O's revamped arm talent flourishing in upper levels of Minors

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The last time the Orioles took a pitcher in the first round was in 2018, when a different front office selected high school right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. In the seven Drafts since Mike Elias took the helm in Baltimore, all 16 of the team’s selections in the top 50 picks have been used on hitters. Expand it out to top 100 selections, and only five of those 33 were used on arms.

So naturally talk during the visit to Orioles camp turned to … pitching.

That’s because even though the very top of the Orioles’ Top 30 list is still populated with hitters, there are now 10 arms among the top 20 prospects. The 14 pitchers on Baltimore’s Top 30 are the most since 2020. By Orioles standards, it’s a pitching renaissance.

“If you follow our Draft classes, it is pretty hitter heavy at the top,” Orioles farm director Anthony Villa said. “They’ve done a really nice job of growing these arms into these really competitive, projectable future Major Leaguers.”

Villa was referring specifically to the group of arms drafted three years ago. While Enrique Bradfield Jr. was the headliner as the first-rounder, and the O’s went college bat in the second round as well with Mac Horvath, they started targeting more pitching in the later rounds and beyond. Four hurlers from that class are in the top 15 of the list and are knocking on the big league door.

Trey Gibson, the No. 5 prospect in the system, Nestor German (No. 12) and Levi Wells (No. 15) all saw considerable time in big league camp this spring, compiling a total of 22 innings after a 2025 season where the the trio made a combined 62 starts at the upper levels of the Orioles' system. Wells was a fourth-round pick in the 2023 Draft, German went in Round 11 and Gibson was a non-drafted free agent who signed in August of that year. This group would likely be creating even more buzz if eighth-rounder Braxton Bragg was on the scene, but he’s rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and will miss the 2026 season. And 14th-rounder Michael Forret was used in the trade with the Rays to bring in a big league starter, Shane Baz.

The Orioles have sought to augment the pitching coffers with all of the levers of player acquisition. Last year’s Draft class was an outlier for them. The Orioles had seven picks in the top 100 and actually used two on arms: second-round lefty Joseph Dzierwa and right-hander JT Quinn, taken in Competitive Balance Round B. They added some upside on the mound via trade, getting lefty Boston Bateman and righty Tyson Neighbors from the Padres in the Ryan O’Hearn-Ramon Laureano deal at last year’s Trade Deadline. Seeing Bateman and Dzierwa, both 6-foot-8 southpaws, both pitch in the same back-field game was a highlight of this camp visit.

“That 2023 Draft class has produced a lot of really intriguing pitchers,” Villa said. “And this past Draft we bolstered our depth, then we acquired Boston Bateman and Tyson Neighbors at the Trade Deadline. It’s been really cool to see what pitching development has taken on here.

“We’re always looking to take the best player available [in the Draft] and it’s turned out that a lot of bats have been made available to us. It’s been pretty awesome to see the pitchers we are acquiring through a variety of methods. We think our pitching group [led by director of pitching development Forrest Herrmann] here is extremely talented in how they’re squeezing the most juice out of their development.”

Yet another arm

We haven’t even discussed the biggest success from the international market, Luis De León, the lefty now No. 4 on the Top 30. Signed for just $30,000 back in December 2021, De León took a big step forward last year, was one of the best pitchers in the Arizona Fall League and showed well in big league camp.

“He has a really good head on his shoulders, he works hard, works smart,” Villa said. “It’s been awesome to have him around and continue to grow and develop. Kudos to him for being able to handle these big moments. Being a young kid who got promoted to Double-A last year and emotionally, he just seemed so calm and went out and mowed guys down.”

The next bat at the top

There might not be another young hitter in any system who made more of a leap on the scene than outfielder Nate George. He went from little-known 16th-round pick from the 2024 Draft class to Top 100 prospect, now at No. 93 overall, in a year. No one, even those high on him in the front office, not even George himself, could have imagined that he’d go from the Florida Complex League all the way to High-A Aberdeen in his first full season of pro ball.

“Of course any time a player climbs three levels, you’re pleasantly surprised,” Villa said. “He took his licks early on in High-A, but battled and continued to improve. The quick problem-solver that he is was really impressive.”

With Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers set to graduate from prospect status, George is the heir apparent to top the system this season. And as impressive as his debut year was, he’s still only 19 and is just scratching the surface of his potential. He’s been working this spring on things like finding more impact at the plate.

“He’s still a young player with an extremely high ceiling, so there’s still a lot ahead for him to improve on,” Villa said. “Quality of contact can always continue to improve. At times, he outran the levels he was playing at. You know, balls in play, he’s so fast he’s able to turn them into hits, so continuing to improve hitting line drives to all parts of the field. It’s a skill he’s been actively working on and continues to show good promise.”

Camp standout: Aron Estrada

Wherever Estrada goes, he hits, carrying a career .293 average and .380 on-base percentage into the 2026 season. Last year, he got nudged up to Double-A and posted an OPS of .855 in 27 games there. There’s little question at this point about his ability to swing the bat from both sides of the plate.

“You go talk to him after a live BP or game and you ask, ‘How’d it go, bro?’ and he’s smirking because he’s like, ‘Oh, you know, I had four barrels,’” Villa said. “He has a pretty special hit tool and to see him put that to the test over at Major League camp, you’re always a little hesitant, how is it going to hold up against better pitching. But it was a great big league camp for him to get that experience.”

Estrada's bat standing out is no surprise. What’s been really encouraging is to see him on the other side of the ball. The 21-year old has played all over the diamond, with most of his time at second base. That’s the spot he’d most likely play should he settle in at one spot, and he’s been focusing on making that happen this spring.

“He continues to make really good improvements, especially defensively,” Villa said. “He’s really pouring his attention to detail into his second base defense.”

Something to prove: Vance Honeycutt

To say that Honeycutt, the Orioles’ first-round pick in 2024, struggled in his first full season of pro ball, would be an understatement. The toolsy outfielder finished his season with Aberdeen with a .171 average, a .559 OPS and a strikeout rate north of 40 percent. He did still steal 32 bases and plays good outfield defense, but the swing-and-miss was alarming.

Honeycutt created some buzz in Grapefruit League games this spring with four homers in four at-bats when he got called over to fill in. He’s gone 5-for-9 overall in those opportunities, with just one strikeout, and there’s reason for some hope beyond the long balls.

“He has had at-bats where he hasn’t homered, and they’ve been really solid at-bats as well, with more hard contact, grinding deep into counts, he’s much more comfortable in the box,” Villa said. “We’re really optimistic about him. He takes feedback really well and we’re excited for the season up ahead. He’s such a tremendous athlete that the moment it clicks he goes into the category of being an elite player.”