Your Guide to the 2018 Baltimore Orioles Farm System
By Julian Baron
Honorable Mentions
D.L. Hall, LHP (19 years old): The Orioles’ 2017 first-round draft pick sports excellent velocity, with a mid-90s fastball to complement his curveball, slider, and changeup. Look out for Hall to rise through the Orioles farm system in a hurry.
Cody Sedlock RHP (22 years old) – Sedlock’s performance with Advanced-A Frederick last season was anything but impressive, as he ended the season with a 5.90 ERA. He’ll need to improve this moving forward if he hopes to be a legitimate piece of the Orioles’ future.
Anthony Santander OF (23 years old) – There’s a lot to like about this Rule 5 draftee. Santander slashed his way through Double-A Bowie with a .458 on-base percentage over 59 plate appearances. Santander’s time at the major league level in 2017 was limited, but he reached base 26 percent of the time. As a result, Santander may have solidified himself as a future backup or platoon outfielder.
Cedric Mullins OF (23 years old) – Mullins, a Campbell University product, has been a consistently good hitter throughout his minor league career. Over the course of 346 plate appearances with Double-A Bowie last season, Mullins accumulated 82 hits and posted a .319 on-base percentage.
Chris Lee LHP (25 years old) – A veteran minor leaguer burning to get to the majors, Lee may very well find himself in the Orioles starting rotation sometime this season. His 2.98 ERA with Double-A Bowie in 2016 makes that exciting. His 5.11 ERA over 20 starts with Triple-A Norfolk the following year, however, does quite the opposite.
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Nestor Cortes LHP (23 years old) – Don’t be surprised if Cortes lands himself in the Orioles’ rotation this season. The Rule 5 draft pick from the Yankees has an outstanding minor league track record, with a 2.06 ERA in Advanced-A to Triple-A ball last season. The year prior, Cortes earned a 0.79 ERA over 8 starts with the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs.