Every year, we see prospects break out and show their true potential early in the season.
For the 2023 season, it was infielder Luis Valdez with his incredible speed. In 2024, it was Creed Willems, who showcased his raw power and defensive prowess behind the plate.
Let’s take a dive into the young career of the Orioles’ No. 22 overall prospect on this edition of Prospect Profiles.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Arm: 65 | Field: 45 | Overall: 40
Willems is our first prospect of this series who was drafted out of high school. He was officially committed to play at Texas Christian University, but plans changed in July of 2021, when the O’s selected Creed in the eighth round with the 227th overall pick.
Willems played just 10 games in rookie ball, where he collected four hits in 24 at-bats. Things would change in 2022, as he would spend the entire season with the Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds and would really start to show his offensive strengths.
In 68 games, Willems slashed .190/.264/.321 with a .585 OPS. He posted 42 total hits, nine doubles, four triples and four home runs.
After the 2022 season, Willems would actually be a part of a big milestone for The Baltimore Battery. The Odessa, Texas, native would become the second O’s prospect interviewed for our website. You can check that interview out by clicking here.
The 2023 season would be a complete 180 for Willems, beginning with the Shorebirds, where he would have a 1.057 OPS in 30 games while hitting eight home runs. He would get called up to the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds at the end of May, and while he cooled off a little, he still hit nine home runs and knocked in 47 RBIs.
Willems was starting to receive more recognition from Oriole fans during the 2023 season, but he would really show out in 2024 with the IronBirds. He would start the season by winning the South Atlantic League Player of the Week and would end the month of April by winning Player of the Month for the SAL.
The 21-year-old would finish his season with the Double-A Bowie Baysox, and in 98 total games between the two affiliates, he slashed .243/.322/.462 with a .784 OPS. He collected 84 total hits, 21 doubles, two triples and 17 home runs while driving in 65 RBIs.
Willems brings youth and raw power and is strong and stocky, using a fairly simple swing to drop his barrel on pitches to drive them with authority, especially ones low in the zone. His results improved this year with a revamped approach and better pitch recognition skills.
The kid’s arm is still a cannon behind the plate, even as questions remain about his receiving and blocking. If he continues his development behind the plate and with his approach in the box, Willems could develop into a power-hitting backstop at the highest level.
What are your thoughts on O’s No. 22 overall prospect, Creed Willems? 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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