Nobody had more extra base hits than this 23-year old infielder and that’s brings him in as the #6 prospect.
Jordan Westburg
Pos: 2B/SS/3B
Bats: R
Throws: R
Age (as of Jun 30th) : 23
2021 Level: AA/AAA
Tools (current/future value)
Hit: 40/50
Game Power: 50/55
Raw Power: 55/60
Run: 60/55
Defense: 45/50
Most Likely Future Role: Starting second base or 1st baseman
Ceiling: Starting second base, occasional All-Star
What we know: With 69 extra base hits on the year, no Orioles farmhand had more extra base hits than this former 2020 1st rounder did in 2022. While the final numbers on year were impressive, it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine as Westburg had several long slumps during the season. Starting the year in AA (Bowie), the 23-year old slashed just .179/.304/.379/.683 in 112 PAs over his first 25 games before settling in and slashing .322/.392/.575/.967 with 10 doubles and four home runs over his next 97 PAs to earn himself a promotion to AAA.
He found AAA pitching to his liking slashing .413/.439/.825/1.265 with seven doubles, two triples and five home runs in his first 66 PAs over 14 games. He then went into a long slump, slashing just .187/.259/.285/.544 with six doubles and just two homeruns while striking out 37 times with just 10 walks over the next 135 PAs (35 games). He made some adjustments and finished strong slashing .284/.401/.551/.952 12 doubles, 11 home runs and impressive 31-40 BB-K ratio over his last 212 PAs.
Overall, Westburg’s 20.4% LD rate was 10th best in the system with players with more than 350 PAs and his 11.7% swinging strike % was 9th best in the system to go along with 4th in the system .232 ISO power. Besides being streaky, Westburg can get a little pull happy at times which typically corresponds to his slumps. He’s best when he’s using all fields and he has the power to hit the ball out to right center.
Some scouts believe there’s a little too much miss in the bat (23.6%), but that number did go down in AAA to a career low 21.8%. Westburg has been known to chase the slider away and his walk and K rates were similar to Kyle Stowers at the AAA level.
Westburg is a good athlete overall, but defensively, he’s probably destined for second base where his below average footwork won’t hinder him as much as on the left side of the diamond. He has an over the top throwing motion that can be inaccurate at times and he struggles to throw accurately when moving away from 1st base. At 6-3 and over 200 pounds, his quickness will not improve as he fills out which could ultimately pash him over to first base where his size would be a plus.
Westburg runs well for a big guy and while he’s not going to be a big base stealer at the big league level, he will run well on the bases.
What we don’t know: Westburg has been a pretty streaky hitter who will run white hit as often as he runs cold it seems. Can he find a way to be more consistent? Westburg has been helped by very high BABIPs during his hot streaks so he’ll need find more consistency when major league defenses shore up some of these defensive holes that contribute to those high marks. Defensively, while he can play SS and 3B and not kill a team, they are not positions that a team will want to play him at everyday. We he settle into an everyday 2B or 1B, or will super sub be his future?
What we think: Some observers and scouts feel Michael Young is a good comp for Westburg. While Westburg may not have Young’s hit tool, he may have a bit more power and could have a little more defensive versatility overall. Westburg is similar to Conner Norby in that his bat will be his calling card at the major league level, but there is a chance that Westburg could become a solid everyday defensive 2B since he does turn the double play pretty well and his arm strength may be a tick above average at the position. If he’s not traded, Westburg probably will get an opportunity to come into camp next year with a chance to win the starting 2B job along with Joey Ortiz, Terrin Vavra and possibly Conner Norby.
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