We say it all the time. The Orioles front office is really good when it comes to finding diamonds in the rough late in drafts.
That’s exactly what happened in the 2023 draft when it came to Michael Forret. The 20-year-old right-hander is already starting to make a name for himself, and he just finished his first full season of pro ball. Let’s dive into the O’s No. 18 prospect on this edition of Prospect Profiles.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40
Forret attended State College of Florida in Sarasota as a freshman for the 2022-2023 collegiate season, and in 15 appearances, including 13 starts, he went 10-3 with a 3.34 ERA in 86.1 innings. He allowed 32 earned runs, walked 18 batters and struck out 106. This would be enough for the Orioles, as they selected Forret in the 14th round of the 2023 draft.
Forrett did not play at all in the 2023 season despite being put on the FCL Orioles roster. He was placed to play with the Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds for the start of the 2024 season, but his debut did not go that well.
His first professional game was on April 7, when he ended up going just three innings, giving up five earned runs. His season would really take off after that, however, as Forret would finish the month of April with 11.2 scoreless innings, evening his ERA down to 3.07.
The Matthews, North Carolina, native would pitch a total of 10 games and have an ERA of 3.18 in 39.2 total innings. He would show plus command, walking just 15 batters and striking out 49. Forret would eventually get the call to High-A Aberdeen in June, where he would finish his 2024 campaign.
Like with Delmarva, Forret had a lackluster Aberdeen debut, giving up five earned runs in 3.1 innings of work, receiving the loss. It would take some time for him to get going, as he posted an ERA of 5.89 in the month of July with the IronBirds.
Overall, Forret would have a 4.35 ERA with the IronBirds in 60 total innings. He would keep up his potential with great control, walking 29 batters and striking out 75. This would put him at 44 total walks on the season and 124 strikeouts in 99.2 innings.
The six-foot-three righty has a fastball that can sit in the mid-90s, showing he can maintain his velocity throughout a start. His low-80s sweeper has the chance to serve as an out pitch that misses a lot of bats, and his mid-80s changeup has the chance to give him a third effective offering.
Forret has every chance to start, though his delivery is a little difficult to repeat. If he can’t stick in a rotation, we can imagine him throwing a harder heater-sweeper combination coming out of the bullpen.
What are your thoughts on the O’s No. 18 overall prospect, Michael Forret? 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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