Adley, O's top prospects ready at minicamp
Zachary Silver
@zachsilverThe future of Orioles baseball is about to become a whole lot closer.
Baltimore on Friday announced that it is holding a minicamp for a score of its top positional prospects at the O’s Spring Training facilities in Sarasota, Fla., that will run through Tuesday. Among the group is Adley Rutschman, the consensus top prospect in baseball, along with first-round picks Colton Cowser (O’s No. 5 prospect) and Heston Kjerstad (No. 7), surging prospect Gunnar Henderson (No. 4) and recently signed international free agent César Prieto.
Running the camp will be a group who hopes to coach this young talent firsthand in Baltimore sooner than later: manager Brandon Hyde and big league coaches Tim Cossins, Tony Mansolino and Anthony Sanders, as well as Minor League manager Buck Britton.
Rounding out the group of players is infielder Patrick Dorrian, outfielder Robert Neustrom, outfielder Kyle Stowers (No. 11) and shortstop Jordan Westburg (No. 6).
It will be a chance for all to show the Orioles’ brass the steps they’ve taken and continue their development in a communal setting ahead of the 2022 season. For Rutschman, it could be one of the last times he does so as a Minor Leaguer, with a big league callup expected at some point this season.
For others, though, attending minicamp provides other wholly positive opportunities. Kjerstad, working back from a bout with myocarditis that has sidelined him for the majority of time since he was drafted in June 2020, this resembles another crucial step in his ramp-up to a professional debut, time and place to be determined.
Prieto, one of the higher-touted players out of Cuba to be signed this international signing period, will get his first chance to play state-side for the O’s. For the likes of Henderson, Cowser, Stowers, Neustrom, Westburg and Dorrian, the camp will be a chance to continue their progressions from a successful 2021.
For all, the camp provides a chance at camaraderie ahead of what is hoped to be a long and fruitful period of Orioles baseball.