(Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The Baltimore Orioles own the best record in the American League at 83-49.
They used to completely ignore the international amateur market and their player development staff wouldn’t even produce a second-tier major leaguer.
These things have changed since the arrival of general manager Mike Elias since 2019, though.
Now, the O’s are a model franchise from a player development and scouting standpoint.
Look at their record, and remember their best prospect isn’t even in the majors yet.
Infielder Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, keeps making strides and showing the world how scary Baltimore could be when he gets the call.
“Jackson Holliday (@Orioles) delivers his 10th game this season with 3+ knocks. MLB’s No. 1 prospect raises his Double-A @BowieBaysox slash line to .336/.421/.520 with 42 hits in 31 games,” MLB Pipeline tweeted.
Jackson Holliday (@Orioles) delivers his 10th game this season with 3+ knocks.
MLB’s No. 1 prospect raises his Double-A @BowieBaysox slash line to .336/.421/.520 with 42 hits in 31 games: pic.twitter.com/RVuUmIErcE
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 30, 2023
That’s right: the best prospect in the game belongs to the Orioles.
What makes him an elite prospect is his incredible contact and on-base skills.
The Orioles placed him in Single-A, and he had a 226 wRC+ (100 is league-average performance, so yes, he excelled) there in 14 games.
That earned him a promotion to High-A, where he had a 162 wRC+ in 57 contests.
The organization sent him to the high-minors: Double-A.
There, he currently has a 155 wRC+ in 31 games.
Amazing.
His lowest batting average in the three stops was in High-A: .314; and his lowest OBP came in Double-A: .421.
The guy is a machine, and projects as a .300-average, .400-OBP star in the majors.
Oh, and he is only 19.
We could see him in MLB as early as 2024, and he will be a special player.
The post Top Orioles Prospect Already Looks MLB-Ready appeared first on The Cold Wire.