Question: Outside of the performance of Frederick, our three other minor league teams (not including the Complex League) are perfectly dismal in what appears to be all aspects of the game. Can any of this lack of performance be attributed to the type of players that the parent organization drafts or signs as undrafted players?
Could the scouting department be so entirely focused on fastball mph and batted ball exit velocity that they cannot stock these teams with sound baseball players who in all likelihood do not have an all-star pedigree?
This is why I find Nate George so refreshing as he doesn’t fit the top draft pick model. Unlike Vance Honeycutt, who despite glimpses probably will never be consistent enough to be a big league player.
My point is that outside of a few key prospects, our farm system has dried up. Any thoughts on why and how the player personnel department is not stocking it appropriately? From: Joe Rees
Answer: Joe, you’re correct that the minor league teams other than Frederick’s haven’t been playing well. The Keys have some good players the Orioles drafted last year.
Some other drafts haven’t been as strong. Nate George, who remains out with an illness, was drafted in 2024 when Honeycutt, who’s still at Frederick, was the No. 1 pick.
I think it’s an oversimplification to say that the Orioles are just drafting for exit velocity. Enrique Bradfield Jr., who’s not a power hitter at all, was their top pick in 2023. Some of their other picks that year were disappointments.
The Orioles haven’t drafted pitchers in early rounds, though two of the pitchers they drafted last year in the second round, Joseph Dzierwa, who’s now at Chesapeake, and JT Quinn at Frederick are doing well. Trey Gibson, who wasn’t drafted at all in 2023, is in the big leagues.
If the team had drafted better in 2023 and 2024, then I think Chesapeake and Norfolk would be doing better. As for Delmarva, many of their players are very young players from Latin America with little experience.
Many of Norfolk’s players are players with some major league experience who were signed as minor league free agents, and those signings are always tricky.
The key to better performing minor league clubs is to draft well.
Question: I realize that with such a cluster of closely performing AL teams still vying to win a playoff spot, which includes the Orioles, with a ways to go until August 3rd, but do you believe that it could prove wise and productive for Mike Elias to make every effort to adequately replace Tyler O’Neill and Ryan Helsley through trade, DFA or outright releases with the aim of landing superior quality production? From: Jean Roussy
Answer: Jean, I think if the Orioles are reasonably close to a playoff spot around the trade deadline, then Mike Elias will be aggressive in attempting to shore up the team.
I think the price would be high for right-handed hitting outfielders and closers, which you’ve identified as areas that need improvement, but I think those would be two areas they’d look to get better production from.
Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: [email protected]. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.