin, Ryan O’Hearn, Craig Kimbrel
Tomorrow: Eloy Jiménez/Austin Slater/Emmanuel Rivera