Baltimore Orioles: 2018 Minor League Awards
Baltimore Orioles Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Zac Lowther
Level(s): low-A Delmarva, high-A Frederick
Stats: 8-4, 23 G, 22 GS, 123 2/3 IP, 2.18 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 35/151 BB/K
The performance of Zac Lowther this season was not only the top performance in the Baltimore Orioles farm system on the mound, it was also a great example of how the Orioles system has changed in its development. Lowther may not have a future as an ace starter, but if he continues progressing the way he did in 2018, he will make a major league rotation, and that was not something many saw for him coming out of college at Xavier as a 2nd round pick in 2017.
Lowther’s not got a blazing fastball, and the slight hitch in his delivery before he releases the ball is a big reason for his success, throwing off hitters’ timing. He has made significant strides in his pitching ability, however, learning how to work from his fastball and change, using fringe-plus control to then work his plus curve into the effect.
In 2018, Lowther exemplified the Orioles development model in his focus on commanding his pitches. Even if he ended up getting a “ball” call at times, he was aiming to hit his catcher’s mitt with each pitch, and the results spoke loudly all season.
Lowther will get his chance at the upper levels in 2019, and he might find the sledding tougher there, but his impressive performance so far should give him good confidence to stick to his coaching to find further success.
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Runners-up
Numerous starters had very solid seasons working in Baltimore’s focus on command and control, but one of the guys who simply blew guys away was reliever Tyler Erwin. The lefty reliever was taken out of New Mexico State in the 23rd round in 2016, and he’s moved up one step at a time, spending all of 2018 at high-A Frederick, where he tossed 68 1/3 innings in 50 games with a 1.58 ERA and a 23/84 BB/K ratio, saving 18 games. Quite a few around the O’s system were discussing Erwin as a guy that could have potential back-end future, and on a team that has recently utilized lefty Zach Britton as a closer, that could be a future final role for Erwin.
The top selection for the club in the 2017 draft, lefty DL Hall took to the work the club was doing on commanding the ball and saw huge growth. Known in his amateur days for his elite curve, honing the command of his hook allowed Hall to post a 2.10 ERA over 94 1/3 innings as a teenager, striking out 100.
Similar to Lowther, Keegan Akin was a 2nd round pick and moved quickly based on excellent work in his command and control. Akin had his first year in the upper minors in 2018, and posted a 3.27 ERA and struck out 142 over 137 2/3 AA innings. He is a back-end starter in profile, but if he can be consistent in his control and command from the left side in the same way as 2018, he will be a guy who spends a long time in that role, working from the left side.
A big righty from Minnesota, Michael Baumann found his way to college in Jacksoville, Florida before being picked in the 3rd round by the Orioles in 2017. He’s been a revelation, showing up with much more raw stuff than he showed for Jacksonville, holding his mid-90s fastball deep into games, with multiple games with a 97-98 deep into the start. Baumann’s slider was a fringe-plus pitch when he was drafted, but his ability to manipulate his curve and change and get them both to the point of at least average, if not above-average, has given him the chance to really make a big splash.
Bauman struggled with consistency in his delivery in the second half of the season, and while he still was able to find success, his walk rate was significantly higher. Being able to pitch to a low-walk, heavy-groundball approach with his developing 3rd and 4th pitch could give the Orioles a reliable #3 with the potential to pitch his way to a #2 role after posting a 3.17 ERA between both A-ball levels over 130 2/3 innings, striking out 106.
Next. Potential Adam Jones destinations. dark
So, while the Baltimore Orioles may not have had a great season at the big league level, there were definite positives in the minor leagues for O’s fans to get excited about!