Baltimore Orioles: Top Five Team Prospects 2017
By Ben Palmer
- Chance Sisco – C
Chance Sisco has consistently risen in the Orioles system. Every single year he ranks higher and higher on prospect lists, and this year, many, if not all, consider him to be the top prospect for the Orioles.
Sisco is an advanced hitter for his age. He has decent power, though it doesn’t project to be much more than average, but it’s his contact and discipline where he shines.
He has a .323 career average, and that’s especially impressive because he doesn’t hit the ball in the infield much (he’s not exactly fast). He’s good at getting the ball in the gap, and, perhaps most important, Sisco knows how to get on base (as evidenced by his .403 OBP last season).
Between AA and AAA last season, Sisco batted .317/.403/.430 with 6 HRs, 57 R, and 51 RBIs. Though his strikeout rate was around 20% last season, his walk rate was a beautiful 14.3%, which attributed to his excellent OBP.
Sisco is also a solid fielder, his game calling and management has improved dramatically over the years. He’s still somewhat raw as a fielder, but the potential is there for him to be a good catcher with a great bat.
Sisco is the kind of player the Orioles need, someone who can get on base, and with the departure of Matt Wieters, Sisco will likely get that chance. Being that the Orioles signed Welington Castillo to a one-year deal, they’ll probably give Sisco another year in the minors, likely at AAA, before bringing him up to start.
Next: Orioles Leave No Stone Unturned in Search for Players
Don’t be surprised if, on opening day of the 2018 season, Chance Sisco is the starting catcher for the Baltimore Orioles, and hopefully he will be for years to come.