The Orioles selected Wynston Sawyer in the 8th round of the 2010 draft and signed him to a $300,000 bonus a few weeks before the deadline. He was a late riser and burst onto the scene after a big offensive campaign in high school pushed him up draft boards.
His receiving skills are average, though below average-footwork and an average arm have some thinking he’ll move off catcher eventually. Coaches within the organization are impressed with his work ethic and feel he has the raw tools to catch in the big leagues.
He has the tools to become an above-average hitter with plus power potential. I was able to catch Sawyer in one GCL game, but only got a good look at his defense. Baseball America offers an excellent breakdown of Sawyer’s swing: “His bat is hindered by two factors: He swings down at pitches, preventing his cut from being on the same plane as the ball, and he wraps the bat barrel behind his head, adding length to his swing.” You can examples of this in his swing here.
Sawyer’s bat is what’s going to carry him going forward, though he needs to prove he is worthy of sticking behind the plate. With Michael Ohlman likely headed for Delmarva, Sawyer should stay in extended spring training and then report to Aberdeen when the short-season leagues start.
Career Statistics
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 18 | Orioles | GULF | Rk | BAL | 9 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .231 | .259 | .346 | .605 |
| 1 Season | 9 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .231 | .259 | .346 | .605 | |||||
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