The future success of every Major League team lies in its Minor League system. With that in mind, each preseason, MLB.com takes a top-to-bottom look at all 30 organizations, from top prospects to recent draft picks. Hey, Orioles fans, here's some friendly advice just in case things don't go so well in Camden Yards this year. You have the benefit of having all of your Minor League affiliates basically within driving distance. Some are right around the corner. Now, in the past that news would seem as exciting as finding out there are a half-dozen root canal specialists in your area. But things are changing down on the farm. Truth be told, the upper levels still won't be great, though Double-A Bowie should be interesting with some players from the 2007 champion Frederick Keys moving up one level. But Frederick should once again be the place to be and it's just a stone's throw from Baltimore. On the Keys roster should be your 2007 first-round pick, Matt Wieters, and fifth-round pick Jake Arrieta, who could easily be prospects No. 1 and 2 in the organization. And they're just two of the many talented players who'll start the year with the Keys. That's not the only place there's talent. Particularly on the mound -- thanks in part to the offseason trades of Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard -- there's more depth in the system than there's been in a long, long time.
10 Spot
Ten prospects to watch out for in 2008:
Jake Arrieta, RHP Always looked at as a starter, the O's had him relieve in the AFL to ease him in, and he was better than anyone could have expected (16 IP, 0 runs, 16 Ks, .154 average against). That doesn't mean Baltimore is considering converting him to the bullpen. They want him to work on his changeup and the consistency of his slider. The last thing the Orioles want to do is rush him based on the small, albeit impressive, sample from the AFL, so he'll likely begin the year as a part of Frederick's rotation.
Pedro Beato, RHP
There certainly were things to be optimistic about. Beato can throw his fastball in the 93-96 mph range, an above-average slider and changeup. He's also got about a half-dozen other pitches and the Orioles have worked hard with him on perfecting his first three offerings. He's extremely confident in what he can do, but he's coachable and learned last year that the pro game is not going to be so easy if he's not prepared. They expect a hungry and ready pitcher in Minor League camp and he'll likely make the normal progression up to Frederick.
Brandon Erbe, RHP #ques_include {width:300px;float:right;margin-left:5px;} #ques_content {border-top:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;padding-left:5px;} .ques_schedule {margin-top:5px;font-size:11px;} .ques_dates {font-size:11px;font-style:italic;color:#999;} 
When he's going right, there's a lot to like about Erbe. He's got a fastball, slider and changeup, all of which he can command. Last year, when things weren't going well, he tried to fix it by trying to throw harder. All that did was make him lose command -- both within and outside of the strike zone -- of all three pitches. His fastball flattened out, his slider got too round and his changeup did nothing. He learned the hard way that throwing hard is not the answer when facing adversity, pitching is. He'll try to put that lesson to use back in Frederick for a second go-round.
Radhames Liz, RHP
For much of last year, Liz did extremely well spotting his changeup and commanding that fastball down. When he got to the big leagues, he kind of lost himself and struggled. There's always the temptation to make him a reliever, where he would excel in short stints and likely help the big-league club more immediately, but the Orioles are resisting that and will allow him to continue his development as a starter with Triple-A Norfolk.
Bob McCrory, RHP
McCrory's fastball, which he throws comfortably at 96-97 mph and can occasionally hit higher on the gun, may have more life than anyone's in the organization. The run on his fastball and a good slider are enough for him to have success in a short relief role. He does have a changeup, but it's clearly his third pitch. He needs to improve the consistency of both of his secondary pitches. Because he wouldn't be asked to close when he first gets to the bigs, the Orioles are trying to stretch him out so he's capable of going two or three innings at a time (thus the need for a usable changeup). He'll get to work on that as part of Norfolk's bullpen.
Nolan Reimold, OF
In 2006, Reimold had a back problem and plantar fascitis (foot) that allowed him to play in 119 games, much of it not at full strength. Last year, he played in only 59 total games thanks to an oblique injury before trying to make up for some lost time in the AFL. He hit well in 50 games in Bowie, with a .929 OPS. If he can stay healthy in 2008 -- a big goal for Reimold -- the O's think he'll start taking off. Because of his limited time there, he'll likely start the season in Bowie and go from there.
Billy Rowell, 3B
He's worked extremely hard at improving his defense at third, a position he had not played before turning pro. It doesn't come easily to him, but his footwork is better and he's always had plenty of arm strength. He'll continue to stay at third until he shows he can't handle it all as the Orioles hope they are molding a future middle-of-the-order run producer at the hot corner. He should make the next step up and play at Frederick this year.
Brandon Snyder, 1B/3B
There's no question the bat is Snyder's best tool, but he has made some improvements in the field. Primarily a first baseman, he started playing third in Hawaii, where he won the batting title with a .378 average. He'll get time at both positions this year -- his days of catching are pretty much over -- and he'll step up to Frederick in 2008.
Chris Tillman, RHP
The Orioles have been very impressed in the early going with how he carries himself in big-league camp, like he belongs and as a true professional. In the early stages, he's shown off his live arm and the ability to command the ball to both sides of the plate. His fastball and plus curve are his two best pitches and he's got feel for a changeup that should improve over time. It's too early for the O's to know where he's going to go since they are just getting acquainted, but Frederick is a good guess with a chance of a bump to Bowie to start things off.
Matt Wieters, C Oh, and he can play a little. Though he's wearing an Orioles uniform for the first time, he had a nice debut in Hawaii Winter Baseball that prepped him for his first season as a pro. The O's have been pleased with the progress he's made in his receiving skills, both while in Hawaii and since. He's certainly got plenty of arm for the position as he used to close games for his Georgia Tech teams. Offensively, he's got power from both sides of the plate to all fields, though he's better from the left side than the right. The organization isn't going to push him just because of external expectations, so look for him to start the year in Frederick and his play will dictate how quickly he moves up the ladder.
Under the Radar
Mike Costanzo, 3B/CHave power bat, will travel? Don't look at the fact that Costanzo got traded twice before you could say, well, Costanzo, during the offseason. He went from his hometown Phillies to the Astros just long enough to wear the Houston jersey in the Arizona Fall League, and then on to Baltimore in the Miguel Tejada trade. His true value comes in his bat and the power he can generate with it. He hit 27 homers, good for second in the Eastern League, in 2007 and he can mash to the opposite field as well. He swings and misses quite a bit, but he'll also draw some walks. The Orioles are converting him to catcher this spring in the hopes that he'll either become a super-utility player (C, 1B, 3B, OF) or an offensive-minded full-time backstop. Either way, it's his bat that will carry him to the big leagues.  Video: Costanzo on ATM Video: Costanzo hits two out for Reading
David Hernandez, RHP
Kam Mickolio, RHP
Chorye Spoone, RHP
2007 Draft Recap
The Orioles didn't have another pick after they took Wieters until the fourth round. They used it to take RHP Tim Bascom, who pitched for Delmarva and Frederick and finished with a 3.68 ERA over 73 1/3 innings. He even got in two innings of playoff work for the Keys. ... OF Matt Angle (7th round) came out of Ohio State and was a New York-Penn League All-Star after he hit .304 with a .421 OBP and stole 34 bases. ... 3B Tyler Kolodny (16th round) went to the Gulf Coast League and hit .318 over 43 games, good for eighth in the league. He also slugged .530, fifth-best in the GCL. ... RHP John Mariotti (18th round) had a 1.46 ERA and a .197 batting average against in 37 innings for Aberdeen. ... New York Tech isn't exactly known as a baseball factory, but OF Kraig Binick (27th round) did his alma mater proud by hitting .301 with a .396 OBP and 15 steals in 73 total games.
Predictions
Organizational Player of the Year: Matt Wieters
Organizational Pitcher of the Year: Chris Tillman
Team to watch: Frederick Keys
What kind of Angle is he working?
Quotable "There's been a steady progression of good athletes coming through our system. There's no doubt that pitching is our strength in the organization. We're building a team on pitching and defense, so it should be a strong point in the Minor Leagues. We've put greater importance on scouting and signing players in the Dominican Republic. We're moving into a new facility there and that should help. As a whole, the organization is in much better shape and moving in the right direction." -- David Stockstill, Orioles farm director, on the pitching depth in the system.
Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. | ||||||||||||||||
