When the Orioles formally introduce Jared Banner as their general manager on Tuesday, there are certain to be questions about how he and president of baseball operations Mike Elias will divide areas of responsibilities.
The team’s announcement last week read: “Banner will lead the organization’s player development, coaching and performance efforts, while also partnering with Elias on strategy, staffing, and talent acquisition, among other duties.”
Since the Orioles had two straight losing seasons, their player development efforts have been questioned, and Banner is certain to have plenty of ideas.
In 2022 and 2023, he headed up the Chicago Cubs’ player development department.
The Orioles’ minor league system was ranked at the top of the game as they accumulated prospects, and as late as the middle of the 2024 season, their last winning one, they ranked No. 3 in the MLB Pipeline rankings.
With their recent draft and the trades of Dean Kremer, Adley Rutschman and Tyler Wells, plus some deadline acquisitions in 2025, the Orioles have accumulated three players ranked among their top 10 prospects and eight in their top 30.
Overall, MLB.com ranks their farm system seventh, an impressive rise from their preseason rank of 13th. Others rank it higher. FanGraphs has the Orioles second, behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers.
ESPN.com has the Orioles tied with the Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays for second, behind only the Milwaukee Brewers, and Baseball America ranks the Orioles fifth.
While it’s conventional wisdom that it’s hard to have a top farm system and a winning major league team, the Dodgers, Brewers and Rays are consistently ranked among top major league teams.
Of MLB Pipeline’s top 30 prospects, 17 were drafted by the Orioles, eight were added in trades, four were international signees and one, Trey Gibson, was bypassed in the 2023 draft and signed.
Gibson (17th round) and left-hander Luis De León (8), an international signee in 2021, have already pitched for the Orioles but still qualify for rookie status.
Four of the eight players acquired in trades came from Boston in the Rutschman deal — Right-hander Anthony Eyanson (2), outfielder Enddy Azocar (6), right-hander Kyson Witherspoon (12) and outfielder Harold Rivas (25).
Outfielder Jhomnardo Reyes (24) was acquired from Minnesota in the trade that sent Kremer to the Twins.
Right-hander Michael Forret (10) was originally an Orioles draft choice, but he was sent to Tampa Bay as part of the package for right-hander Shane Baz. Forret was returned to the Orioles after they sent Wells to the Rays.
Left-hander Boston Bateman (11) was one of six players that San Diego traded to the Orioles in July 2025 for first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramón Laureano.
Another July 2025 acquisition was shortstop Wilfri De La Cruz (30). He came in the trade that moved right-handed reliever Andrew Kittredge to the Chicago Cubs.
Besides De León, the other top international prospects are infielder/outfielder Aron Estrada (13), who signed with the team in 2022; and right-handers Andri Hidalgo (20), signed earlier this year; and Esteban Mejia (27).
Estrada, who hit 25 home runs and drove in 81 runs at Double-A Chesapeake and Triple-A Norfolk is expected to be added to the Orioles’ 40-man roster next month.
The 17-year-old Hidalgo allowed a run on five hits, striking out 11 and walking five in 5 1/3 innings in four brief starts in the Dominican Summer League.
Mejia, who signed in 2024, fell from seventh a year ago after an awful 2026 season at Single-A Delmarva when he went 0-9 with a 9.83 ERA. He walked 70 and struck out 59 in 52 1/3 innings.
Eric Booth Jr., the Orioles’ top pick in the 2026 draft and seventh overall, is their No. 1 prospect. Booth hit .284 in 18 games for Delmarva.
Left-handers Joseph Dzierwa, named the organization’s top pitcher in 2026, and Caden Hunter are the third and fourth top prospects. Like Eyanson, they ended the season at Chesapeake.
First baseman/outfielder Ike Irish, the No. 5 prospect, is in the Arizona Fall League.
Last year’s organizational position player of the year, outfielder Nate George, was sidelined by a medical issue after 20 games. He’s the No. 7 prospect.
Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, the top minor league player this year, is the ninth-ranked prospect.
Right-hander JT Quinn, who along with Eyanson, Dzierwa and Hunter finished the season with the Baysox, is No. 14.
Outfielder Ty Head (15), catcher/first baseman Ethan Anderson (16), outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. (17), utility player Jaiden Lo Re (19), right-handers Nestor German (21), Braxton Bragg (22) and Levi Wells (23), utility player DJ Layton (26), catcher/first baseman Creed Willems (28) and outfielder Kevin Roberts Jr. (29) are the other drafted players in the top 30.
Head was the Orioles’ second-round pick this year. Anderson finished the season with Norfolk. Bradfield, the No. 1 pick in 2023, was the No. 3 prospect a year ago.
Lo Re was drafted in the fifth round in 2025 while German, Bragg and Wells were taken in 2023. Layton was a 2025 draftee. Willems was with Norfolk this season, and Roberts was the Orioles’ fourth-round pick this year but didn’t play.
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