The top 100 prospects from MLB Pipeline have been announced for the 2024 season, and the Orioles once again have an outstanding showing, having six prospects named to the list.
Outside of six different O’s prospects making the list, five of the six are within the top 32 prospects in baseball heading into the 2024 season.
Let’s dive into the six prospects named to this year’s list and what number they are ranked.
No. 1: Jackson Holliday – INF
The consensus number one prospect in baseball is none other than infielder Jackson Holliday, the former top overall pick in 2022 and son of former big leaguer, Matt Holliday.
Holliday climbed the minor league ladder last year, starting his season in Low-A Delmarva and finishing in Triple-A Norfolk. His 2023 campaign consisted of a .323/.442/.499 slashline, with a .941 OPS in 145 games. The 20-year-old collected 154 total hits, 30 doubles, nine triples and 12 home runs while walking 101 times.
Holliday is also ranked as the number one shortstop prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, with a chance to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training this year.
No. 17: Samuel Basallo – C
Behind Holliday, it’s safe to say that Samuel Basallo is the next big prospect for the Orioles, who was signed during the international signing period in January of 2020.
While Basallo did not climb the minor league ladder at the same rate as Holliday, he did climb nonetheless, starting the season in Delmarva and finishing in Bowie. Basallo had a .953 OPS in 114 games, collecting 26 doubles and 20 home runs on 131 total hits. He also showed off the wheels with 12 stolen bases.
Basallo comes in as the second top ranked catcher behind San Diego Padres’ backstop prospect, Ethan Salas. The 19-year-old will spend the majority of 2024 at the Double-A level, as he only played four games for Bowie in 2024.
No. 19: Colton Cowser – OF
The final O’s prospect within the top 20 is none other than outfielder Colton Cowser, who’s the first prospect named to make his MLB debut during the 2023 season. Cowser is a former fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Sam Houston State.
Cowser’s 2023 season was intriguing, as it can really be split into two sections. Cowser dominated Triple-A Norfolk, having a .937 OPS with 97 total hits, 18 doubles and 17 home runs. However, the 23-year-old struggled in the big leagues, compiling a .434 OPS in just 26 games with only seven hits.
Cowser was ranked ninth on MLB Pipeline’s top 10 outfielders list, as he enters his third professional season and looks to make it back to the main roster to redeem the tough start to his MLB career.
No. 30: Coby Mayo – INF
Coby Mayo is a former fourth-round pick from the 2020 draft and is arguably one of the best prospects to up their ranking from the 2023 season.
Between his time with Bowie and Norfolk, Mayo carried a .973 OPS with 146 total hits, including a top-100-prospect-most 45 doubles. Mayo also had a phenomenal 33-game on-base streak during his run with Bowie.
Mayo will be the starting third baseman for Norfolk, but don’t be too surprised if he debuted before the All-Star Break in Baltimore. Mayo is also ranked as the number four prospect at the third base position.
No. 32: Heston Kjerstad – OF
Heston Kjerstad had maybe the most successful 2023 season between the six prospects because he performed in three separate levels, including the big leagues. This was the first season of Kjerstad breaking out since he was drafted with the second overall pick back in 2020.
Kjerstad started the season in Bowie and finished the season as a part of the main roster, and he wasted no time to make his mark. Kjerstad in the majors only had a .748 OPS, but he crushed two home runs and had seven total hits in 13 games. His minor league season consisted of 145 total hits with a .904 OPS, 29 doubles and eight triples.
Kjerstad is the perfect fourth outfielder for this Orioles team. His defense is solid, and his bat is great, but getting consistent playing could be challenging with the depth the O’s have.
No. 63: Joey Ortiz – INF
The final O’s prospect to make the top 100 is none other than Joey Ortiz, who is another player to make his debut in the majors last year. Ortiz finally had that huge breakout season on the farm since being drafted back in 2019 in the fourth round.
Ortiz’s MLB stint wasn’t the greatest, having just a .448 OPS in 15 games, including having seven hits and four RBIs. His time in Norfolk, though, was spectacular, collecting 112 total hits, 30 doubles and 58 RBIs in 88 games. While Ortiz is more known for his glove, his bat has been hot these last two seasons.
Ortiz falls into a tough spot, as the Orioles’ infield depth is so impeccable that finding a spot for him is difficult. Whether it’s here in Baltimore or somewhere else, he should have no issue getting his shot at having a full-time big league job.
Infielder Connor Norby was ranked seventh on the second base list, but only three second basemen made the top 100 list, so unfortunately, Norby was left off.
Which prospect are you most looking forward to seeing this season? 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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