Top 30 Baltimore Orioles Prospects For Dynasty Baseball

One of the most exciting farm systems in the minor leagues is starting to move its top talent to the major leagues. This makes my job fun diving in to find the “next up” to bring to you. In this article, we will dive into the top 10 prospects in the Baltimore Orioles prospects and rank out the top 30 for you to target. If you are in deeper dynasty leagues and need more names, you can find more on the Weekly Streamer Patreon page where you can find extended prospects per system and the top 1400 prospect rankings. For now, let’s dive into the top 30 for the Orioles. 

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The Top 10 Orioles Prospects

Jackson Holliday, SS

(94 GP, .333/.450/.525, 10 HR, 63 RBI, 21 SB)

Baltimore’s first-round draft pick in 2022 has made his presence known in his first full season of professional baseball. The 19-year-old shortstop has been impressive rising from Low-A Delmarva to Double-A Bowie and might not be done yet. Some of Holliday’s best numbers came at High-A Aberdeen where he slashed .314/.452/.448 in 57 games played. I was fortunate to watch him play in Winston Salem where he crushed a home run and was a single away from the cycle before the game was postponed due to rain. Holliday’s advanced approach at the plate stands out right away as he will work counts and get a pitch to hit.

💣💥BAL SS Jackson Holliday two run home run in A+ Winston Salem. Holliday continues his hot start of his career working the count and taking Jared Kelley deep in the first inning. #Birdland @J_Holliday7 @IronBirds @Orioles @BSLOnTheVerge @OsPlayerDev @Fantrax pic.twitter.com/V7nXNi5D0A

— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) May 16, 2023

Despite only 10 home runs this season I believe there is more power output for Holliday long-term as a 20-plus home run bat once he puts on more muscle. Once again, at only 19 years old, Holliday has taken the minor leagues by storm and the Orioles have not ruled out a potential call-up before the season is out. 

Colton Cowser, OF

(59 GP, .326/.454/.540, 11 HR, 41 RBI, 7 SB) 

The Orioles have pushed Cowser steadily since he was drafted fifth overall in 2021 out of Sam Houston State. This season, Cowser has been solid, slashing .326/.454/.540 with an 18.5% walk rate and a 24% strikeout rate. Cowser’s bat-to-ball skills stood out to me prior to the draft, as a hitter that knows the strike zone well and will work counts for a favorable pitch or to draw a walk. While with the Norfolk Tides this season, Cowser slugged 11 home runs and swiped seven bases in nine attempts. 

Power is not a strong part of Cowser’s game. He’s more of the slash-and-dash kind of player in the mold of a true leadoff hitter. Despite the poor results from his 26-game call-up to the Orioles, Cowser maintained his discipline as he walked 16.9% and had a similar strikeout rate to what he has had in the minors up to this season. I believe the demotion back to Norfolk will do Cowser some good to get the confidence up for a playoff push with the Orioles if he is needed. 

Jordan Westburg, SS/3B

(67 GP, .295/.372/.567, 18 HR, 57 RBI, 6 SB)

It’s no secret to anyone who has followed my content on Fantrax HQ or on Twitter that I have been a Jordan Wesburg fan. Westburg picked right up where he left off in 2022 by slashing .295/.372/.567 with 18 home runs in 67 games played at Norfolk this season. These results were equally as impressive as his continued improvements to the walk rate (9.6%) and the strikeout rate at 21.3%. Baltimore was impressed enough to call the 24-year-old utility player up to the majors for his debut and Westburg has held his own. So far in 38 games played Westburg is slashing .264/.306/.408 with two home runs, 14 RBIs, and three stolen bases. What continues to stand out to me is the strikeout rate continuing to stick at 20.1% at the game’s highest level.

To me, Westburg has faired better than some rookies that have gotten their opportunity so far this season and I believe the Orioles see a solid contributor around the infield for years to come. 

Connor Norby, 2B/OF

(110 GP, .285/.346/.463, 15 HR, 70 RBI, 8 SB)

The Norby watch is on! The former ECU Pirate has been fantastic in Triple-A Norfolk this season, slashing .285/.346/.463 while maintaining an 8% walk rate and a 22.7% strikeout rate in 497 plate appearances. This season Norby has continued to show excellent pitch recognition and has slugged 15 home runs while swiping eight bases with the Tides. To help with the increasingly crowded infield Norby has gotten reps in the outfield as well. This flexibility, like that of Adam Frazier, could prove beneficial for Norby’s opportunities. This profile is useful for dynasty purposes as a player who could end up with multiple position eligibility and has shown solid plate discipline and on-base skills to be an asset in OBP leagues.

BAL 2B Connor Norby solo HR on the first pitch! @IronBirds @Orioles @ECUBaseball @WeeklyStreamer pic.twitter.com/BBJNbYfFfQ

— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) April 20, 2022

For now, we wait for the Orioles to call Norby up and give him an opportunity to cement himself into the Orioles lineup for years to come. 

Heston Kjerstad, OF

(101 GP, .310/.381/.551, 19 HR, 46 RBI, 4 SB)

Baltimore is in a playoff push and one of their most exciting prospects tearing the cover off the ball in Triple-A Norfolk is Heston Kjerstad. The 24-year-old slugger has ascended two levels this season, crushing 11 home runs in Double-A Bowie and eight so far with the Norfolk Tides. Throughout his tear of Bowie and Norfolk, Kjerstad has maintained a solid eye at the plate walking 7.2% of the time while only striking out 17.5% of the time between the two levels. It sure seems like Heston Kjerstad has mastered Triple-A in his 55 games played and should get his opportunity to make his impact on a surging Orioles club. 

Coby Mayo, 3B

(108 GP, .284/.394/.559, 21 HR, 68 RBI, 4 SB)

Big power is coming to Baltimore quickly with Heston Kjerstad and now Coby Mayo knocking at the door. Mayo has impressed me for several years now with the advanced approach at the plate and the massive raw power he has. This season the 21-year-old slugger started the season in Double-A Bowie where he slashed .307/.424/.603 with 17 home runs, 44 RBIs, and four stolen bases. Tack on a 14.7% walk rate with a 24.8% strikeout rate and it’s no surprise he got the bump to Triple-A Norfolk. As was the case with Mayo when he first arrived in Double-A in 2022, he has struggled to get his footing in Norfolk but he seems to be coming around and building momentum.

To the 🌙! Coby Mayo destroyed that baseball! 2 run HR in +A Greensboro. #BaseBall #Baltimore #orioles @WeeklyStreamer @Orioles @IronBirds @EricCross04 @RotoClegg pic.twitter.com/SV7tw5YoSh

— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) April 20, 2022

So far the slash line is .218/.305/.436 with four home runs, and 24 RBIs in 30 games played. There is still a chance Mayo gets a shot this season though I would expect him to get his shot early in 2024. 

Joey Ortiz, 2B/SS

(75 GP, .343/.395/.542, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 10 SB)

What Baltimore is doing or wants to do with Joey Ortiz I just can’t figure out. The 24-year-old shortstop has played second and third base this season to create positional flexibility and despite an early season call-up wasn’t given a long leash in the majors. This season in Triple-A Norfolk however, has been nothing short of fantastic as he has slashed .343/.395/.542 with eight home runs, 50 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in just 75 games played. Ortiz has shown solid plate discipline, walking 7.9% while only striking out 18.2% in his 329 at-bats with the Tides. My curiosity has peeked with Ortiz because the numbers say he should be up and given the leash that Anthony Volpe has been given with the Yankees but Baltimore hasn’t done that.

The likelihood that Ortiz could be moved in the off-season for other team needs should be on the minds of all dynasty managers as the Baltimore Orioles infield is filling up fast. 

Samuel Basallo, C/1B

(98 GP, .299/.385/.504, 14 HR, 70 RBI, 9 SB)

One of the most impressive minor league players surging up the organizational ladder this season has got to be Samuel Basallo. The left-handed Basallo has been rock solid all season long and tore up Low-A Delmarva. In 83 games, the 19-year-old slashed .299/.384/.503 with 12 home runs, 60 RBIs, and seven home runs with a stellar 11.6% walk rate and low 20.7% strikeout rate. Baltimore started playing Basallo at catcher and first base while with the Shorebirds and that has continued after his promotion to High-A Aberdeen. Once with the Iron Birds, Basallo picked up where he left off, slashing .298/.394/.509 with two home runs, 10 RBIs, and two stolen bases in just 15 games played.

BAL C/1B Samuel Basallo has been on fire this season. So far in Low-A and High-A he has.

98 GP
.299 AVG
.385 OBP
.504 SLG
14 HR
70 RBI
9 SB

The stock is rising fast with Basallo get some while you can. #Birdland @Fantrax https://t.co/OYTwZfGsdY

— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) August 19, 2023

He has continued to show excellent plate discipline as he has a 13.6% BB and a 19.7% strikeout rate in 66 plate appearances. Standing at 6’3” and 180 pounds I could see him profileing as a first baseman long term but the Baltimore will continue to work on his defense behind the plate and let the bat shine. 

Dylan Beavers, OF

(99 GP, .279/.374/.453, 9 HR, 51 RBI, 22 SB)

Baltimore continues to draft well, selecting Dylan Beavers out of Cal in the 2022 MLB draft, and since joining the Orioles organization he has done nothing but hit. In 85 games played at High-A Aberdeen Beavers slashed .273/.369/.463 with nine home runs 48 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases, all while walking 13.6% and striking out only 22.8% of the time. Standing at 6’4” and 206 pounds Beavers looks like he is built for power but takes a patient approach at the plate searching for a pitch to hit. In his 369 plate appearances in High-A Beavers had 26 doubles and three triples telling me there might be more power to come as he refines his swing. With his success in Aberdeen, Beavers was promoted to Double-A Bowie where the results have looked the same.

The 22-year-old is slashing .310/.403/.397 with eight runs scored, and three RBIs in 14 games played so far. Beavers is a wise target going into the off-season as a player who could pop next season with the power and jump up the rankings. 

Enrique Bradfield Jr, OF

(10 GP, .367/.578/.433, 2 RBI, 14 SB)

The Orioles selected Enrique Bradfield Jr. 17th overall in the 2023 MLB draft out of Vanderbilt. The elite speedster also features elite defense as a projectable centerfield option for the Orioles long term. But don’t sleep on the bat! Bradfield has already shown a solid plate approach in his short time in the organization. Currently in Low-A Delmarva, Bradfield is slashing .286/.545/.333 in seven games played with 13 stolen bases. Bradfield has managed a 30.3% BB and an 18.2% strikeout rate in the small sample size. If the bat continues to impress, I would not be surprised to see Bradfield in the majors by the start of the 2025 season.

The allure of Rickey Henderson type of speed has made dynasty manager’s minds race when selecting their picks in this year’s FYPD and with a surging Orioles team built for the future Bradfield’s stock will continue to rise. 

Top 30 Baltimore Orioles Prospects Rankings