Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.
Question: Seems as though the minor teams are all having poor seasons. Has the well run dry? From Ron Foreman
Answer: While three of the Orioles’ four minor league affiliates — Norfolk, Bowie and Single-A Delmarva — have losing records, there is plenty of position player talent in the minors.
As I alluded in the previous question, there don’t seem to be many starting pitching prospects having good seasons at Norfolk and Bowie, but there are many excellent position players — Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo, Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby at Norfolk; Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers and Matthew Etzel at Bowie. Enrique Bradfield, last year’s No. 1 draft pick is at High-A Aberdeen, which does have a winning record. Bradfield is currently out with tendinitis in his left wrist.
Many of the players at Delmarva are very young and relatively new to the United States, but some are among the better Latin American prospects in the Orioles’ system.
Question: I agree on the difficulty in trading for pitching help now. Are there any arms in the O’s minor league system that appear ready for a shot in the bigs? From: John Anderson
Answer: John, I received a similar question from David Gilbert. One of those young starters, Cade Povich, is already here, and the best of the others is Chayce McDermott. Another reader, Alan Beer, wonders if McDermott could be a reliever for the Orioles. ‘
McDermott is 2-5 with a 3.79 earned-run average In 16 games at Triple-A Norfolk. He’s struck out 109 but walked 44 in 76 innings. To be successful with the Orioles, he’ll have to reduce the number of walks. I think it’s certainly possible you’ll see him with the Orioles in the coming weeks, perhaps in the bullpen.