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Baltimore Orioles Top Ten Prospects for 2017

By Benjamin Chase

Apr 6, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A general view of Baltimore Orioles glove and hat lays in the dugout against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 6, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A general view of Baltimore Orioles glove and hat lays in the dugout against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 6, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A general view of Baltimore Orioles glove and hat lays in the dugout against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

The Baltimore Orioles have had a rough reputation lately for their minor league system. Has that improved, and who are the best guys in the system now?

An Introduction

Our minor league top 10 series is coordinated by Benjamin Chase, one of our contributors at Call to the Pen.

He has pored over thousands of minor league games over the course of the year via milb.tv along with speaking with a number of team and independent scouts. These lists are based out of those conversations.

Each system will have prospects from 10 to 1, and then finish with one newcomer to the system that is worth keeping an eye on that is not in the top 10 at this time.

Conversations are certainly encouraged in the comments section on each system as we go along!

There are signs of life, but it will take more than one year to turn this around

Orioles System Review

For many years, the Orioles have been considered one of the 2-4 worst systems in the entire league. While they may not be in that rough of shape at this point, they are still a bottom 10 system for sure.

Certainly the 2016 draft was a major step for the Orioles. Three players from the draft class made the top ten, along with a newcomer as well. Beyond those four, there were a collection of players that scouts were very impressed with.

On top of that, there were a number of excellent steps forward in the system. In my minor league all-star team produced earlier this fall, I selected Yermin Mercedes as my starting catcher. Aderlin Rodriguez had a breakout year.

There are signs of life, but it will take more than one year to turn this around. Let’s take a look at this year’s top 10!

Next: #10

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