Three Baltimore Orioles Make Baseball America’s Top 100 MLB Prospects

Baseball America’s list of top 100 MLB prospects 2018 includes three Baltimore Orioles prospects as the farm continues to strengthen.

An MLB prospect tradition like no other, Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects 2018, which features three Baltimore Orioles prospects, Austin Hays, Chance Sisco, and Ryan Mountcastle.

These prospects still have a long MLB journey ahead with a lot of work left to accomplish. Past Orioles prospects to make the top 100 list in the last decade include names like lefty Adam Loewen, Nick Markakis, Hayden Penn and Erik Bedard.

However, before we get into details, a brief background on how the top 100 prospects list is formed. Per Baseball America, the list is compiled by:

"Countless conversations with scouts, coaches and team officials as well as many road trips over the past year lead to this list. And as soon as we put it in your hands, we begin working toward next year’s. The Top 100 is compiled with input from J.J. Cooper, Matt Eddy, Ben Badler, Josh Norris and Kyle Glaser."

Coming in highest on the list at No. 21 is Orioles prospect outfielder Austin Hays. The 22-year-old outfielder takes a gigantic leap from No. 99 in BA’s 2017 Midseason Top 100 Prospects to No. 21.

Hays made his MLB debut with the Baltimore Orioles this past season on Sep. 7 against the New York Yankees. A couple weeks later, the outfielder launched his first-career home run at Yankees Stadium. Hayes finished his first stint in the Majors hitting .217 with a home run and eight RBIs in 60 at-bats.

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Next, Orioles catcher of the future, Chance Sisco ranked No. 68 overall, taking a plunge from No. 29 in the midseason rankings. Like Hayes, Sisco made his MLB debut in the final month of last season. In 22 plate appearances, Sisco hit .333 with two homers and four RBIs.

It shouldn’t take long for Sisco to become the Orioles everyday catcher after Welington Castillo signed with the Chicago White Sox earlier this offseason.

Not far behind Sisco at No. 71 is Orioles prospect and third baseman, Ryan Mountcastle. Yet to make his MLB debut, Mountcastle has hit 32 home runs in three seasons in the minors, along with 132 RBIs and a slash line of .286/.317/.448.

The overall top MLB prospects come after Jon Meoli put forth his 2018 Orioles Top 10 Prospects, showcasing the O’s prospects with the brightest future. The top 10 list follows in order: Austin Hays, Ryan Mountcastle, Chance Sisco, Hunter Harvey, D.L. Hall, Tanner Scott, Cody Sedlock, Anthony Santander, Cedric Mullins, Chris Lee.

Next: Top 5 Orioles All-Time Leaders in Wins

Will any of these prospects become everyday players in the Baltimore Orioles 2018 season?