The offseason is in full effect, and the 2023 Winter Meetings are officially underway, which means that it’s time to talk trades.
The interesting part of trades are the discussions of dealing prospects that we have seen develop over the years and deciding if departing from them would be beneficial to the organization to win right now at the big league level.
On that note, we have put together five prospects that the Orioles could potentially trade this offseason to acquire top big league talent. Let’s get started.
JUD FABIAN – OF
After being selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida, Jud Fabian has been a top power-hitting outfield prospect for the O’s.
Fabian, at the age of 22, is not only an on-base machine, having a .349 OBP in 2023, he is also a pure slugger, hitting 24 home runs this past season.
Fabian is also a menace on the base paths, stealing 31 bags in 39 attempts. His defense is something that is almost not talked about, with his great reads on fly balls and absolute cannon of an arm.
The issue for Fabian is that the outfield in prospects and in big league players is completely stacked. Between Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays and Anthony Santander maintaining the outfield for the big league club and prospects like Enrique Bradfield Jr., Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad set to make impacts in the near future, Fabian could be on the outside looking in.
CHAYCE MCDERMOTT – RHP
Flipping a prospect the O’s got in the Trey Mancini trade? It might just happen.
Chayce McDermott had a solid 2023 minor league season, and trading him might not be expected, but his value as the top pitching prospect in the O’s system has never been higher.
The 25-year-old’s 2023 season was a career-year, as he finished with a 3.10 ERA in 119 innings pitched. The big right-hander also compiled 152 strikeouts to just 68 walks, showing just how much command he possess.
McDermott is knocking on the door to the major leagues, but the Orioles could have trouble finding a spot for him in their rotation, as Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez and John Means have locked down their spots. Not to mention, other top pitching prospects like Cade Povich and Justin Armbruester are also close to pitching in the bigs.
DYLAN BEAVERS – OF
The second player on this list from the 2022 draft, and it’s another outfielder. Dylan Beavers is nothing short of a contact machine, drawing comparisons to the likes of Kyle Tucker and Bryan Reynolds.
His .288 average, 128 total hits and 35 doubles last season back up these comps, as the tall left-hander also walked 70 times and swiped 27 bags in 37 attempts. Beavers’ defense is also above average, slotting into any of the three outfield positions but primarily at the corners.
Beavers is in the same boat as Fabian in that the O’s outfield has become log-jammed. However, Beavers is close to being MLB ready, and shipping him to a team that is looking for major league ready prospects might be a beneficial move for both he and the organization.
CONNOR NORBY – INF/OF
Connor Norby, who arguably has a chance to fight for the opportunity to be the starting second baseman out of spring training, is a four-tool player, just barely missing out in the speed category.
Norby does, however, have the contact, batting a clean .290, and the power, slugging .483 and hitting 21 bombs. He also has fantastic fielding abilities, and despite being a primary second baseman, he has the arm to play the corner outfield.
It would take the absolute stellar player for Norby to be traded, but if the opportunity comes, don’t be surprised if Norby is playing in the majors for another organization next season.
JOEY ORTIZ – INF
Our very own Justin’s favorite prospect, Joey Ortiz, tore it up at the minor league level last season and even got to have a cup of coffee in the majors. But, if the right offer came around, Ortiz might be a big prospect to go this offseason.
Ortiz only played 15 games at the major league level last year and collected seven hits and four RBIS. But at the MiLB level, Ortiz took the league by storm. Hitting a clean .321 and having a slugging percentage at .507, crushing 30 doubles and stealing 11 bases, Ortiz has developed into a five-tool player.
The New Mexico State product is someone who could compete for a spot this spring, but he could also be a very interesting name in conversations that could help the Orioles land a top player right now.
Which prospect do you think gets dealt this offseason? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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