Background

Ward has cleaned up his swing and it has resulted in increased power numbers.

Brian Ward was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2009. Ward has always been known for his outstanding defense, but his offense output in 2011 is what has really put him on the prospect map.

Ward played at Frederick for all of 2010, but returned there for once again for all of 2011. His power numbers jumped and he dramatically improved his walk rate.

Scouting Report

Behind the plate, Ward calls a good game and has plus arm strength with tremendous accuracy. His pop time has been recorded at as low as 1.71, but is more often in the 1.79-1.82 range.

Pitchers look forward to throwing and working with Ward. He has superb footwork, blocks balls in the dirt very well, and frames pitches with ease.

Ward has really elevated his offensive game over the past two years. He has taken command of his at-bats and cut down on chasing pitches out of the zone. He has always been a patient hitter and works counts effectively.

Ward has cleaned up his swing and it has resulted in increased power numbers. Balls that were once ground outs have started to go for doubles and line drives.

Future

Due to a 50-game suspension, Ward missed a good chunk of the 2012 season. He is set to return to Bowie for 2013.

Ward has major league skills behind the plate, and could be called upon in 2013 should Taylor Teagarden go down with an injury.

Discuss Brian Ward in our Minors forum >>
View the full top 50 list >>

Career Statistics

The post ON Top 50 Prospects 2013 – #33: Brian Ward appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Background

Esquivel, just 20, is a potential starter at the major league level.

Jaime Esquivel is one of many raw but intriguing arms in Baltimore’s minor league system. He was a 28^th round selection back in 2010, but signed for an above-slot bonus of $225,000. Joe Jordan compared him to Matt Garza at the time of the draft.

In 2012, Esquivel struck out 29 batters in 25 innings for the IronBirds and made his last appearance of the season with the Frederick Keys, where he pitched 2 scoreless innings. He missed some time during the middle of the season due to an unknown injury.

Scouting Report

Esquivel works with a deceptive delivery, a fairly straight 88-92 mph fastball, an above-average curveball, and an average but extremely inconsistent changeup.

His fastball does not quite have the movement you’d like to see, due to his over the top delivery, but his deception helps it play up. He still has room to add velocity, too.

Esquivel’s out pitch is his curveball, which he commands very well. It’s an above-average offering and he frequently gets batters to chase it in the dirt. His changeup is above-average at times, but is still developing. It works best when thrown in the 80-82 mph range.

Esquivel was injured in 2012, but his delivery does not present any major red flags. His release point is inconsistent at times, which is what often leads to command and control issues.

Future

Although Esquivel has just 30 New York-Penn League innings under his belt, he should be able to handle the jump from Aberdeen to Delmarva next season. It’s unclear if he’ll pitch out of the bullpen or the rotation, but due to his injury in 2012 it would make sense if he’s a reliever for the first part of the season.

Esquivel, just 20, is a potential starter at the major league level.

Discuss Jaime Esquivel in our Minors forum >>
View the full top 50 list >>

Career Statistics

The post ON Top 50 Prospects 2013 – #34: Jaime Esquivel appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Background

Taylor was enjoying a very successful 2012 until an elbow injury forced him out of play.

The Orioles selected Matt Taylor in the 5^th round of the 2011 MLB Draft. Taylor, like most O’s college pitchers who sign quickly, made his pro debut in the GCL and shortly after was promoted to Aberdeen.

Taylor was enjoying a very successful 2012 until an elbow injury forced him out of play. He went on to have surgery, performed by Dr. James Andrews, to remove bone spurs from his elbow.

Scouting Report

Taylor pitched as a starter for about half of 2012, but is more likely a reliever at the major league level; even more so now after the elbow injury.

His fastball is 90-94 mph and has lots of sinking and tailing action because of his low ¾ arm slot. Both of Taylor’s secondary pitches show promise. He throws his 78-81 mph changeup with good arm speed, but it’s still an inconsistent pitch. Taylor’s curveball has sweeping action and is effective when he’s hitting his spots, but he’s still working to improve his command of the pitch.

Taylor does a good job of working down in the zone with all of his pitches. His control will determine whether or not he’s a starter or reliever if the Orioles do not see his injury as a red flag.

Future

Despite the elbow surgery, Taylor should be fully recovered and ready to go for spring training.  He pitched well at Delmarva and will likely begin 2013 with the Frederick Keys. It’s unclear what role Taylor will claim next season, but a bullpen spot seems most likely — at least from the start.

If his command improves and he doesn’t encounter any further injuries, Taylor’s ground ball abilities and above-average stuff could make him a starter at the major league level. However, he still fits better as a reliever and should move quickly in that role.

Discuss Matt Taylor in our Minors forum >>
View the full top 50 list >>

Career Statistics

The post ON Top 50 Prospects 2013 – #35: Matt Taylor appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• Ryan Adams went 2-4 with a Double.
• Bill Hall went 2-4 with a Double, HR and 2 RBI.
• Brandon Waring went 1-3 with a Solo HR and a BB.
• Jamie Hoffmann went 1-3 with a Solo HR and a BB.
• Jake Arrieta (W, 5-4) pitched 5.0 innings with 3 H, 1 R, 9 K, 1 BB allowed.
• Rick Zagone (S, 1) pitched 4.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 4 K, 1 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Bowie 7, Harrisburg 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
78-64	Box Score	OFF
Jonathan Schoop went 1-4 with a Solo HR and a BB. Buck Britton went 2-5 with a Double and 2 RBI. Zelous Wheeler went 3-4 with a Double, Triple and 3 RBI. Matt Bywater (W, 1-0) Pitched 5.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed. Ryan Berry pitched 3.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. Robert Hinton pitched 1.0 inning with 2 H, 2 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Carolina 2, Frederick 5	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
62-77	Box Score	SEASON OVER
Glynn Davis went 0-3 with a BB and a SB. Jerome Pena went 2-5. Tyler Townsend went 3-5 with a HR and 3 RBI. Jeremy Nowak went 3-5 with a Double. Trent Howard (W, 4-10) pitched 5.0 innings with 6 H, 2 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed. Jaime Esquivel pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Eric Beaulac (S, 1) pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 0 r, 2 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes
Ryan Berry was promoted to Bowie

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 1, West Virginia 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
52-86	Box Score	SEASON OVER
Roderick Bernadina went 2-4 with a Solo HR. Steel Russell went 1-3. Eric Wooten pitched 6.0 innings with 7 H, 3 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed. Cameron Coffey pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 1 R, 0 K, 2 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Aberdeen 3, Vermont 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
27-47	Box Score	Vermont Lake Monsters	Away	6:05 PM	David Richardson
Alexander Mercedes went 4-6 with a Double. Cameron Edman went 2-4 with a BB. Manuel Hernandez went 1-3 with a Double and 2 BB. Scott Kalush went 2-4 with 2 RBI. Branden Kline pitched 3.0 innings with 3 H, 2 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed. Jesse Fernandez pitched 4.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Josh Hader pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 5 K, 0 BB allowed. Sander Beck (W, 4-3) pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed. Tom Winegardner (S, 10) pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes
Alexander Mercedes was promoted to Aberdeen. Domingo Salas was promoted to Aberdeen. Alexander Santana was promoted to Aberdeen.

The post Minor League Scores – 9/3/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• Ryan Adams went 2-3 with a Solo HR and a SB.
• Joe Mahoney went 1-3.
• Jamie Hoffmann went 2-3 with a SB.
• Zach Petersime (L, 0-3) pitched 5.0 innings with 2 H, 2 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed.
• Sean Gleason pitched 2.0 innings with 6 H, 5 R (3 ER), 1 K, 2 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Bowie 5, Harrisburg 11	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
77-64	Box Score	OFF
Zelous Wheeler went 2-4 with a SB. Jonathan Schoop went 1-4. Ronnie Welty went 1-4 with a HR and 3 RBI. Rhyne Hughes went 2-4 with a Solo HR. Tim Berry (L, 0-1) pitched 1.2 innings with 7 H, 9 R (7 ER), 4 K, 2 BB allowed. Chris Petrini pitched 3.1 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 2 BB allowed. Clayton Schrader pitched 2.0 innings with 3 H, 2 R, 2 K, 3 BB allowed. Kyler Newby pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Carolina 1, Frederick 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
61-77	Box Score	Carolina Mudcats	Home	2:00 PM	TBA
Glynn Davis went 0-4 with a BB. Tyler Townsend went 0-3 with a RBI and BB. Travis Adair went 3-4 with a Double. Brenden Webb went 1-3 with a Solo HR and a BB. Tyler Wilson pitched 7.0 innings with 5 H, 0 R, 10 K, 0 BB allowed. Zach Fowler pitched 1.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. David Walters (S, 6) pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 1 R, 0 K, 3 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 2, West Virginia 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
52-85	Delmarva 7, West Virginia 2	West Virginia Power	Away	1:05 PM	Zach Davies
Game 1: Gregory Lorenzo went 1-4 with a Double. Adrian Marin went 1-4 with a RBI. Michael Ohlman went 2-3. Adam Davis went 1-2 with a Solo HR. Jason Esposito went 1-3. Williams Louico (L, 0-7) pitched 5.0 innings with 4 H, 3 R, 2 K, 4 BB allowed. Bobby Wilkins pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed. Game 2: Gregory Lorenzo went 2-3. Connor Narron went 2-4 with a RBI. Michael Ohlman went 2-4 with a Double and RBI. Wynston Sawyer went 1-2 with a Double and 2 RBI. Adam Davis went 1-2 with a HR, 2 RBI and a BB. Parker Bridwell (W, 5-9) pitched 5.0 innings with 3 H, 2 R, 4 K, 3 BB allowed. Jesse Beal pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Hudson Valley 12, Aberdeen 9	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
26-47	Box Score	Vermont Lake Monsters	Away	6:05 PM	Branden Kline
Will Howard went 3-5 with a Double and 2 RBI. Creede Simpson went 3-4 with a Triple, HR and 4 RBI. Sam Kimmel went 2-5. Lex Lutledge (L, 0-3) pitched 1.0 inning with 2 H, 5 R, 0 K, 2 BB allowed. Jhondaniel Medina pitched 4.0 innings with 3 H, 4 R, 3 K, 3 BB allowed. Elias Pinales pitched 2.1 innings with 5 H, 3 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Janser Severino pitched 0.2 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed. Tom Winegardner pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes
Jaime Esquivel was promoted to Frederick. Jhondaniel Medina was promoted to Aberdeen.

The post Minor League Scores – 9/2/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Erie 0, Bowie 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
73-61	Box Score	Erie SeaWolves	Home	7:05 PM	Dylan Bundy
Antoan Richardson went 2-4 with a SB. Jonathan Schoop went 1-3 with 2 BB. Robbie Widlansky went 2-4 with a Double and 2 RBI. Rhyne Hughes went 2-4 with a Solo HR. Ronnie Welty went 2-4 with 2 HR and 3 RBI. Tommy Hunter (W, 1-0) pitched 9.0 innings with 2 H, 0 R, 4 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
58-74	OFF	Salem Red Sox	Away	7:00 PM	Tyler Wilson
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
		Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
50-81	OFF	Lakewood BlueClaws	Home	7:05 PM	Parker Bridwell
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Brooklyn 2, Aberdeen 1	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
25-42	Box Score	Brooklyn Cyclones	Home	7:05 PM	Branden Kline
Creede Simpson went 1-4. Torsten Boss went 2-4 with a Double. Cameron Edman went 2-4 with a Double. Manuel Hernandez went 1-3. Lex Rutledge (L, 0-2) pitched 3.0 innings with 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 4 K, 1 BB allowed. Jaime Esquivel pitched 4.0 innings with 3 H, 1 R, 3 K, 1 BB allowed. Jose Nivar pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes
Kris Richards was promoted to Aberdeen. Cory Segui was promoted to Aberdeen.

The post Minor League Scores – 8/27/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• Xavier Avery went 3-4.
• Ryan Adams went 1-3 with a Double, RBI and BB.
• Endy Chavez went 1-3 with a RBI.
• Ronny Paulino went 3-4.
• Steve Tolleson went 2-3 with a BB.
• Zach Petersime (L, 0-2) pitched 3.1 innings with 5 H, 3 R, 1 K, 3 BB allowed.
• Pedro Viola pitched 1,2 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 3 K, 2 BB allowed.
• Pat Egan pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed.
• Zach Phillips pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Harrisburg 2, Bowie 17	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
70-61	Box Score	Harrisburg Senators	Home	7:05 PM	Jake Pettit
Antoan Richardson went 2-5 with a Double, BB and SB. Jonathan Schoop went 3-5 with a RBI and BB. Tyler Kelly went 3-6 with a Double, Triple and RBI. Robbie Widlansky went 3-5 with 2 RBI and a BB. Buck Britton went 3-5 with 2 RBI. Ronnie Welty went 3-4 with a Triple, HR, and 8 RBI. Mike Wright (W, 5-3) pitched 6.0 innings with 4 H, 1 R, 7 K, 2 BB allowed. Chris Petrini pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 1 BB allowed. Clayton Schrader pitched 1.0 inning with 2 H, 1 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed. Jason Gurka pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Wilmington 5, Frederick 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
55-72	Box Score	Potomac Nationals	Away	7:05 PM	Kevin Gausman
Glynn Davis went 3-5 with a Double, RBI and SB. Brenden Webb went 1-4 with a Solo HR. Mike Flacco went 3-4 with a Double and RBI. Torsten Boss went 1-4. Trent Howard pitched 5.2 innings with 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 4 K, 1 BB allowed. Eric Beaulac (W, 3-1) pitched 3.1 innings with 1 H, 1 R, 4 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 5, Hagerstown 8	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
50-79	Box Score	Hagerstown Suns	Away	7:05 PM	Miguel Chalas
Gregory Lorenzo went 2-5. Roderick Bernadina went 1-4 with a Double, RBI and BB. Connor Narron went 1-5 with a Solo HR. Lucas Herbst went 1-4 with a RBI. Mychal Givens went 2-3. Juan Guzman (L, 1-3) pitched 4.0 innings with 8 H, 6 R (3 ER), 5 K, 0 BB allowed. Jesse Beal pitched 3.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 0 K, 1 BB allowed. Bobby Wilkins pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Lowell 8, Aberdeen 7	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
25-38	Box Score	Hudson Valley Renegades	Away	7:05 PM	Jorge Rivera
Anthony Vega went 1-3 with 2 BB. Joel Hutter went 3-3 with a RBI and 2 BB. Manuel Hernandez went 1-4 with 2 RBI. David Richardson pitched 5.2 innings with 4 H, 5 R, 6 K, 3 BB allowed. Jaime Esquivel (L, 2-3) pitched 2.1 innings with 3 H, 3 R, 4 K, 2 BB allowed. Tommy Winegardner pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Orioles 0 , Twins 4	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
24-33	Box Score	GCL Rays	Home	12:00 PM	N/A
Alexander Mercedes went 1-4. Andres Aguilar went 1-3. Kevin Grendell (L, 0-4) pitched 4.0 innings with 4 H, 3 R, 5 K, 0 BB allowed. Yi-Hsiang Lin pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 K, 1 BB allowed. Janser Severino pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.

The post Minor League Scores – 8/23/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• Xavier Avery went 2-4 with a RBI.
• Ryan Adams went 1-3 with a HR and 3 RBI.
• L.J. Hoes went 2-3 with a BB.
• Luis Exposito went 1-3 with a Double and BB.
• Blake Davis went 2-4 with a RBI.
• Zach Clark (W, 4-1) pitched 6.0 innings with 5 H, 0 R, 5 K, 3 BB allowed.
• Brian Matusz (S, 1) pitched 3.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 5 K, 2 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Erie 4, Bowie 5	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
65-58	Box Score	Erie SeaWolves	Home	7:05 PM	Eddie Gamboa
Jonathan Schoop went 0-3 with a BB. Tyler Kelly went 2-4. Robbie Widlansky went 2-3 with a Double, 2 RBI and a BB. Rhyne Hughes went 2-4 with a Double and RBI. Buck Britton went 2-4 with a Solo HR. Rick Zagone (W, 4-3) pitched 7.2 innings with 7 H, 4 R, 2 K, 2 BB allowed. Robert Hinton (S, 1) pitched 1.1 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Frederick 8, Carolina 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
52-69	Box Score	Winston-Salem Dash	Home	7:00 PM	Tyler Wilson
Johnny Ruettiger went 2-5. Brenden Webb went 2-4 with a Double and 3 RBI. Tyler Townsend went 2-4. Jeremy Nowak went 1-2 with 3 BB. Tim Berry (W, 4-4) pitched 7.0 innings with 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 11 K, 0 BB allowed. Matthew Bischoff pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Delmarva 1, Kannapolis 5	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
48-73	Box Score	Hagerstown Sun	Home	7:00 PM	Eduardo Rodriguez
Sammie Starr went 1-4 with a Double. Michael Ohlman went 1-4. Roderick Bernadina went 1-2. Zach Davies (L, 4-6) pitched 6.0 innings with 3 H, 1 R (0 ER), 5 K, 2 BB allowed. Jason McCracken pitched 1.0 inning with 3 H, 1 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. David Baker pitched 1.0 inning with 5 H, 3 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Aberdeen 8, Lowell 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
23-32	Box Score	Lowell Spinners	Away	7:05 PM	Branden Kline
Creede Simpson went 1-3 with a BB. Torsten Boss went 3-4 with a double and Solo HR. Sam Kimmel went 1-4 with a Double. Lex Rutledge (L, 0-1) pitched 2.0 innings with 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 K, 2 BB allowed. Jaime Esquivel pitched 2.0 innings with 5 H, 4 R, 6 K, 2 BB allowed. Jesse Fernandez pitched 3.0 innings with 4 H, 2 R, 5 K, 2 BB allowed. Jose Nivar pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Orioles 2, Twins 0	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
24-27	Box Score	GCL Red Sox	Away	12:00 PM	N/A
Adrian Marin went 1-3. Hector Veloz went 1-3. Steel Russell went 1-2 with a Triple and BB. Kristopher Richards went 2-3 with a Double and RBI. Jalen Simmons went 1-3. Alexander Santana (W, 3-1) pitched 5.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 5 K, 1 BB allowed. Luc Rennie (S, 1) pitched 4.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 5 K, 0 BB allowed.

The post Minor League Scores – 8/15/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Jordan posted some sleeper prospects earlier this season.

Juan Guzman

Guzman has touched 95 MPH with his fastball, although it generally sits around 91-93.

Talk about a lightning arm. The RHP Guzman has touched 95 MPH with his fastball, although it generally sits around 91-93. He started out the year in the NYPL, where I was able to catch him pitch a few times.  While a little old for the league at 21, he was absolutely dominant.

When I say dominant, I mean he was literally untouchable at times. He struck out 11 batters in one game, while the only run he gave up came on a HR. He finished his time at Aberdeen with a 1.66 ERA with 43 K’s in 38.0 innings.

While everyone knew he had a good fastball, the primary concern was his secondary arsenal. This is where I think Guzman has made some strides. His curve has shown much better break, and was baffling NYPL hitters. He has now been promoted to Delmarva and currently they have him working in the bullpen.  I think Guzman eventually lands in there, although they may move him back to the rotation next season. He has dominated at each level in his career, and it’s worth noting until he falters.

Even when he does, that arm is electric and could be a nice piece to the bullpen down the road. Guzman ranked 27 overall on our Combined 2012 Mid-Season Top 30 Prospects List.

Gregory Lorenzo

The 21 year old may not be the flashiest ball-player in the world, but he has some tools that I really like. He is a speedy Dominican with a solid athletic frame. He has the ability to be a productive player if he can calm down his swing. He’s always been all over the place with his mechanics at the plate.

However, it seems that something clicked in 2012. He’s certainly calmed down his hips enough where he is not completely stepping out at the plate. He still is showing wasted motion, but it’s been encouraging to see some form of improvement.

Lorenzo is a sleeper because if he ever learns to calm the swing down entirely, he could provide solid value. He has some ways to go, but I’ve seen worse talents come to light. The main issue is that it took him a while to get out of the DSL, so his game has some catching up to do with the rest of the field. However, Lorenzo has earned his promotions this season and that’s pretty much all one can ask for.

Jaime Esquivel

Esquivel is another intriguing but raw arm in the Orioles system.

Esquivel is another intriguing but raw arm in the Orioles system. He has a fastball which ranges anywhere from 88-92 from my experiences watching him. He still has some potential velocity to add on down the road with some natural growth. He also shows a good deal of deception on his delivery, which really seemed to fool some of the players in the NYPL.

He has a nice little curve ball that he works in-and-out, and from my experience it seems to be his best out pitch. He was able to throw it in the dirt quite a few times and miss bats. His change up sits around 80 and I would rate it average right now.

The best part about Esquivel is that he gets a lot of weird looking swings on his secondary stuff. It’s the main reason why I like him, and depending on how they develop I could see him being a nice find. He had an injury that put him on the shelf this season for a little bit, but he is a guy to keep an eye on. Esquivel ranked 31 overall on our Combined 2012 Mid-Season Top 30 Prospects List.

Jose Nivar

Nivar is a converted Outfielder. To put it plain and simple, he is the longest of long-shots in the system. He has a lot of work ahead of him. That does not mean he lacks talent. Besides Dylan Bundy, Nivar has one of the better arms in the system. He can consistently pump his fastball around 94-97, occasionally touching 99 (!) MPH. However, with an arm that electric, we often lose sight of command.

Nivar has trouble hitting the broadside of a barn. He is the epitome of wild. The arm keeps reeling us in though. His secondary pitches are not very good right now, although his slider showed me some potential. He’s 23 years old, but remember he has not been pitching long at all. Nivar may never find any command at all, but the potential live arm will keep me intrigued. He’s been maddening to watch in the NYPL, but sometimes flashes brilliance on the mound.

The post Sleeper Prospects In The Orioles System appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Index

• 0:00 – Introduction.
• 0:57 – Thoughts on Kevin Gausman’s Ripken Stadium debut and some small talk about if and where he’ll get promoted.
• 5:45 – Tucker shares his thoughts on some IronBirds, including Jaime Esquivel, Sebastian Vader, Jose Nivar, Torsten Boss, and Joel Hutter.
• 20:42 – Jordan discusses his week long trip to the GCL, including Josh Hader, Adrian Marin, Hector Veloz, Jhondaniel Medina, and more.
• 34:29 – Jordan and Tucker discuss Dylan Bundy and whether or not he’ll reach the majors this season.
• 38:50 – Discussions about Jonathan Schoop playing SS since Manny Machado‘s promotion to Baltimore.
• 43:16 – Quick talk about Manny Machado and his early dominance in the majors.
• 46:32 – Notes on Brenden Webb and his promotion to Frederick.

The post Podcast Episode #1: Gausman, Aberdeen, GCL, Bundy appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• L.J. Hoes went 4-6 with a RBI and SB.
• Xavier Avery went 1-5 with a SB.
• Bill Hall went 1-4 with 3 RBI.
• Ronny Paulino went 2-5.
• Brandon Waring went 2-4 with a HR and 3 RBI.
• Blake Davis went 2-4 with a Triple, 2 RBI and a BB.
• Jason Berken (W, 4-4) pitched 6.2 innings with 7 H, 2 R, 7 K, 0 BB allowed.
• Zach Petersime pitched 2.1 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Bowie 4, Altoona 9	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
60-57	Box Score	Richmond Braves	Away	7:00 PM	TBA
Jonathan Schoop went 1-4 with a Double, RBI and BB. Tyler Kelly went 2-4 with a Double, RBI and BB. Brian Ward went 1-3 with a BB. Rick Zagone (L, 3-3) pitched 4.0 innings with 6 H, 6 R, 2 K, 1 BB allowed. Robert Hinton pitched 1.0 inning with 3 H, 3 R, 0 K, 2 BB allowed. Clayton Schrader pitched 2.0 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 3 BB allowed. Kyler Newby pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Lynchburg 1, Frederick 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
49-66	Box Score	Myrtle Beach Pelicans	Home	7:00 PM	Tim Berry
Jerome Pena went 2-4. Tyler Townsend went 2-4 with a Double and RBI. Brenden Webb went 2-4 with a Double and Triple. Devin Jones (W, 4-0) pitched 8.0 innings with 5 h, 1 R, 7 K, 0 BB allowed. Ryan Berry (S, 10) pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Augusta 5, Delmarva 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
46-67	Box Score	Augusta GreenJackets	Home	7:05 PM	Zach Davies
Glynn Davis went 1-4 with a RBI and BB. Sammie Starr went 1-3 with 2 BB. Michael Ohlman went 1-3 with 2 BB. Jason Esposito went 4-4 with 2 RBI. Mike Planeta went 3-5. Roderick Bernadina went 0-3 with a SB. Parker Bridwell pitched 5.0 innings with 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 5 K, 3 BB allowed. Alex Schmarzo pitched 2.0 innings with 3 H, 2 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed. Gene Escat (W, 2-0) pitched 2.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Tri-City 12, Aberdeen 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
21-30	Box Score	Connecticutt Tigers	Home	7:05 PM	Jorge Rivera
Anthony Vega went 1-3 with a RBI and SB. Joel Hutter went 1-3 with a Double and RBI. Will Howard went 1-3 with a Double. David Richardson (L, 3-3) pitched 3.2 innings with 7 H, 8 R, 3 K, 2 BB allowed. Jose Nivar pitched 2.1 innings with 1 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 K, 3 BB allowed. Jaime Esquivel pitched 1.2 innings with 1 H 2 R (1 ER), 2 K, 3 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Twins 4, Orioles 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
21-25	Box Score	GCL Twins	Away	12:00 PM	N/A
Adrian Marin went 1-3 with a RBI and BB. Manuel Hernandez went 2-4 with a RBI, BB and SB. Kristopher Richards went 1-3 with a Double, 2 RBI and a BB. Andres Aguilar went 1-3 with a RBI and BB. Alexander Santana (W, 2-1) pitched 6.2 innings with 3 H, 4 R (3 ER), 8 K, 5 BB allowed. Jake Pintar pitched 1.1 innings with 3 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB allowed. Jose Figieureo (S, 6) pitched 1.0 inning with 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB allowed.

The post Minor League Scores – 8/9/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

• L.J. Hoes went 1-4 with a Double.
• Xavier Avery went 1-5.
• Ryan Adams went 1-2 with a Double and RBI.
• Ronny Paulino went 2-4 with a Double, RBI, and BB.
• Bill Hall went 1-5 with a HR and 2 RBI.
• Brandon Waring went 2-4 with a HR and 2 RBI.
• Eric Beaulac pitched 3.0 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 0 K, 3 BB allowed.
• Zach Fowler (W, 2-0) pitched 3.0 innings with 3 H, 2 R, 1 K, 2 BB allowed.
• Pat Egan pitched 2.1 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.

• Steve Johnson and Miguel Socolovich were recalled from Norfolk to Baltimore.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Bowie 4, Altoona 7	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
60-56	Box Score	Altoona Curve	Away	7:00 PM	Rick Zagone
Manny Machado went 1-3 with a Solo HR. Caleb Joseph went 1-4 with a Solo HR. Zelous Wheeler went 1-2 with a HR, 2 RBI and 2 BB. Tim Bascom (L, 5-6) pitched 4.0 innings with 9 H, 7 R (6 ER), 3 K, 2 BB allowed. Jason Gurka pitched 3.0 innings with 3 H, 0 R, 3 K, 2 BB allowed. Andy Loomis pitched 1.0 inning with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Lynchburg 5, Frederick 8	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
48-66	Box Score	Lynchburg Hillcats	Home	7:00 PM	Devin Jones
Johnny Ruettiger went 0-2 with 2 BB. Tyler Townsend went 3-5 with a Double and RBI. Joe Oliveira went 3-4 with a Double and RBI. Michael Mosby went 3-4 with 3 RBI. Garabez Rosa went 1-4 with 2 RBI. Dylan Bundy (W, 6-3) pitched 5.1 innings with 7 H, 4 R, 7 K, 2 BB allowed. Brandon Erbe pitched 1.2 innings with 1 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB allowed. Oscar Melendez pitched 1.1 innings with 0 H, 1 R, 0 K, 3 BB allowed. David Walters (S, 11) pitched 0.2 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes
Trent Mummey was placed on the DL. Travis Adair was placed on the DL. Eric Beaulac was transferred to Norfolk. Zach Fowler was transferred to Norfolk.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Augusta 3, Delmarva 2	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
45-67	Box Score	Augusta GreenJackets	Home	7:05 PM	Parker Bridwell
Michael Ohlman went 0-2 with a RBI and BB. Mychal Givens went 2-4 with a Double and SB. Roderick Bernadina went 1-4 with a SB. Williams Louico pitched 5.0 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 3 K, 5 BB allowed. Eric Wooten (L, 1-2) pitched 4.0 innings with 2 H, 1  (0 ER), 3 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes
Brenden Webb was promoted to Frederick. Jerome Pena was promoted to Frederick. David Baker was activated off the DL.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Tri-City 2, Aberdeen 3	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
20-30	Box Score	Tri-City ValleyCats	Home	7:05 PM	David Richardson
Anthony Vega went 1-3 with a BB. Creede Simpson went 2-4. Lucas Herbst went 1-4. Torsten Boss went 1-3 with a BB. Will Howard went 2-3 with a Double, 3 RBI, a BB and a SB. Sebastian Vader pitched 6.0 innings with 2 H 1 R (0 ER), 5 K, 1 BB allowed. Jason McCracken pitched 3.0 innings with 3 H, 1 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.
Notes
Kenny Wise was released. Jaime Esquivel was activated off the DL. Gregory Lorenzo was promoted to Delmarva.

	Today’s Result	Tomorrow
	Orioles 7, Twins 6	Opponent	Location	Time	Starter
20-25	Box Score	GCL Twins	Away	12:00 PM	N/A
Manuel Hernandez went 2-5 with a Double. Hector Veloz went 3-3 with a Double, Triple, 2 RBI and a BB. Jalen Simmons went 2-4 with a Double and RBI. Byron Capellan went 1-3 with a Double, RBI and BB. Elias Pinales pitched 5.0 innings with 6 H, 3 R, 5 K, 0 BB allowed. Luc Rennie pitched 3.0 innings with 1 H, 1 R, 2 K, 1 BB allowed. Sean McAdams (W, 3-0) pitched 1.2 innings with 5 H, 2 R, 2 K, 2 BB allowed. Joseph Yermal (S, 1) pitched 0.1 innings with 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB allowed.

The post Minor Leagues Scores – 8/8/12 appeared first on Orioles-Nation.

Loner Instance: When a player was ranked on [two] of the [three] lists, the person that didn’t rank the player is the loner.

Renegade Pick: When one [of us] ranks a player on our list and the player doesn’t appear on any of the other [two lists]. The [person] that ranks the player is the renegade.

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Discuss Tucker’s depth chart in our Minors forum >>

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