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Baltimore Orioles Trade Deadline Preview

By Benno Martens

Jun 9, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis (19) hits a run scoring fly out against Toronto Blue Jays in the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. The Orioles won 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 9, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis (19) hits a run scoring fly out against Toronto Blue Jays in the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. The Orioles won 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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Prospects Not For Sale

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Baltimore routinely ranks among the five or so worst farm systems in baseball, and while the cupboard isn’t totally bare, there is also not a lot for the club to work with when it comes to dealing for a starting pitcher.

Among the organization’s top thirty minor leaguers at MLB Pipeline, a few are likely off the table. This includes top prospect Hunter Harvey, third-ranked Chance Cisco, sixth-ranked Ryan Mountcastle, and No. 7 Chris Lee.

Harvey, a right-handed pitcher and the son of former big league closer Bryan Harvey, was the Orioles’ first round pick in the 2013 MLB draft. His trade value would be essentially zero even if he were available, though, as he hasn’t pitched in an affiliated game since July 2014 thanks to a string of injuries that have included elbow soreness, a fractured leg, and, most recently, sports hernia surgery.

Cisco is a catcher, and with Wieters heading to free agency, is not someone the organization can afford to deal, while Mountcastle is a 19-year old shortstop with projectable power who is currently in A-ball and does not project to be big league ready until at least 2019.

Lee is the top left-handed pitching prospect in the organization, currently playing at Double-A Bowie in the Eastern League, and projects as a starter, though he could also be used as a matchup lefty out of the bullpen.

Next: So who could be available?

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