Baltimore Orioles: The Complete Guide to Orioles Acquired Players
By Ben Palmer
Jean Carlos Encarnacion – 3B
Probably the best prospect the Orioles acquired in the Gausman/O’Day trade, Jean Carlos Encarnacion is a good prospect (currently ranked as the 15th-best in the Orioles’ system) and he’s young at just 20 years old.
Encarnacion was signed out of the Dominican Republic during the 2016-17 international signing period and has shown some raw talent. So far this year, he’s slashed .288/.314/.463 in 97 games in Single-A and most importantly, has shown a major improvement in his power. He’s hit 10 home runs in 97 games this year after hitting just three in 50 games last year—that’s important progress to see.
His hit tool is quite good, with solid hand-eye coordination that allows him to barrel the ball well and some good raw power. His biggest problem so far has been his plate discipline, as he’s striking out 26.4% of the time so far this year, the worst strikeout rate of his professional career so far.
That being said, he’s young and he’s an extremely projectable athlete that has the ceiling of being a solid consistent starter at the major league level. He just needs a bit of refinement.