Prospect Profiles: No. 12 Ethan Anderson

Written by:

Zachary Bucklew

The 2024 MLB Draft was loaded up and down the first few rounds, to say the least.

While that is true, Orioles GM Mike Elias still found a way to select a diamond in the rough in round two. Let’s dive into O’s No. 12 overall prospect, catcher Ethan Anderson, on this edition of Prospect Profiles.

Anderson attended the University of Virginia, starting his collegiate career during the 2021-2022 season, and immediately made an offensive impact on the Cavaliers. Anderson hit .302 with a .900 OPS in 50 games as a freshman. This included 12 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 39 RBIs on just 48 total hits.

In 65 games during his sophomore year, Anderson slashed .375/.469/.649 with a 1.118 OPS. His season included 97 total hits, 26 doubles, 15 home runs and 66 RBIs. The Honolulu, HI, native also had a career game against VCU, when he tallied five hits, three doubles, two home runs and knocked in five RBIs.

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Anderson’s collegiate career of three years contains the following. A slash line of .341/.441/.560 with an OPS of 1.001, 178 games played, 227 total hits, 50 doubles, two triples, 28 home runs, 145 RBIs and 103 walks to 102 strikeouts. MLB Pipeline would have him ranked as the 78th best prospect for the 2024 MLB Draft.

Anderson was selected by the Orioles in the second round with the 61st overall pick. He would make his pro debut on August 13 for the Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds, and while he would get off to a slow start, he would eventually pull it together and show his offensive skills. He would post a .288 average with the Shorebirds and hit the ball with plus power, having a .446 slugging percentage.

Anderson would get called up to the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds on September 3, where he would collect one hit in each remaining game, earning a .353 average and .862 OPS while stealing three bases.

Anderson is a switch-hitter with a feel for the barrel and plenty of power to tap into, which is the primary factor in the O’s selecting him. Although his future as a backstop is up in the air due to his size, expect the 21-year-old to receive a lot of reps at the position, while also spending time at first base in 2025.

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What are your thoughts on O’s No. 12 overall prospect, Ethan Anderson? 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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