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Baltimore Orioles minor league system
analysis For the first time in many a year, the Orioles farm system has some players who can actually play the game well. When Jerry Hairston made his major league debut in September, 1998, he was the first Orioles position prospect to make the team and play in a significant role since Cal Ripken joined the team in August, 1981. In between, the Orioles farm system had supplied the team with no one of any consequence. Rocky Coppinger came and went in 1996, Sidney Ponson was a product of the farm system, and other than some relief pitchers…..nothing! Pete Stanicek, Leo Gomez, Craig Worthington, Jim Traber. Pat Gillick managed to trade Curtis Goodwin to Cincinnati for David Wells. Eugene Kingsale came and went. The Oriole Nation has suffered mightily waiting for the next prospect to emerge from the shadows. Things got so bad, two years ago, the city of Rochester ended baseball's longest running affiliation between a major league team and its minor league affiliate when people just got fed up by the inept teams the Orioles sent to Rochester to play. The Birds were run out of town on a rail. All that has changed in recent years. The 1999 draft, which was run by Tony DeMacio netted the Orioles Brian Roberts and Larry Bigbie (since traded). Luis Matos was drafted and developed by the Birds, as were pitchers Eric Bedard and Daniel Cabrera. The Orioles have been able to dip into the system to help with trades. Mike Fontenot was one of the players sent to the Cubs in the ill-fated Sammy Sosa deal. The 2002 draft netted Adam Loewen, Hayden Penn, John Maine, Brandon Fahey, Ryan Hubele and Val Majewski. They were followed in 2003 by Nick Markakis, Chris Ray and Nate Spears. 2004 brought the team Jeff Fiorentino. The last draft was probably the best the team has had 30 years. New Scouting Director Joe Jordan successfully integrated the Orioles psychological test with scouts' input to select Nolan Reimold, Garrett Olson, Brandon Snyder and Brandon Erbe. Director of Player Development, Dave Stockstill, managed to bring players like Mario Delgado, Brandon Florence and Jason Fransz into the system to compliment the younger players. As a result, two of the Birds farm teams made post season playoffs this year in their respective leagues and one, the Frederick Keys, won their league championship. Position Players: 1) Nick Markakis, OF - What more can be said about Nick Markakis? After moving from Carolina League Frederick to AA Bowie to finish the season, Markakis went on a tear through the Arizona Fall League. Showing speed, an excellent throwing arm and the ability to work the count and hit to the opposite field, the Orioles #1 pick in the 2004 draft showed why he earned that spot. Most likely, he will be given a shot to make the big team in the spring. Clearly, Nick Markakis is the Oriole farmhand closest to being ready for the bigs. The only questions seem to be will he make the team out of spring training or will he start the year at AAA. Will he make the team in left, center or right? 2) Jeff Fiorentino, OF - The Orioles “Moneyball” pick in the 2005 draft! Originally drafted as a catcher when the Orioles scout responsible for following him saw him catch a game, even though he was his team’s third string catcher! Through a curious set of circumstances, Fiorentino made his major league debut in 2005. When Luis Matos went down with a hand injury, the Birds found themselves looking for help in centerfield. Ignoring David Newhan as an option, and after losing Ramon Nivar to the injury bug, the Orioles reached down to their Carolina League affiliate to pluck Fiorentino from the depths of A ball to patrol center in Camden Yards. At the time, the team felt Fiorentino was a more advanced outfielder than Nick Markakis. Fiorentino had brief success in the majors, and was returned to Frederick a short while later. Ironically, it has been reported that the Orioles sent him back to A ball because they felt he would have problems adjusting to AA pitching! He finished the season with 23 homeruns. 3) Brandon Snyder, C - In a system largely devoid of catching help, Brandon Snyder is a breath of fresh air. The #1 pick in the 2005 draft was a quick sign out of his Centerville, Va., high school. Chosen as a catcher, there is some thought within the Orioles organization to move him to third base where the toll on his body will be lessened. Most talent evaluators agree that his bat will carry him to the majors regardless of where he plays defensively. After tearing through the Appalachian League with the Bluefield Orioles, Snyder finished his first professional season playing in Aberdeen, the Birds New York Penn league affiliate. He has shown the ability to hit to all fields as well as hit for power and average. 4) Nolan Reimold, OF - Without a doubt, Nolan Reimold is the best power prospect to play in the Orioles system in many years. After seeing Rick Elder, Doug Gredvig, Darren Hooper and too many others fall flat on their faces, the Birds look to have struck it big with their second round pick in the 2005 draft. Chosen from Bowling Green State University with the 61st selection in the draft, Reimold made believers of the Orioles by hitting 15 home runs between Aberdeen and High A Frederick in 263 at bats. Simple math points to him being a 30 home run player over an entire season. Reimold possesses a cannon for a throwing arm and has the foot speed to play a very respectable centerfield. Reimold was promoted from Aberdeen to help Frederick in the Carolina League playoffs. 5) Nate Spears, 2B - Playing in the Carolina League as a 20 year old second baseman, the diminutive Spears put up a respectable batting average of .294 to go with his OBP of .351. I put Spears here mainly because of his age and the level he played at. Standing at 5-11, he continues in the vein of Brian Roberts and Mike Fontenot. Spears strikes out a lot, but being 20 years old in High A ball says a lot about him. 6) Val Majewski, OF - After a successful AA campaign in 2004 which culminated in a September call up to Baltimore, "The Big Valbowski" went down with a torn labrum. Possessing the classic right fielder's tools --- speed, throwing arm and potential to hit for power --- the Orioles best hope for a home grown outfielder was down for the count. Following surgery during the off season, Majewski missed all of the 2005 season. Instead, he rehabbed his shoulder in Sarasota and played in the Arizona Fall League to try to make up reps. His hitting there has been respectable to say the least; however, he continues to try to build strength in his throwing arm. As of October, he had not been able to lift weights and any thought that he could contend for a job in the Orioles outfield will most likely be put on hold while he continues to get playing time at the AAA level. I am betting Majewski returns to the majors by the All-Star break if all goes well with his rehab. In 2004, he hit 15 home runs and batted .303 between AA and the majors. Others of Note: For the first time ever, the Oriole contingent in the Arizona Fall League did not embarrass itself. Tripper Johnson may have played himself back onto the radar with his solid showing, as did Ryan Hubele who ended up catching a good many games for Surprise as well as swinging a decent stick. Brandon Fahey improved his standing with the Orioles, going from a guy who played at hard at AA to a player who hit well, got on base and hustled on the field. In addition, the Orioles have an interesting power prospect, Walter Young, who is out of options next year and must stick with the big team or be cut. Young suffered a bit of a power drop off this year, but he is still intriguing. Pitchers 1) Adam Loewen, LHP - When Adam Loewen turns the ball loose, a batter must feel like he is handing it to the catcher. Standing 6-5, Loewen is an imposing presence on the mound. Possessing a low to mid 90s fastball and a huge breaking curve ball which he throws in the 80’s. Adam Loewen has shown the ability to change speeds effectively and is capable of striking hitters out. His downside is his ability to consistently control his pitches. At one point during the season, he led the Carolina League in wild pitches. The Orioles sent him to the Arizona Fall League to get more work in hopes his control would improve. Some scouts have said he is the most dominant and polished pitcher in the 2005 AFL. Loewen will continue to pitch into the fall as he has been selected to pitch on Team Canada. 2) Garrett Olson, LHP - The Wade Townsend fiasco ended on an up tick when the Orioles selected Garrett Olson with the sandwich pick they were given as a result of Townsend blowing them off. Drafted from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo College, Olson progressed steadily through the Orioles system, starting in Aberdeen and finishing in Frederick. The talented lefty relies on his fastball, which he throws between 88 and 92 mph, and his plus curveball to keep hitters in check. New York/Penn batters hit .164 against him this year. In a move the Orioles may live to regret, the Birds let Olson throw 198 innings this season --- 136 in college and the remainder as a pro. 3) Hayden Penn, RHP - What a year for Hayden Penn. Added to the Orioles 40 man roster, he was called to the majors when Eric Bedard went on the DL. Penn returned to Bowie only to struggle and find himself the subject of trade rumors when the Orioles tried desperately to make a deadline trade with the Marlins for AJ Burnett. Reportedly, the deal included Jorge Julio, Larry Bigbie and Penn. Owner Peter Angelos nixed the deal. Penn struggled at AA, eventually righted himself and returned to the Orioles in September. Penn is considered to be a "can't miss" prospect by many talent evaluators. He can throw three pitches for strikes and showed that he had the mental makeup to play in the majors. Penn finished the season striking out more than twice as many hitters as he walked, and at AA, he fanned more than three times as many batters as he walked. 4) James Johnson, RHP - Last season, I went to Hagerstown to watch Adam Loewen pitch for the first time. The next day I went back and saw a guy named James Johnson pitch for Delmarva. After watching him pitch that day, I walked away thinking that he was better than Adam Loewen. This season, JJ led the Carolina League in strikeouts as well hit batsmen. He throws his fastball in the low 90s and is adept at moving the ball in and out. tanding 6-5, he is a very good compliment to Adam Loewen. 5) Brandon Erbe, RHP - Another 2005 pick, Brandon Erbe pitched at Bluefield and Aberdeen as a 17-yearold who just happened to possess a 97 mph fastball. Erbe went from high school to professional and did not miss a step. Between Rookie ball and Short Season ball, he fanned 57 batters and walked only 14. Consider that in the New York/Penn League, he faced many 20+ year old hitters and held them all in check. Hitters in the Appalachian League hit a mere .103 against him. Others of Note: The Orioles system has managed to contribute some pitchers at the major league level this season and others are waiting in the wings. In addition to Hayden Penn, the farm system developed and deployed current closer in waiting, Chris Ray and set up man, Aaron Rakers. In addition, John Maine pitched in Baltimore this season. The Birds have several other pitchers in their system that could develop into bona fide major leaguers. Righthander Radhames Liz possesses a fastball which can hit the mid to upper 90s. In 2005 he fanned 15 batters in 6 innings of work. Sandy Rleal may factor into the Orioles bullpen mix this season and Chris Britton should move to AA based upon his performance in the Carolina League. Cory Morris had a big year at AA Bowie after shoulder surgery. --- John
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