Baltimore Orioles Predictions: Breakout Players in 2015

Oct 10, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Zach Britton (53) meets on the mound with pitching coach Dave Wallace (37) in game one of the 2014 ALCS playoff at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: H. Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports

Here a couple of weeks before spring training I need to be writing some outlandish predictions about the Baltimore Orioles and specific players. I like to think of it as making deposits for the future. When I predict something totally brilliant, I am able to come back eight months later and look like a genius when rehearsing it. Of course, probably most folks are not going to check about anything stupid that was also written; though making fun of one’s own errors is something I do try to point out as well.

My most egregious error of the latter sort a year ago was writing that I believed Steve Pearce to be nothing more than a utility player with some power. The continued belief of the Orioles in him, along with his multiple releases and re-signings certainly paid off in a big way in 2014.

Along the way I really do tend to hit a few more winners than losers. So, you can trust this analysis as something you too can take to the bank as a deposit! I think … maybe … some of the time.

So this today is the first of four pieces this week that make some early predictions about Orioles players for the approaching season. Today we’ll talk about players to have a breakout year, or at least an improved season over 2014. Next we’ll think about those I’d predict to be steady in performance as the past, for better or worse. And the final two writings will look at those I’m predicting to take a downward performance, and then those who I simply don’t know what to make of right now.

Manny Machado

The only thing Manny Machado needs to have a great career is a pair of good wheels under him. Does he have them now? We all hope so. We never read much about the exact nature of his surgery in terms of durability and the repair of something that was an inevitable problem. It is uncomfortable that it has happened twice, and even more so that it happened the second time by merely swinging a bat in the batter’s box. But it is comforting that the second event was not a repeat of first injury and that the initial problem did not seem to be a limitation or issue once Machado returned last May. Is it too much to hope we’ve heard the last of his knees?

Regarding this year, there looks to be no reason that Manny will not be ready for the season, including a full spring training. He has not had this in a while. When Machado came back on May 1^st last year, he was clearly not quite up to the speed of the game. But once he caught up, he looked great. I would predict that he is now ready to make the move to a full season at a very high level of steady performance. Machado could well be the Orioles’ overall best offensive player in 2015. And of course, his stellar defense is assumed.

Travis Snider

I am of the line of thinking that Travis Snider is coming to the Baltimore Orioles on the cusp of breaking out into being the top-tiered, first-rounder sort of talent it was thought he would become. Add to this a change of scenery and venues in the O’s clubhouse with Showalter and Company, and this looks to me like a success looking for a place to happen. I will predict that he becomes the everyday right fielder with a very productive offensive campaign.

Kevin Gausman

The recent word is that Kevin Gausman is going to get to throw about 180 innings this year. There is nothing left to prove or learn at AAA, and his accumulated experiences should now begin to bear fruit. I would expect him to be, at the end, the starter with the second or third best season for the Orioles in 2015. It all comes down to command of secondary pitches.

Jonathan Schoop

I would not predict Jonathan Schoop to have one of the two or three best seasons of his career in 2015, but I would expect him to be among the first handful of Orioles who make a very strong step forward in production. There is an entire article on this from last week that may be found by going to the this link …

Henry Urrutia

In the same way we forget how young Delmon Young is (29 with nine seasons in MLB), we forget how old is Henry Urrutia. He will turn age 28 on Friday of this week. This is a make-or-break year for the Cuban defector.

All reports on Urrutia are that he is a relentless worker, and simply going through the life experiences that he has tells anyone that he is a survivor of difficult times and circumstances. And such was his season of 2014 – a difficult time.

I would look for Urrutia to break through this year, though probably not in time for the opening day. Look for him to so tear it up at AAA that something needs to be done with him to move him into the Big Leagues in some form or fashion.

Caleb Joseph

Anyone who predicted that Caleb Joseph would come to the Baltimore Orioles in 2014 and be a defensive success among the best in the American League, while struggling to hit consistently, would be … well … a candidate to burn alive in a witch trial. He’s got the defensive part of the game pretty well mastered. Look for his concentration this year to be able to be more effectively applied to hitting at a much higher level. We saw a glimpse of its possibilities when he went on a consecutive days home run tear.

The bigger question is how much playing time Joseph will be able to get. I am going to say that between a late start by Matt Wieters and all the caution surrounding playing him too much too soon that Joseph gets nearly as many at-bats in 2015 as he did last season.

Delmon Young

I thought all along that the inexpensive acquisition of Young in 2014 was a great move. He is a pure hitting machine, even if the free swinging gets him into troubles at times. Young should be able to see a greater role in 2015, so I would predict his final total production to be above last year, though maybe not quite at a batting average again of .302.

Wei-Yin Chen

I believe Wei-Yin Chen to be quietly among the most competitive of the Orioles players. He does not like performing poorly. This is his final year before free agency. He now has 515 innings of MLB experience. He is at the peak of his career – turning age 30 this coming July.

Add all of this together and Chen could even be the best starter on the Orioles in 2015. And because of that, it will be his last year in Baltimore.

Brad Brach

The Padres are going to wish they had Brach back with them

What is not to like about Brad Brach, who turns age 29 during the first week of the season? He had a breakout year in 2014 with a 3.18 ERA over 62 innings with a 1.171 WHIP. That’s some good stuff for a reliever. I would predict that he will build slightly on these numbers this year as a regular and steady reliever for Showalter to use in a variety of situations. He cannot become a free agent until 2019. The Baltimore Orioles are going to want to get the most out of his four remaining years with them, and that can be a lot of good production.

Chris Davis

Surprised to see Chris Davis on this list? Note that he is the last name on the list today. And really, could a .196 hitter be put on the list of those expected to perform the same or worse?

I would like to write that I see Davis coming back and hitting 45 home runs while batting .280, and that would be just awesome. The fan inside me will certainly cheer for that to be the reality for this really good guy.

I am afraid the reality is that the shifts against Davis will remain often very effective. Since opponents pitch to him to induce hitting into the shifts, going the other way will be difficult, if there is much interest in even doing that.