It’s time for The Baltimore Battery’s edition of the 2023 Orioles 2023 All-Prospect Team.
Before we introduce and break down the team, there are a few qualifications and rules that we established while breaking this team down.
First, the team will consist of one player per position, including three outfielders, three starters and three relievers. Second, we are basing the prospects off how they did the entire season. For example, some players had really good stints with one affiliate but didn’t have a better season than someone else.
With all that being said, here is The Baltimore Battery’s edition of the 2023 Orioles All-Prospect Team.
Catcher: Samuel Basallo
Samuel Basallo was hands down the best catcher in the Orioles farm system and could have been in the entire minor leagues.
Basallo at 19 years old is nothing short of remarkable both at the plate and behind it. The going Dominican native played in 114 games and slashed .313/.402/.551 with a .953 OPS and collected 131 total hits, 26 doubles, seven triples and 20 home runs. He also tallied 86 RBIs, walked 61 times and stole 12 bases in 17 attempts.
Basallo was great behind the plate with a .984 fielding percentage, and runners stole 93 bases in 139 attempts off him, good for a 66.9% stealing percentage against. The O’s No. 5 prospect also had 73 assists and helped turn seven double plays.
The most impressive part about Basallo’s season is that he caught 570 innings and only allowed seven passed balls. He is someone who could reach the majors very soon, pairing with current O’s All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman.
First Base: Heston Kjerstad
I completely understand that Kjerstad is an outfielder, but if you recall our All-Prospect Team last year, we had Gunnar Henderson at first base. Kjerstad played 38 games at first, which does qualify him to be the first baseman on this team.
Kjerstad played in 122 games and slashed .303/.376/.528 with a .904 OPS and compiled 145 total hits, 29 doubles, eight triples and 21 home runs, collecting 55 RBIs, walking 42 times and stealing five bases.
Kjerstad also made his MLB debut this season, where he not only gave me my personal favorite moment of the year, but he also had his first big league hit be his first big league home run of his career. The lefty slugger’s 2023 was just a glimpse of what he could do for the Orioles in the future, and we had to include him on this All-Prospect Team.
Second Base: Connor Norby
For the second consecutive season, Connor Norby is the best second baseman in the Orioles’ farm system. He just gets better and better by the season, and it’s a little surprising that he didn’t make his big league debut this year.
Norby played in 138 games and slashed .290/.359/.483 with a .842 OPS. He finished the year with 164 total hits, 40 doubles, three triples and 21 home runs and also recorded 92 RBIs, walked 57 times and stole 10 bases in 14 attempts.
Norby is somebody who can be the next Jonathan Schoop for the Orioles. A strong right-handed hitter that is a doubles machine but also has enough pop in his bat to leave the yard at any time. The O’s No. 7 prospect will most certainly play in the majors next season, whether it’s with the Birds or another organization.
Shortstop: Jackson Holliday
You could make an argument for any other position, and I would hear you out. But you can not make an argument for anyone else at shortstop than the top prospect in all of baseball, Jackson Holliday.
Holliday was hands down the best prospect in the O’s farm system in 2023, as he started the season in Low-A Delmarva and finished the season in Triple-A Norfolk. In 125 games between four levels, Holliday slashed .323/.442/.499 with a .941 OPS, with 154 total hits, 30 doubles, nine triples and 12 home runs.
Holliday is not just a baseball player. He is a baseball machine after what he showed this past season. At just 19 years old, Holliday will debut in 2024 for the Orioles and is a future MVP in the making.
Third Base: Coby Mayo
What a breakout season for Coby Mayo, and he’s still underrated in the eyes of the most fans.
Mayo played in 140 games and slashed .290/.410/.563 with a .973 OPS. He had 146 total hits, 45 doubles, three triples and 29 home runs while also knocking in 99 and walking 93 times.
Mayo was the breakout star of the Orioles farm system, and it’s really not even close. He had 50 more hits this season than last and had 25 more doubles. Mayo might have the most raw power in the O’s farm system, as the team’s No. 4 prospect is on track to make his big league debut sometime next season.
Outfielder: Dylan Beavers
Dylan Beavers needs to be talked about more. The O’s No. 9 prospect put together a great season and showed his true potential as a corner outfielder.
Beavers played in 119 games and slashed .288/.383/.467 with a .850 OPS, collecting 128 total hits, 35 doubles, six triples and 11 home runs. He also had 70 walks and stole 27 bases.
Beavers is someone who is a five-tool player. He has above-average speed on the bases, solid contact, sneaky power, a phenomenal arm and plus fielding skills in either left or right field. He is someone who is an underrated part of the Orioles’ future possibilities and could be a huge part of an already star-studded outfield.
Outfielder: Colton Cowser
Quick shoutout to our very own Jason Benowitz, who is hands down the biggest Colton Cowser fan out there. Cowser not only tore it up in MiLB, but he also made his MLB debut this season.
The No. 2 prospect in the O’s system played in 87 games and slashed .300/.417/.520 with a .937 OPS. Cowser, 23, tallied 97 total hits, 18 doubles, one triple and 17 home runs for Triple-A Norfolk this season.
Cowser was also named MVP of the Triple-A Championship Game after hitting a grand slam that eventually won the ballgame for Norfolk. He did, however, have a slow start to his big league career, but remember, even Adley started out slow. The “Moo Man” will have every opportunity in spring training to win a big league roster spot.
Outfielder: Enrique Bradfield Jr.
I’ll be honest. Trying to decide on the third outfielder was tough because there were legitimately so many options. We ultimately decided to go with the O’s 2023 first-round pick in Enrique Bradfield Jr.
EBJ only played in 25 games between Low-A Delmarva and High-A Aberdeen, but he put up impressive numbers. Bradfield Jr. slashed .291/.473/.329 with a .802 OPS and had 23 hits, three doubles and six RBIs in his first pro season. His most eye-popping numbers, however, are his 26 walks and 25 stolen bases in 27 attempts.
Bradfield, the O’s No. 8 prospect, was someone we talked about highly prior to going 17th overall because we saw his true potential at Vanderbilt. The 2024 season will be a big breakout year for Bradfield Jr., and his true potential will be shown heavily in his first full season in the pros.
Starting Pitcher: Chayce McDermott
Named the best pitching prospect by the Orioles organization, Chayce McDermott just proves that he was the right person to acquire for in the Trey Mancini deal.
McDermott pitched in 26 games and started in 22 of them. He went 8-8 with a 3.10 ERA in 119 innings pitched and gave up 69 hits, 41 earned runs, walked 68 batters and struck out 152. He also held batters to a .167 batting average and ended the year with a 1.15 WHIP.
McDermott had a breakout year after a struggling 2022 season, when he had a 5.56 ERA. The O’s top pitching prospect is someone who could be a potential starter in the Oriole rotation next season. The 25-year-old could also be used in a possible long relief option out of the bullpen.
Starting Pitcher: Cade Povich
Hear me out. I understand that Cade Povich did not have the greatest year, but his season was one of growth and showed signs of left-handed excellence.
Povich pitched and started 28 games between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk and went 8-10 with a 5.04 ERA. He gave up 106 hits, 71 earned runs, walked 66 batters and struck out 171. But what makes Povich impactful is that he held batters to a .224 batting average all season.
Povich is a really solid minor league starter but could be a really deadly major league bullpen arm in the future. The team’s No. 11 prospect might debut in the 2024 season, and if he does, watch out because when he is on one, he is unhittable.
Starting Pitcher: Deivy Cruz
I mentioned earlier that Jason is a Colton Cowser guy. Yeah, I’m a Deivy Cruz guy.
Cruz is almost unspoken about, and I really wish that more Oriole fans understand how good he is. Cruz, 19, pitched in 25 games for Delmarva and started 16 of them to go 8-4 with a 3.62 ERA in 97 innings pitched. He gave up 74 hits, 39 earned runs, walked 50 batters and struck out 103 while holding batters to a .218 batting average.
Cruz reminds me of Grayson Rodriguez. Now I understand how insane that take can be, but if you watch Cruz pitch, you would most likely agree with me. He has plus velocity, nasty off-speed stuff and doesn’t really get rattled on the mound. Expect to see Cruz tear it up next season, likely starting the year in Aberdeen.
Relief Pitcher: Dylan Heid
Dylan Heid is a name that needs to be in more Oriole fans’ minds when it comes to up-and-coming prospects.
Heid is someone who I could see as a possible big bullpen piece in the next year or two. The 25-year-old right-hander pitched in 32 games and went 5-2 with a 2.58 ERA in 45.1 innings pitched. He gave up 30 hits, 13 earned runs and just one home run, while walking 20, striking out 68 and holding batters to a .185 average.
Heid finished the 2023 season with the Baysox and is most likely going to start with them in 2024. But don’t be shocked to see him receive an invitation to spring training.
Relief Pitcher: Nolan Hoffman
I wrote an article in March that put Nolan Hoffman as an underrated prospect for the 2023 season, and in the article, I said the following: “Hoffman could be a lights-out reliever in the future if he can put together a full season on the farm.”
Well, he put up a full season and was almost a lights-out reliever. In 32 games, Hoffman went 1-2 with a 3.05 ERA in 44.1 innings pitched, allowing 44 hits and 15 earned runs, with 14 walks and 34 strikeouts.
Hoffman is major league ready, whether you don’t know the name or you are a stan. He not only went 7-for-8 in saves, he got out of so many jams last year and proved that he could be the right-handed Cionel Pérez of 2024. Don’t be surprised if he debuts next season and stays on the big league roster for a good while.
Relief Pitcher: Keagan Gillies
Keagan Gillies was the best left-handed pitcher in the minors, and I honestly don’t think it was close.
The 25-year-old right-hander pitched in 33 games and went 5-1 with a 2.43 ERA in 40.2 innings pitched. He gave up just 19 hits, 11 earned runs, walked 14 batters and struck out 61. He also held batters to a .137 average and went 4-for-7 in saves while having three holds.
Gillies is Zack Britton 2.0, and I’ve said all season that he’s going to be a big lefty arm in the bullpen in the very near future. Gillies turned around his career with his 2023 campaign, as he ERA went down 2.44 points and his opponent batting average went down .128.
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