Pair of 6-foot-8 Orioles prospects show massive potential on mound
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The Orioles have been known for their hitting prospects in recent years, but a couple of recent acquisitions are showing the fruits of the club's pitching development as well.
Southpaws Joseph Dzierwa and Boston Bateman each tossed five scoreless innings on Tuesday in wins for Double-A Chesapeake (11-4 over Altoona at Peoples Natural Gas Field) and High-A Frederick (3-0 over Brooklyn at Maimonides Park), respectively.
The hurlers have been big additions for the Orioles -- not only because they both stand tall at 6-foot-8. When the O's drafted Dzierwa 58th overall last July out of Michigan State, he became the club's highest-drafted pitcher since general manager Mike Elias took over in November 2018. Then, 18 days later, Baltimore acquired Bateman (the 52nd overall pick in 2024) as the highest-ranked prospect in an eight-player trade with San Diego.
Off to strong starts this year, Dzierwa (Orioles No. 12 prospect) and Bateman (No. 9) are likely to see their rankings rise later this season, and their scoreless starts are another example of what they're capable of.
Dzierwa makes hitters uncomfortable at the plate with a low release point that creates deception and odd angles. Listed at 200 pounds, he stood out for his command and fastball-changeup combination in college, but his low-80s slider has missed a ton of bats this season while doubling its usage to 17 percent.
The 22-year-old struck out six Tuesday -- all on his fastball that touched 96 mph -- while giving up four hits, one walk and one hit by pitch. He's punched out at least six batters in eight of his 12 starts, culminating in 79 K's (second-most in the Minors) and a 2.31 ERA across 62 1/3 innings. Dzierwa has issued multiple walks in a start just twice all season.
Bateman, meanwhile, has 40 pounds on his org mate -- he has the nickname "Sasquatch" because his high school coach said he looked like a baby Bigfoot -- and has the velocity to match. The 20-year-old's fastball has ticked up to 95.4 mph this season and has almost touched triple digits.
Even with the added velocity, though, Bateman has leaned more on his slider and changeup this season, which have picked up more chases and whiffs. The former, his best secondary pitch, looked especially sharp on Tuesday as he struck out seven and gave up just two hits.
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The son of a pro offensive lineman is up to 59 strikeouts with a 3.38 ERA in 45 1/3 innings this season, and he's coming off winning Orioles Minor League Pitcher of the Month honors in May. Although his 22 walks have been an issue, his zero free passes Tuesday were especially notable.
The Orioles have already received some pitching reinforcements this season, with the club's No. 4 prospect, Trey Gibson, making his Major League debut. Dzierwa has already made the move up from High-A to Double-A and has the profile that could move quickly in this farm system. Bateman is still about two years away from The Show, but a promotion soon isn't out of the question.
At minimum, these two massive lefties give the Orioles plenty to look forward to.