Orioles Prospect Primer: Sisco's star rising

Some players are on the verge of stardom, others are entering a crucial phase of their development and still others are getting their first tastes of full-season ball. With the 2015 season approaching, MiLB.com takes a look at the most intriguing prospects from each MLB organization.

Shining star: Chance Sisco, C

The first half of Sisco's first full season went remarkably well. In his first 48 games with Class A Delmarva, he batted .310 and picked up 16 extra-base hits. The Orioles were ecstatic.

Expectations were that it would be tough for Sisco to keep that up, however. The teenager was converted from shortstop to catching late in high school, and last season was his first full one behind the dish. The Orioles planned to rest him with time at designated hitter and on the bench, but even they figured the 2013 second-rounder would tail off in the second half. That's often what happens to high school Draft picks, even if they aren't starting catchers.

Instead, Sisco kept getting better. In 66 second-half games, the then-19-year-old batted .361 with 18 extra-base hits.

"It's just one of those things where I think as he got close to getting to the leaderboard up there, it gave him incentive and everything," Delmarva manager Ryan Minor said. "His focus is really good. He took everything we worked on to the games with him, and it worked."

Sisco played 114 games with Delmarva and caught in 74 of those, meaning he was only asked to backstop a little more than half the time. Fresno State product Austin Wynns caught most of the other games and helped mentor Sisco. Wynns supplemented work done by catching coordinator Don Werner and Delmarva coach Shawn McGill. The numbers weren't great (16 passed balls, 20 percent caught-stealing rate), but reviews internally and from the industry were promising regarding Sisco's defensive progress.

"From day one to the end of the year, he was night and day," Minor said. "He came in looking a little raw, but our guys worked with him and did everything, and he was approachable about putting the work in and doing everything he had to do to make sure that he improved behind the plate."

Sisco will head to Class A Advanced Frederick this spring, and Baltimore expects his workload will tick up, although probably not by a huge amount. The bat is clearly developing in the right direction for Sisco to shine behind the dish. If the defense follows, the O's could have a budding superstar pushing incumbent Matt Wieters in a couple years.

Back and healthy: Dylan Bundy, RHP

The Bundy who rolled through Aberdeen and Frederick last year wasn't the same one who rocketed from Class A to the Majors in 2012. The fastball velocity was down, the command wasn't as sharp, the results were fairly pedestrian.

That was disappointing but not totally unexpected as Bundy was returning from Tommy John surgery in 2013. Now, after taking the offseason to regain more strength, he's inching ever closer to his 2012 form. His fastball hit 95 in a Grapefruit League game this spring, and Baltimore is encouraged by how he's controlling his repertoire.

Don't expect Bundy to get a full workload this season, but the 2011 first-rounder (fourth overall) is healthy and ticketed for Double-A Bowie. He logged 41 1/3 innings in 2014, putting him in position for a heavier assignment. The Orioles did "extensive research" on Tommy John patients and how they've recovered, according to director of player development Brian Graham, and have decided 100 innings is an appropriate target for Bundy.

Most of those innings should come in Bowie. Bundy made only three starts with the Baysox in 2012 en route to the Majors, so 2015 will give him his first significant look at the Eastern League.

With his velocity back up, the biggest hurdle left is for Bundy to regain his command.

"Command of the ball, of the breaking ball," Graham said. "With Dylan's situation, time will help him get to where he needs to be."

Full-season debutant: Jomar Reyes, 3B

The Orioles signed Reyes for $350,000 last February, knowing the then-6-foot-3 teenager might still do some growing. Now, Reyes checks in around 6-foot-5 and may not be done sprouting.

That extra reach leaves him a tough task to remain at third base long-term, but it also ups his power potential as a right-handed hitter at a time when teams are scrambling to find big right-handed power bats.

Reyes spent last season in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League as a 17-year-old, hitting .285 with four homers in 53 games. The usual progression would have him back in extended spring training before a June trip to Class A Short Season Aberdeen, but Reyes likely has hit his way into a full-season role. Graham said the promotion might not come on Opening Day, but Minor expects the 18-year-old will be in Delmarva at some point this season, probably sooner rather than later.

"He's one of those guys, you can't teach the raw power and the ability to put the barrel on the ball," Minor said. "He did a pretty good job of that last year, from what I understand, and in camp this year. He's got a pretty good chance to develop even better."

Breakout prospect: Travis Seabrooke, LHP

Seabrooke was a 2013 fifth-round pick out of Ontario. The southpaw was a classic projection gamble by Baltimore. He was a lanky 6-foot-6 with room to add strength. He was from Canada, so his arm hadn't logged as many miles as others in the Draft. He also was among the youngest players in his Draft class.

This time last year, the Orioles were wondering if they'd struck gold. Seabrooke showed up to Spring Training in 2014 in great shape and impressed with how his stuff had developed. Last season was shaping up to be a breakout one.

Then he tore his ACL in May and never saw game action.

So the hope is Seabrooke can leap onto the prospect scene in 2015. He's been training and throwing at the team's complex in Sarasota, Florida, since December and has made steady progress. Now 19, he's fighting to break camp in the Delmarva rotation. Ranked 27th in the Orioles' system, he has the upside to rocket up the list in the coming year.

"He rehabbed really hard and got himself back," Graham said. "He's gotten bigger and stronger. He looks good at this point. He's back 100 percent and throwing great."

Loudest tool: Dariel Alvarez, arm

The Orioles gave the 26-year-old Cuban $800,000 to sign in 2013 and let him split last season between Double-A and Triple-A. The center fielder's standout tool undoubtedly is his arm, which he used to rack up 14 outfield assists last season.

He has more going for him than that, though. The right-handed hitter makes a ton of contact, striking out in fewer than 10 percent of his plate appearances at Double-A and hitting .306 in 135 Minor League games last year.

This year, he'll likely return to Triple-A and wait for an opportunity to open -- he was reassigned to Minor League camp on Sunday. Expect Alvarez to debut at some point this season, though, depending on when space opens in the O's outfield.

"He had a tremendous learning year offensively, defensively and baserunning," Graham said. "He does a lot of things really well. He throws extremely well. He's a good defensive outfielder. Obviously, offensively, he's a good player. He can hit with two strikes well. The guy is a pretty good player."

More to keep an eye on: It's most likely that Hunter Harvey starts the year with Class A Advanced Frederick, but the 20-year-old right-hander has a chance to move quickly and is a solid candidate to reach at least Double-A this season. He faces questions about his health after being shut down last year with tightness in the flexor mass of his right elbow. The Orioles think concerns are unwarranted, with Graham characterizing the move as "being cautious," going out of his way to clarify that there was "no injury, per se, just tightness." ... The Orioles fully expected Pat Connaughton to report for baseball duty at some point, but the right-hander told Boston radio station WEEI that he plans to explore a basketball career this summer before committing to baseball. Connaughton was a member of the Notre Dame team that lost in the Elite Eight over the weekend. He's received some NBA draft buzz following a stellar senior season. Baltimore signed him for $428,100 as a fourth-round pick in the 2014 Draft.

Branden Kline has generated buzz this spring following a solid but unspectacular 2014 season spent mostly with Frederick. Reports have Kline's fastball ticking up to 98 mph. ... One sleeper who may still be a year or two away from a breakout is catcher Jonah Heim. The O's No. 18 prospect hit .196 between the GCL and New York-Penn League last year but gets rave reviews for his defense and has some offensive projection. "I love Jonah Heim," Graham said. "He does a lot of things very special for a 19-year-old. He can catch, block, throw. He really receives well. He has a really good swing from both sides of the plate. It's a matter of him getting stronger and the bat speed catching up from the strength."