ON's Mid-Season Top 30 Prospects

[Don]

The Orioles are playing the numbers game. You cannot take Hoes out of the lineup and they need to get at bats for all of these guys. Hoes has played 2B, 3B, and LF over this season. I would like to see more of 2B, but as I understand he is routinely taking instruction at the position. This does not help my opinion of the Orioles development of Hoes, or lack there of, but at least he is taking grounder, turning the double play and working on footwork.

I do not like it, but I do not have a voice in this organization. If I did, I would be stressing this and other issues so often that I would go to deaf ears.

[Don]

I do not think much of Brandon Erbe any longer because he cannot stay out of the tub, but on a talent scale there is no reason to say that he could not be in discussion. We all like different guys for reasons. It is what makes it fun discussing. I would hate to have the mind numbing effect and have those agree with every piece that I post.

[Shorebirdfan]

Berry's 6' 3" and only 180. Like you said he looks a lot younger, but that's exactly why I have him on my list; all projection. He's already in the low 90's and with some more muscle there will be more velocity to come. His breaking ball is impressive, too. Would not surprise me to see him add 2-3 mph and sit 91-94 mph eventually.

Good night tonight for Berry with 5IP, only giving up 2 hits with no walks, one ER.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

I'll agree that Hoes projects higher, but is still learning the game after only dedicating himself to it a few seasons ago. So let me ask anyone who cares to discuss, where is Micalt's ceiling? As I recall while he was on Delmarva, he is a fundamentally solid player, strong D, great instincts on the bases (again 31 for 31). I get it ZERO power, but he seems like a throw back to what a lead off hitter looked like in the late 70's and early 80's. Do I simply need to stop trying to turn back the clock? Is he a utility guy at best or can he be an everyday MLB player? Are he and Adams simply stop gaps until Hoes is ready? Jordan as you pointed out, as an OF, Hoes loses much of his luster and becomes (in my opinion) just another player. No stronger a proppect than Trent Mummey or Kyle Hudson. Where does everyone think we are heading at this spot?

If I'm the Orioles, I do everything I can to keep Hoes at 2B. I still think there's some gap power to come, and even if there's not much, he'll still be valuable if he gets on base at a good clip.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Berry's 6' 3" and only 180. Like you said he looks a lot younger, but that's exactly why I have him on my list; all projection. He's already in the low 90's and with some more muscle there will be more velocity to come. His breaking ball is impressive, too. Would not surprise me to see him add 2-3 mph and sit 91-94 mph eventually.

Good night tonight for Berry with 5IP, only giving up 2 hits with no walks, one ER.

That's another thing. Check his stats by month; you can see he's made adjustments and has steadily improved.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Dan's list: http://orioles-nation.com/2011/07/12/da ... on-top-30/

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Combined lists: http://orioles-nation.com/2011/07/12/mi ... -analysis/

[Shorebirdfan]

Jordan, Don and Dan,

Thanks for doing this. Great work by all three of you. Lots of consistency. Top 19 appear on all three lists with none of them ranked any lower than 26 on any card. Really rooting for Vadar to make a meteoric rise through the system. Needs to reach the majors before Luke Scott departs. Can you imagine the "Luke I am your father" comments.

[Mike]

Slightly off topic but assuming the top five remain the same and the O's sign Dylan Bundy. Are we looking at #2 for D. Bundy going into next season? Pretty cool to see two brothers being the top two pitching prospects in the organization.

As for the ranking I think next year Narron will be higher than Givens (different positions, but just two that jumped out at me). I was suprised you all had Givens as high as you did. Not that I am giving up on him, but I am just not sure what his future holds in terms of position or as a pitcher.

[Don]

It is not really Givens falling is that there are not as many guys as you think pushing him off his perch. A fair amount of guys have injuries, coming back from injury, facing hiccup's in higher levels that was not foreseen, and a great deal of other that have not progress as well as you hope.

There are a few arms that I wanted to take a wait and see. They were not in my mid-season group, but will likely be in my end of season rankings. I left one inuried arm in the list, but his issues are not long term and nothing tied mechanically. I have to see some growth out of the mechanical arm problems b/f I give the green light. Ryan Berry is an exception to my rule because I simply feel something about this kid long term.

[Mike]

Don,
I can see your reasoning on Givens so it's understood. Were your rankings based on his ability to be able to move into a reliver role?

I really started following Ryan Berry's progress last year and of the limited action I am still excited to see what he can do if he stays healthy. Not that he will follow the same path as Berken or Bergy, but my biggest fear is he will just become an O's starter turned reliever that will pretty much just fade away once he hits the big leagues. Lets hope not.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Jordan, Don and Dan,

Thanks for doing this. Great work by all three of you. Lots of consistency. Top 19 appear on all three lists with none of them ranked any lower than 26 on any card. Really rooting for Vadar to make a meteoric rise through the system. Needs to reach the majors before Luke Scott departs. Can you imagine the "Luke I am your father" comments.

Thanks for the kind works, and no problem.

Vader's still raw and is at least 4 or so years away from the majors but that would be neat.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Slightly off topic but assuming the top five remain the same and the O's sign Dylan Bundy. Are we looking at #2 for D. Bundy going into next season? Pretty cool to see two brothers being the top two pitching prospects in the organization.

As for the ranking I think next year Narron will be higher than Givens (different positions, but just two that jumped out at me). I was suprised you all had Givens as high as you did. Not that I am giving up on him, but I am just not sure what his future holds in terms of position or as a pitcher.

I'd have Machado at #1 and Dylan Bundy #2, but they are really 1a and 1b.

Givens was 17 for me because I doubt he sticks at shortstop and he even has trouble turning the routine play.

[Don]

Thanks Mike.....Dan and I had a few words and a great deal of the players have hit a rough patch for one reason or another. Guys I thought were going to progress nicely are either taking longer to get back, prolonged dry spells, regression in a form that I thought would flourish, bad habits creeping back into picture. It is tough knocking guys off the top when no one is pushing them out of thier spots other than recent draft picks.

I think a great deal of some of the guys in the 15-50 range, but based on simple projection.

I had said earlier that it was tough omitting certain guys off the list, but if they continue to push the button and show improvements in health and others they will likely be back to where they were at the end of last season.

This is a mid-season and rough patches can dual some guys and 3 1/2 solid months cna push up others. Seasons tend to even everything out in the long run.

[mcpd]

Thanks for putting out the mid season list. Nice to know how some of these guys are doing and where they might project to be in the future.