Basallo heads Orioles’ top 30 prospect list

SARASOTA—This week, MLB.com unveiled its list of Orioles’ top 30 prospects. There’s still the same top five but in a different order.

Catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo, the 6-foot-4, 20-year-old who has impressed the Orioles his spring, has moved past corner infielder Coby Mayo into first place. Basallo is the 13^th-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline’s top 100. Mayo, who was 4-for-41 (.098) in his first major league audition, is 14^th.

Outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr., a 23-year-old who was reassigned to minor league camp on Sunday and was the Orioles’ top draft choice in 2023, has moved up from fourth to third.

Right-hander Chayce McDermott, a 26-year old who has yet to pitch this spring because of a right teres/lat sprain, has moved up from fifth to fourth. Outfielder Vance Honeycutt, a 21-year-old who was last year’s first-round draft pick, is the fifth-ranked prospect, down from third.

The rest of the top 10 is outfielder Dylan Beavers (age 23), shortstop Griff O’Ferrall (22), and right-handers Michael Forret (20), Keeler Morfe (18), and Patrick Reilly (23).

Beavers was also reassigned to minor league camp on Sunday. O’Ferrall was the Orioles’ second pick and the 32^nd overall selection in July’s draft. Forrett was the Orioles’ 14^th-round pick in 2023 and was 6-8 with a 5.06 ERA in 26 games for High-A Aberdeen and Single-A Delmarva in 2024.

Morfe, a Venezuelan right-hander, is just 5 feet 8, and throws over 100 mph. After an 0.82 ERA in seven starts, Morfe had four starts for Delmarva with a 6.75 ERA.

Reilly, a fifth-round pick of Pittsburgh in 2023, was acquired last July in exchange for outfielder Billy Cook. He allowed just 21 hits in 31 1/3 innings for Double-A Bowie, striking out 38 and walking 18. Reilly had a 1-1 record and 3.73 ERA in eight games, six starts.

New to the top 30 is right-hander Nestor German, a 23-year-old who was 3-3 with a 1.59 ERA in 21 games. The 11^th round 2023 draft choice struck out 90 batters and walked just 17 in 73 2/3 innings. German gave up just two home runs in his first season of professional baseball.

Catcher/first baseman Creed Willems, a 21-year-old who has often been used as an extra player imported from minor league camp, is the 12^th highest-ranked prospect.

There are 11 international players in the top 30. Besides Basallo and Morfe, there’s outfielder Stiven Martinez (13^th), left-handed pitcher Luis De León (14^th), infielder Aron Estrada (16^th), shortstop/second baseman Leandro Arias (20^th), third baseman Joshua Liranzo (21^st), outfielder Thomas Sosa (22^nd), outfielder Jordan Sanchez (25^th), shortstop/third baseman Elvin Garcia (26^th) and shortstop Emilio Sanchez (27^th).

Others on the top 30 include right-handers Trey Gibson (15^th) and Cameron Weston (17^th), catcher/first baseman Ethan Anderson (18^th), who was the Orioles’ second-round pick in 2024 and right-hander Brandon Young (19^th).

Young, who was the Orioles’ minor league pitcher of the year in 2024, remains in major league camp.

Outfielder Jud Fabian, a 24-year-old who also was sent to minor league camp after a week of Grapefruit League games, is 23^rd. Right-handers Trace Bright (24^th) and Alex Pham (28th), outfielder Austin Overn (29^th) and shortstop DJ Layton (30^th) round out the list.

Bright was 0-11 with a  4.18 ERA for Bowie last year. Pham, who pitched in an early Grapefruit League game, was 7-4 with a 4.24 ERA for the Baysox last year.

Overn was the Orioles’ third-round pick and Layton the sixth-round pick in 2024.

Many of these prospects will be featured in the Spring Breakout game on March 15^th. Orioles prospects face those of the New York Yankees at 6:05 p.m. at Ed Smith Stadium.

In last year’s first Spring Breakout game, Bradfield got the only hit for Orioles prospects in their 3-1 loss to the Pirates prospects in Bradenton. Paul Skenes, the eventual National League Rookie of the Year started against Cade Povich.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.