Baltimore Orioles: Minor League Top 30 Updates

Mar 1, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Christian Walker (34) hits a two-run home run to left field during the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

It is always interesting to take a look at prospects in the Baltimore Orioles system.

We are going to make this a monthly post this season, compiling it about the time that the calendar turns over every 30 days. These will be quick summaries, gathering them together for you in one spot. Perhaps of even greater interest is the list at the bottom of those who are playing well but who are not a part of either major Top 30 rankings.

This list is primarily from Baseball America’s rankings that occurred in December. The rankings in parentheses are where the player is slotted by MLB.com. Players retaining rookie status and who are with the Orioles currently remain eligible for these listings.

1) Dylan Bundy – RHP – (MLB #2): Orioles – Apart from a couple of challenges, this has been a good start for Bundy, pitching some critical innings. In seven games he has compiled nine innings with two earned runs, however with 11 hits and four walks.

2) Hunter Harvey – RHP – (MLB #1): Unassigned – Still battling a groin injury with no expectation of a soon return to competitive baseball.

3) Chance Sisco – C – (MLB #4): Bowie – In 17 games he is hitting .321 with zero homers. But check out the OBP of .465 on 15 walks, showing good plate discipline.

4) Jomar Reyes – 3B – (MLB #3): Frederick – At only age 19, he is off to a somewhat slow start with a .224 average in 23 games. He has hit three home runs.

5) Mychal Givens – RHP – (MLB not ranked): Orioles – Givens has had some ups and downs with a WHIP of 1.75. But he has a 3.00 ERA and has pitched out of some very difficult situations.

6) Chris Lee – LHP – (MLB #8): Bowie – He is off to a great start at 4-0 with a 2.49 ERA in 25.1 innings. His WHIP is 0.908 as he has given up only 16 hits and seven walks. This is why Showalter has been commenting about him at times.

7) Ryan Mountcastle – SS – (MLB #7): DelMarVa – Not a good start, he is only hitting .162 in 19 games.

8) Trey Mancini – 1B – (MLB #5): Bowie/Norfolk – After seven home runs in 17 games at AA, he was moved to AAA where he is 6-for-25 in seven games.

9) D.J. Stewart – OF – (MLB #6): DelMarVa – He is only hitting .219, but 16 walks in 83 plate appearances gives him a .398 OBP and raises the thought that perhaps the top draft choice is not seeing much worth hitting.

10) Mike Wright – RHP – (MLB not ranked): With the Orioles, Wright has pitched well in four starts, better than his 5.40 ERA would lead you to believe. For example, his WHIP is a much better 1.29.

11) Tanner Scott – LHP – (MLB #9): Scott has a 10.22 ERA in 12.1 innings. With pitches that get to triple digits, he has 15 strikeouts BUT also 16 walks. Control is the problem that must be mastered.

12) Jason Garcia – RHP – (MLB #10): Bowie – This has not been the start that Garcia would have liked. He is 1-3 with a 6.86 ERA. All of his numbers look pretty nasty.

13) Dariel Alvarez – OF – (MLB not ranked): Norfolk – Though we love his arm, he is not tearing it up at AAA, batting .250 with an OBP of .289. He is yet to hit a homer and has five doubles and five RBIs.

14) Christian Walker – 1B,OF – (MLB #11): Norfolk – Walker continues to prove he can hit just about anywhere, batting .289 with and OBP of .343. He has four home runs — the most on the team — and 15 RBIs. Walker has played all of his 20 games in left field and has one error in 175 innings.

15) Jonah Heim – C – (MLB #12): A defensive specialist, Heim has hit two home runs this past week and is batting .203. At the same time, due to 10 walks his OBP is .329

16) Tim Berry: Waiver claimed by the Marlins in late December

17) Ofelky Peralta – RHP – (MLB #17): DelMarVa – In four starts he is 0-1 with a 2.40 ERA. He has 21 strikeouts in 17.1 innings, but also 11 walks.

18) David Hess – RHP – (MLB #14): Bowie – He is 1-1 in four games with a 2.74 ERA in 23 innings.

19) Tyler Wilson – RHP – (MLB #16): With the Orioles, Wilson has pitched well both in relief and in two starts. His 1.08 WHIP is a great number, while his ERA is 3.06.

20) Lazaro Leyva – RHP – (MLB #18): No stats for 2016.

21) Oliver Drake – RHP – (MLB #20): Norfolk – The reliever has gotten into 10 games with a 2.70 ERA, including three saves.

22) Parker Bridwell – RHP – (MLB #19): Bowie – In four games he has a 4.19 ERA in 19 innings. Throwing 13 walks is hurting him.

23) Ariel Miranda – LHP – (MLB not ranked): Norfolk – The 27-year-old from Cuba has a 4.29 ERA in four starts. In 21 innings, he has given up 19 hits and 8 walks, while striking out 18.

24) Gray Fenter – RHP – (MLB #13): No stats for 2016.

25) Mike Yastrzemski – OF – (MLB #22): Bowie – He is hitting .272 with a .352 OBP, including three home runs and 13 RBIs in 20 games.

26) Garrett Cleavinger – LHP – (MLB #25): DelMarVa – In six games of relief he is 3-0 with a 1.84 ERA. He has 21 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.

27) Alex Murphy – C – (MLB #27): DelMarVa – In 21 games he is batting .288 and has 17 RBIs to lead the Shorebirds.

28) Josh Hart – OF – (MLB #28): Frederick Keys – He is off to a rough start with just a 12-for-78 for a .154 average.

29) Branden Kline – RHP – (MLB #29): Out for the season.

30) Glynn Davis – OF – (MLB not ranked): Bowie – He is not hitting much at .217 but is getting on base with an OBP of .339.

More from MLB rankings …

Joey Rickard – OF – (MLB #15): Having batted leadoff for the O’s in all but one game, Rickard got off to a great start but has cooled off more of late. Overall this has been a great positive for the young season.

Joe Gunkel – RHP – (MLB #21): Norfolk – Though he was 0-3 with a 3.66 ERA in four games at Bowie, he was moved to Norfolk where he has pitched one game, a loss in 5.1 innings while only giving up a single run on three hits.

Ryan McKenna – OF – (MLB #23): Age 19, 4^th round pick last year. No stats yet for 2016.

Jason Heinrich – OF – (MLB #24): Age 19, 5^th round pick last year. No stats yet for 2016.

Brian Gonzalez – LHP – (MLB #26): DelMarVa – In four starts he is 2-0 with a 3.48 ERA. He is getting strikeouts, but walking a few too many as well.

Adrian Marin – SS – (MLB #30): Bowie – Batting .277 with .365 OBP in 19 games.

Other Players Performing Well

Matthew Grimes – P: Frederick Keys – He is currently 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 25.2 innings. Yesterday he gave up two bunt singles and two doubles in 6.1 innings.

Garabez Rosa – utility player: Bowie/Norfolk – This offensive start of spring training continues to hit well, batting .310 between AA and AAA, playing five different positions. In Hardy were to end up being out for a time, could he be a utility player for the O’s? Paul Janish would still be more likely, and he is batting .318.