Orioles expect improvement from prospects Bradfield, Honeycutt in 2025

The Orioles have the third best minor league system in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. They had the best farm system in six straight rankings, but with so many top prospects graduating to the major leagues or used in trades, the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins moved ahead of the Orioles.

“Our goal is to win Major League Baseball games, not to have the No. 1 farm system forever,” Matt Blood, vice president, player development and Domestic Scouting, said this week at the Winter Meetings in Dallas. “We always want to develop good players as best we can. Ultimately, our job is to support the major league team. That’s what you’re seeing come to fruition at the major league level.

“We had the best farm system, and now you’re starting to see that help the major league team win. We prefer that. We still have great players, and we have great coaches, and we’re going to keep doing our best to keep making really good major league players.”

Blood is in charge of the draft, and the Orioles’ top four picks in 2024 are among the leading prospects: outfielder Vance Honeycutt (1^st round, rated third); shortstop Griff O’Ferrall (32^nd overall pick, 7th-leading prospect); catcher Ethan Anderson (2nd round, 12th-leading prospect); and outfielder Austin Overn (3rd round, 16^th-leading prospect).

“I don’t think the strategy changes ever,” Blood said. “You have a time to make the best pick, and you want to make the best pick you possibly can ever single pick. Every pick is valuable. Players come from everywhere. Our job is to make the best bet we can, and whether that’s the first pick or whatever round, every pick we’re trying to make the best pick.”

Since 2022, the draft has taken place around the All-Star Game. There’s a short window to sign players, and their first professional seasons are shorter. The Florida Complex League season ends in late July, and drafted players now begin their careers at Single-A Delmarva.

Honeycutt, who was the 22^nd overall pick, had just 51 at-bats at Delmarva and High-A Aberdeen. He hit .226 in eight games for the Shorebirds and was just 2-for-20 with 11 strikeouts for the IronBirds.

“Vance is a premier athlete,” Blood said. “It was a very small sample that we got to see, but what we got to see is who he is as a person, work ethic and athleticism, and then once the season was over, when he came down and was training with us in Florida for a while. That was really valuable time for us.

“A little dip your toe into the water in the season, it was do your normal thing, and then when you come work with us, and we’re going to get dirty. I think he really appreciated that and has really helped at making himself better and better. Next season, we’re excited to see where he’s at.”

A year before Honeycutt was taken, Enrique Bradfield Jr. was the Orioles’ first-round pick. In his first full professional season, he began at Aberdeen before moving up to Double-A Bowie. Bradfield combined to hit .272 with four home runs, 35 RBIs and a .729 OPS. He stole 74 bases in 87 attempts.

“I think we knew when we drafted him it was going to take some time, and that was OK,” Blood said. “To his credit, he knew that, too. He’s working very hard to do the things that were asked of him, and you really started to see … halfway through the season and later in the season, some of the benefits of the work he’s put in. He has the ability to impact the game in a lot of different ways. He’s an exciting player.”

Blood joined the team in September 2019, oversaw the Orioles’ ascension in the minor league rankings and was promoted to his new role in November 2023 when Brad Ciolek left to join the Washington Nationals.

Anthony Villa, who took over Blood’s role as director of player development, saw his organization win the first award for sportsmanship.

“It’s a compliment to our staff,” Villa said. “They bought into exemplifying good behavior and making sure the focus is on the players.”

“From top to bottom throughout the season, the Orioles’ organization stood out for their professionalism on the field and the respect shown to umpires, opponents, and fans,” said Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president of on-field operations. “We appreciate their efforts and are pleased to recognize them with this well-deserved honor.”

Buck Britton, who managed Triple-A Norfolk for the past three seasons, was promoted to major league coach for the Orioles. He’s been replaced by Tim Federowicz, who managed Tacoma for Seattle in 2022 and Toledo for Detroit in 2024.

Federowicz, who played 163 major league games as a catcher for six teams from 2011-2019, served as the Tigers’ catching coach in 2023. He played 17 games for the Chicago Cubs in 2016 when Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was the team’s first base coach.

“Bringing in major league experience in the coaching and playing front, he’s a great baseball mind,” Villa said. “We’re very excited to continue to bring in talented people in the organization.”

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