It is ASTONISHING how much of a difference a year makes. As I profiled in my earlier article on the newfound pitching depth of the Orioles organization, I made the same observation. Which, for the most part, explains why most of the spots on this list of the top ten prospects in the organization are occupied by pitchers. There is no doubt, however, who occupies the number one spot on the list. Arriving in Frederick as the most heralded prospect in more than a decade, catcher Matt Wieters immediately made his presence known, homering in his second and third at-bats, the first of many multi-homer games. Wieters never slowed down, advancing to double-A Bowie by May and compiling some of the most absurd numbers of any minor leaguer this year. Not only was he a titan with the bat, but he also flashed a rocket launcher of an arm from behind the plate that everyone in the organization knew he would.
Wieters' rise through the system may have been the most publicized story, but he was one of many Shorebirds, Keys, Baysox, Tides, and Ironbirds who made names for themselves. Without further ado, here are my candidates for the top ten professional prospects in the Orioles organization.
1. Matt Wieters, catcher, Frederick-Bowie
Not much more can be said of the probable minor league player of the year. Fantastic arm, great with the bat, and the mental makeup of a future major league superstar.
2. Chris Tillman, pitcher, Bowie
Tillman was simply masterful in his first go around in double-A. He pitched much more consistently than most expected to and really hit his stride during the last few months of the season. Of all the numbers that defined Tillman's season, the 3.18 era, 28 starts, 11 victories, 154 strikeouts, the most important is most likely 20, the age of the budding superstar who could see time in Baltimore before his 21st birthday.
3. Jake Arrieta, pitcher, Frederick
Quite the jet-setting year for the TCU standout. He began the season in Frederick, made a stop in New York for the Future's Game, and finished the season in Beijing, pitching for the U.S. team at the Olympics. Arrieta dominated the Carolina League in his first season of pro ball, posting sexy numbers of 120 strikeouts and a 2.87 era. He was also named the league's pitcher of the year and cemented his status as one of the premier pitching prospects in the system.
4. (tie) Nolan Reimold, outfielder, Bowie
Many wondered why the Orioles left Reimold at double-A after a 2007 season that many deemed successful enough to place him at Norfolk. Eight months later, we're still wondering why. He had a few hitting slumps, but for the most part, Reimold destroyed Eastern League pitching, showed a patient approach at the plate, and ingrained his name into Andy MacPhail's brain with his stunning three-home-run, eight rbi performance in game 2 of the Eastern League semifinals. A 25 homer, 84 rbi, 87 run season places Reimold tied for fourth on this list.
4. (tie) Brad Bergesen, pitcher, Frederick-Bowie
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2 months ago
what about Matusz?
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