Orioles GM Mike Elias and the rest of the O’s front office have done a fantastic job finding international prospects who are diamonds in the rough during their tenure in Charm City.
We’ve mentioned the 2024 international class before in past articles, but we never talked about how promising of a talent Orioles No. 26 overall prospect, right-hander Esteban Mejia, has blossomed into in such a short time.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40
As mentioned in the intro, Mejia was brought into the organization via the 2024 international class. The 17-year-old from the Dominican Republic was brought in primarily due to his plus fastball that can top at 98 mph and his nasty slider.
According to MLB Pipeline, Mejia was given $175,000, which is the second largest amount of money offered to a pitcher from the Orioles in the 2024 international class. The kid proved in his first year that he was worth every penny.
Mejia did start out slow, unfortunately, in his Dominican Summer League debut, as he gave up three earned runs in two innings of work against an opposing DSL Orioles team. He would start to heat up a little thereafter, collecting a total of 15 strikeouts in four starts throughout the month of June.
Mejia would end the season by starting a total of 10 games in the DSL and finished with an ERA of 3.25. He would pitch 27.2 innings and impressively only give up 18 hits, putting his opponent’s average at .182. Mejia also showcased his control potential, walking just 18 batters while striking out 44.
Mejia’s 18th birthday is in March of 2025, and this kid is already showing out and proving he has the potential the Orioles saw prior to his signing. He has likely earned a spot on the 2025 Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds roster come spring due to his impressive performance last season.
What are your thoughts on O’s No. 26 overall prospect, Esteban Mejia?
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