LHP John Means

2018 Opening Day Age: 24

2017 Team: Bowie

2017 Stats: 9-9, 4.11 ERA, 142 1/3 innings

Baseball Reference Page

As we continue the list of pitchers who could help the Orioles at some point in 2018 – but probably not on Opening Day – we turn toward the 2014 11th-round selection. In 26 games (24 starts) for the Baysox last season, Means proved to be fairly inconsistent. He earned the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Month award after going 1-1 with a 1.40 ERA in five April starts. However, Means struggled over the next two months (3-6, 6.66 ERA) before recovering to go 4-0 with a 2.39 ERA in six games in July. He finished second in the Eastern League with 124 strikeouts in 142 1/3 innings. Means also went 4-8 with a 4.69 ERA in 18 starts for Bowie in 2016, so he’s not overpowering. He’ll need more work in the minors before the Orioles consider him for the rotation. Plus, another club could take a shot on Means in December’s Rule 5 draft if it thinks he could survive in the majors for all of 2018. The bottom line is lefties get longer leashes, but he may not have the stuff to be a regular, big-league starter.

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