The Orioles had the best record in the American League.
They have the No. 1 prospect in baseball.
The Orioles also have the game's top farm system. Again.
Even after graduating catcher Adley Rutschman and shortstop Gunnar Henderson-the last two preseason No. 1 prospects in baseball-as well as righthander Grayson Rodriguez, the Orioles remain atop our Organization Talent Rankings.
Baltimore again has the game's best prospect. Shortstop Jackson Holliday has had an incredible first full season, flourishing in Double-A as a 19-year-old after the Orioles drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2022.
One of the Orioles' AL rivals pulled off a nearly impossible feat at the trade deadline. The Rangers cashed in prospects to acquire starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery and reliever Aroldis Chapman. Despite parting with the likes of shortstop Luisangel Acuña, righthander Tekoah Roby and second baseman Thomas Saggese, Texas actually moved up in our updated talent rankings.
Most of the Rangers' rise in farm system standing can be attributed to drafting Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford at No. 4 overall. He was already hitting bombs in High-A. The other key factor for the Rangers' rise was the emergence of 17-year-old Bahamian shortstop Sebastian Walcott, one of the top talents in the Rookie complex leagues.
1. ORIOLES
No change
Including shortstop Jackson Holliday, the Orioles had six players ranked among the Top 100 Prospects. Most of that talent has come through quality draft picks. The Orioles have hit on first-round outfielders Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad as well as a pair of fourth-rounders in shortstop Joey Ortiz and third baseman Coby Mayo. Now, the Orioles have a notable impact international talent in the pipeline, with 19-year-old catcher Samuel Basallo ranking inside the top 50.
This story is from the September 2023 edition of Baseball America.
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This story is from the September 2023 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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