MLB Pipeline has been announcing their top 10 prospects for each position and just finished with their top 100 prospects list for the 2023 season.
The Baltimore Orioles show how great of a future they have by having eight prospects in the top 100. Below are the prospects listed, along with their ranking.
Joey Ortiz INF – No. 99
The 24-year-old infielder was a fourth-round selection in the infamous 2019 draft out of New Mexico State University. Ortiz spent his 2022 season between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk, where he showed that his offense is just as good, if not better, than his defense.
In 2022, Ortiz slashed .284/.349/.477 with a .826 OPS in 539 at-bats. He had 153 total hits, 35 doubles, six triples and 19 home runs, while tallying 85 RBIs and eight stolen bases.
This year’s list will be the first time Ortiz has been recognized as a top 100 prospect in his career. He also was recognized on the Orioles’ top 30 prospect list in 2022 and was added to the team’s 40-man roster this offseason.
DL Hall LHP – No.97
Hall was a first-round pick in 2017 out of Valdosta High School. The now-24-year-old would make his major league debut on August 13, 2022, and would work primarily out of the bullpen with the big league club in September.
In 2022, Hall would pitch in 11 big league games when he would have a 1-1 record with a 5.93 ERA in 13.2 innings pitched. He gave up 17 hits and nine earned runs while walking six and striking out 19.
This will be the fourth year in a row that Hall was recognized as a top 100 prospect, as he was ranked 90th in 2019, 69th in 2020, 70th in 2021 and 87th in 2022. This is also the fourth year in a row where he was recognized as a top ten left-handed pitching prospect in all of baseball.
The flame-throwing lefty has also been recognized multiple times as part of the Orioles’ top 30, as he was fifth in 2018, third in 2019 and 2020, fourth in 2021 and sixth in 2022.
Heston Kjerstad OF – No. 80
The 23-year-old 2020 second overall pick out of the University of Arkansas has put together quite the resume for the upcoming season.
Kjerstad’s 2022 season was his first season as a minor leaguer after being diagnosed with Myocarditis, which prevented him from playing in 2021. He spent the 2022 season bouncing between Low-A Delmarva and High-A Aberdeen, and hedid not disappoint.
Kjerstad slashed .309/.394/.457 with an .851 OPS over 243 at-bats. He had 75 hits, 17 doubles, two triples, five home runs and tallied 37 RBIs.
Kjerstad also helped his case by having an amazing season while playing in the Arizona Fall League. The powerful lefty slashed .357/.385/.622 with a 1.007 OPS in 98 at-bats during his time in the AFL and hit five home runs and nine doubles.
He also finished second in the AFL Home Run Derby and won the AFL MVP.
This is the second time Kjerstad was recognized as a top 100 prospect. He was recognized in 2021 when he was 69th overall, and he has also been recognized as an O’s top 30 prospect twice when he placed third in 2021 and ninth in 2022.
Jordan Westburg INF – No. 74
Westburg was a first round pick in the 2020 draft out of Mississippi State University, and he had an unbelievable 2022 minor league season between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk.
Westburg slashed .265/.355/.496 with a .852 OPS in 544 at-bats. He had 144 total hits, 39 doubles, three triples, 27 home runs and knocked in 106. He also had 70 walks and stole 12 bases.
This would be Westburg’s second time being recognized as a top 100 prospect, as he was 76th in 2022. Westburg has also been honored as an Orioles top 30 prospect twice, as he ranked seventh in 2021 and fifth in 2022.
Colton Cowser OF – No. 40
Cowser was the fifth overall pick of the 2021 draft out of Sam Houston State University. The 22-year-old would show his great contact, sneaky power, above average speed and Gold-Glove-caliber defense during his 2022 season.
Cowser spent time in three levels, ending the year in Triple-A Norfolk, and showed his true five-tool potential. The lengthy lefty slashed .278/.406/.469 with an .874 OPS in 510 at-bats.
He had 142 total hits, 36 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs and tallied 66 RBIs, while also walking 94 times and stealing 18 bases.
Cowser was not only recognized as a top 100 prospect, but he also claimed the 10th and final spot on the top 10 prosepct outfielders list. This is the second year that Cowser has been recognized as a top 100 prospect, as he was also ranked 40th in 2022.
Jackson Holliday INF – No. 12
The first overall pick in 2022 was drafted out of Stillwater High School. He is also the son of seven-time All-Star and World Series Champion Matt Holliday.
Holliday has received very high praise early in his career and has lived up to the hype. He spent the 2022 season in Rookie Ball and Low-A Delmarva, where he slashed .297/.489/.422 with a .911 OPS in 64 at-bats.
He had 19 total hits, five doubles, one home run and nine RBIs. He also stole four bases and walked 25 times.
Holliday is still young, but look for the 19-year-old to work his way up the O’s farm system quickly, maybe reaching the big leagues sometime in 2024.
Grayson Rodriguez RHP – No. 7
The 23-year-old was the 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Central Heights High School. Rodriguez had a setback season in 2022 battling injuries, but he still had a year that showed he’s on the brink of the majors.
Rodriguez spent his 2022 season between High-A, Double-A and Triple-A and carried a 2.62 ERA. He went 6-2 in 17 starts and gave up 47 hits, 22 earned runs, walked 28 batters and struck out 109 in 75.2 innings pitched. He also had a WHIP under one and a 12.5 K/9.
Rodriguez has had four years of recognition as a top 100 prospect, as he was 36th in 2020, 27th in 2021 and fourth in 2022. He’s also been a top 10 right-handed pitching prospect for four straight years, leading to the O’s adding him to their 40-man roster this offseason.
Gunnar Henderson INF – No. 1
Your No. 1 overall prospect in all of baseball is the 21-year-old second-round pick in the 2019 draft from John T. Morgan Academy, Gunnar Henderson.
Henderson made his big league debut on August 31, 2022, and added his name to the club of rookies whose first MLB hit was a home run.
Henderson would take the opportunity of being an MLB player and show his five-tool skillset in just 34 total games, as he slashed .259/.348/.440 with a .788 OPS in 116 at-bats. He had 30 total hits, seven doubles, one triple, four home runs and collected 18 RBIs.
Henderson was not only recognized as the top prospect overall, as he was also named the top third base prospect in baseball. This is only the second year that Henderson was recognized as a top 100 prospect, as he was second in 2022.
Henderson has also been recognized as not only an Orioles top 30 prospect but the organization’s No. 1 prospect. He is currently the favorite to be the 2023 AL Rookie of the Year and has a full season ahead of him to show why he’s the top prospect in the sport.
Which O’s prospect are you excited to watch most in 2023? Let us know in the comments below! And make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook and Twitter, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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The Baltimore Battery 
How in the world can you NOT be psyched about this team’s future.
THIS YEAR…I’m expecting nothing less that a run at the AL East title. There is absoultely no reason that they can’t win it. THIS YEAR. The tank is offically over.
Drink Pepsi
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