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MLB Pipeline names Orioles top 30 prospects for 2025 season

Our Zack Bucklew examines MLB Pipeline’s updated Orioles top 30 prospects list, assessing which players received promotions and demotions:

Zachary Bucklew
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Zachary Bucklew

We are three weeks away from Opening Day for the Baltimore Orioles, but we are four weeks away from April 4, which is Minor League Opening Day.

That means it’s time to discuss the brand new top 30 prospect list from MLB Pipeline. This list has so many changes, including four new prospects in the top 30, a new prospect in the top 10 and three drop offs on the list.

With that said, let’s discuss the updated top 30 list.

New Additions: Nestor German/Trey Gibson/Cameron Weston/Elvin Garcia

The first new addition is ranked 11th on the list, and it’s right-hander Nestor German. Originally drafted in the 11th round of the 2023 draft, German was deemed underrated by fans and analysts after his phenomenal 2024 season in the minors went under the radar.

In 21 games, including 12 starts, German carried a 1.59 ERA in 73.2 innings of work. He gave up 52 hits, walked just 17 batters and struck out 90.

The next addition is another pitcher in Trey Gibson, who was ranked 15th. Gibson had his first complete year in 2024, and despite a nine-game struggle in Aberdeen with a 4.21 ERA, he was able to finish the season with a 3.72 ERA in 25 games, including 16 starts.

Gibson really showed out with his control, walking 39 batters in 92 innings of work, Gibson also struck out 118 batters this past season.

The third new addition was ranked 17th and is the final pitcher to be added to the list, and that is Cameron Weston.

After four phenomenal games in Aberdeen holding a 0.54 ERA, Weston pitched 27 total games last season, including 18 starts, and carried a 2.97 ERA in 109 innings. He held batters to a .197 average, struck out 127 batters and walked just 32.

The final new addition is the only hitter in Elvin Garcia, who ranked 26th. The 18-year-old spent 36 games in the DSL and slashed .294/.439/.505 with a .944 OPS.

Garcia collected 32 hits, 10 doubles, five triples and one home run while knocking in 20 RBIs and stealing 12 bases.

Biggest Promotion: Keeler Morfe – +17

After finishing the 2024 season as the 26th ranked prospect in the Orioles’ system, Keeler Morfe is now ranked as the ninth best prospect, and this really has to do with how good of a 2024 season he had.

In 11 starts, Morfe carried a 2.76 ERA in 32.2 innings of work. The ERA to really look at is his Dominican Summer League work, where he carried a 0.82 ERA in seven starts and 22 innings of work.

His ERA for the season was elevated because of four rough starts in Low-A Delmarva. Morfe did hold batters to a .162 average and struck out 49 batters while walking 17.

Biggest Demotions: Jud Fabian, Trace Bright, Austin Overn – -13

The first demotion on the list is outfielder Jud Fabian, who drops from being ranked 10th in 2024 to 23rd in 2025.

Fabian had a struggle of a 2024 season, slashing .215/.305/.390 with a .695 OPS. He posted 102 hits, 21 doubles, two triples and 20 home runs while knocking in 65 RBIs. His biggest problem, however, was that he struck out 177 times in 474 at-bats.

The next demotion is pitcher Trace Bright, who was ranked 11th in 2024 and dropped down to 24th in 2025.

The obvious is that Bright didn’t win a single game in 2024, going 0-11 in 27 games, including 22 starts. He carried a 4.18 ERA, but Bright is still top 30 worthy, as he struck out 120 batters in 112 innings with the Chesapeake Baysox.

The final demotion is the newly-drafted Austin Overn, who was ranked 16th and dropped down to 29th.

Overn’s 2024 season was short with just 21 games, but he carried a .865 OPS and had 21 hits on the season with five doubles, three triples and one home run. Overn also showed some speed, stealing 16 bases.

Knocked Out: Braylin Tavera/ Max Wagner/ Esteban Mejia/ Luis Almeyda.

We start with formerly-ranked 15th overall prospect Braylin Tavera, who struggled in 2024, posting a .509 OPS in 87 games and hitting just .173. Tavera had 53 hits, with eight going for extra bases, and struck out 93 times.

The next prospect is former college prodigy Max Wagner, who’s season was really derailed by injuries. Wagner played just 25 games and carried a .503 OPS as the 22nd overall prospect last year.

The third prospect is Esteban Mejia, who was ranked 25th in 2024. Mejia just got unlucky when it came to the rankings because his 2024 season was honestly not bad. Holding a 3.25 ERA in 10 starts in the DSL, Mejia held batters to a .182 average in 27.2 innings of work and struck out 44 batters.

The final prospect is former top 50 international prospect in Luis Almeyda, who was ranked 30th in 2024. Almeyda is another prospect who was most likely on the cusp when it comes to ranking these prospects in 2025. In 53 games, Almeyda had a .653 OPS, five home runs, 23 RBIs and 31 walks.

Below is the full updated top 30 list:

  1. Samuel Basallo C/1B
  2. Coby Mayo INF
  3. Enrique Bradfield Jr. OF
  4. Chayce McDermott RHP
  5. Vance Honeycutt OF
  6. Dylan Beavers OF
  7. Griff O’Ferrall INF
  8. Michael Forret RHP
  9. Keeler Morfe RHP
  10. Patrick Reilly RHP
  11. Nestor German RHP
  12. Creed Willems C/1B
  13. Stiven Martinez OF
  14. Luis De León LHP
  15. Trey Gibson RHP
  16. Aron Estrada INF
  17. Cameron Weston RHP
  18. Ethan Anderson C
  19. Brandon Young RHP
  20. Leandro Arias INF
  21. Joshua Liranzo INF
  22. Thomas Sosa OF
  23. Jud Fabian OF
  24. Trace Bright RHP
  25. Jordan Sanchez OF
  26. Elvin Garcia INF
  27. Emilio Sanchez INF
  28. Alex Pham RHP
  29. Austin Overn OF
  30. DJ Layton INF

What are your thoughts on the updated O’s top 30 prospects list? 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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