Baltimore Orioles: Top Prospects Entering 2019 (20-11)

We continue our four-part series on the Top 40 Prospects in the Baltimore Orioles organization as the 2019 season begins.

Catch-up on the series with:

Part 1: Prospects 40-31
&
Part 2: Prospects 30-21

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

(#20) Robert Neustrom, OF

Ceiling: 45        Risk: High         ETA: 2022        Role Description: Role Player
Ht/Wt: 6’2” / 208 lbs.          B/T: L/L         Highest Level: SS-A          Age (as of April 1, 2019): 19y, 4m
Video #1 | Video #2

Neustrom boasts good size and strength with an ability to impact the game both at the plate and on an outfield corner. The former Hawkeye shows plus raw power from the left side which should play to at least average in-game pop, and there is room for the young outfielder to push that projection out some as he continues to mature physically and tighten his approach. Neustrom can get a little overly aggressive in the box, at times drawing contact on sub-optimal pitches, but he shows some feel for putting together at bats and making adjustments — an area he could continue to improve upon in a pro development system. He moves well enough to cover good amounts of grass on the outfield corner and has enough arm to handle right field, though left is probably the cleaner fit.

(#19) Adam Hall, SS

Ceiling: 45         Risk: Extreme         ETA: 2022        Role Description: Role Player
Ht/Wt: 6’0” / 170 lbs.          B/T: R/R          Highest Level: SS-A           Age (as of April 1, 2019): 19y, 10m
Video

The 60th overall pick in 2017, Hall stayed back in Extended Spring Training last year before heading to the New York-Penn League. His bat looked much more pro-ready than the summer prior, not uncommon for cold-weather high school hitters once they get a baseline amount of pro reps. Hall slashed .293/.368/.374 with Aberdeen, putting his double-plus wheels to use by going 22 for 27 in stolen base attempts. Hall might have the tools to stick at SS, as his arm has improved since signing. He still needs to get stronger to have more impact at the plate, but there’s still time to project on the bat given his age and cold-weather draft status. Hall requires projection, but the tools are here for a speedy center-diamond role player or low-end regular. His speed grades as a 70 or 80 tool, and that alone could make up for certain deficiencies in his game even if Hall doesn’t ever hit for much power.

(#18) Cody Carroll, RHP

Ceiling: 40          Risk: Moderate        ETA: 2018         Role Description: Middle Relief
Ht/Wt: 6’5” / 215 lbs.          B/T: R/R         Highest Level: MLB                Age (as of April 1, 2019): 26y, 5m
Video

Acquired from the Yankees in the Zach Britton deal last summer, Carroll struggled with his control in a brief Major League stint. Presuming he can get that under control, he has the stuff to fit a middle relief role and could factor into Baltimore’s bullpen mix next season. His fastball touches the high-90s and averaged an impressive 96 mph over 15 big league appearances. Carroll’s slider is an average pitch that should keep hitters off the fastball. 

(#17) Branden Kline, RHP

Ceiling: 45          Risk: High        ETA: 2019         Role Description: Setup Relief
Ht/Wt: 6’3” / 210 lbs.          B/T: R/R         Highest Level: AAA                Age (as of April 1, 2019): 27y, 6m
Video #1 | Video #2 | Spotlight

A hometown product from Frederick, MD, Kline jumped back on the prospect map after missing numerous seasons with injury. He rocketed through the system and was closing games for Triple-A Norfolk by season’s end, added to the 40-Man Roster in October. His fastball touches 98-to-99 mph at best and sits comfortably in the high-90s, able to beat hitters up in the zone with lively late ride. After missing the last two years, Kline’s slider came back slowly but was playing like an above-average pitch by the end of the year. Kline has the stuff to pitch late innings and is likely to reach Baltimore early in 2019. 

(#16) DJ Stewart, OF

Ceiling: 45          Risk: High        ETA: 2018         Role Description: Role Player
Ht/Wt: 6’0” / 230 lbs.          B/T: L/R         Highest Level: MLB                Age (as of April 1, 2019): 25y, 4m
Video

Stewart followed up an encouraging 2017 in Double-A with a mediocre season this year with Norfolk. He reached Baltimore in September and hit for some power across a small cup of coffee, showing improved defensive ability moving between corner outfield spots. The team’s first-rounder in 2015, we see him finishing closer to a part-time starter with corner versatility than a true everyday type. The O’s have been good about maximizing value from this type of player, and the hitter-friendly confines of Camden Yards won’t hurt, either. 

(#15) Brenan Hanifee, RHP

Ceiling: 45         Risk: High         ETA: 2021         Role Description: Swingman
Ht/Wt: 6’5” / 180 lbs.          B/T: R/R          Highest Level: A           Age (as of April 1, 2019): 20y, 10m
Video #1 | Video #2 | Video #3 | Spotlight

Hanifee is an excellent athlete for his size, able to repeat a simple delivery and pound the zone. He was a multi-sport athlete in high school and starred on the basketball court as well as the mound. The 20-year-old made 23 starts in the South Atlantic League last year, walking less than five-percent of batters and getting contact outs. His fastball works in the low-90s and could add a tick as he finishes filling out his 6-foot-5 frame. He throws a slider in the 84-to-87 mph range with short action, more of a complementary pitch than a weapon. Hanifee’s strikethrowing ability with those two pitches lead to him having a strong year in the South Atlantic League, but he will need to mix his mid-80s changeup more to add depth to his arsenal. There are a lot of things to like here, and Hanifee is a breakout candidate that could jump up the top 15 if he comes out throwing harder and missing more bats next season.

(#14) Zach Pop, RHP

Ceiling: 45         Risk: High        ETA: 2019        Role Description: Setup Relief
Ht/Wt: 6’4” / 220 lbs.          B/T: R/R         Highest Level: AA               Age (as of April 1, 2019): 22y, 6m
Video | Spotlight

Pop has displayed big raw stuff since his college days at Kentucky, though consistency outing-to-outing wasn’t always there. He has put the pieces together as a pro and dominated across two levels in 2018, coming to the O’s in the Manny Machado trade. His fastball reaches the high-90s with extremely heavy life, powering past barrels and inducing tons of ground ball contact. Pop’s mid-80s slider is at least an average pitch, if not a tick better, and should be enough to pair with his sinker. We’re bullish on his ceiling and proximity, seeing Pop as the best relief-only prospect in the system entering 2019. He could surface in Baltimore soon as a setup man and ground ball specialist.

(#13) Richie Martin, SS

Ceiling: 45         Risk: High        ETA: 2019       Role Description: Role Player
Ht/Wt: 5’11” / 190 lbs.          B/T: R/R         Highest Level: AA               Age (as of April 1, 2019): 24y, 3m
Spotlight

Somewhat surprisingly, Martin—Oakland’s first-rounder in 2015—was left off the team’s 40-Man Roster this November, even on the heels of a strong season at Double-A. He was an obvious Rule 5 Draft candidate, going with the first pick of the Major League Phase to Baltimore. He now will get the chance to audition for a big league job this spring with the O’s. Martin is a slick-fielding shortstop who has been known for his glove since his amateur days at Florida. He’s an above-average defender who has the versatility to play all over the infield. How much Martin would hit has been the bigger question for a few years, though a career-best .308/.368/.439 line in the Texas League gives hope his bat is on the upswing. In the absolute best-case scenario, Baltimore catches lightning in a bottle and Martin winds up a low-end regular. More realistically, he finishes a glove-first utility player who can spot-start all over the infield. He’s the type of Rule 5 player that can actually stick on a Major League roster for a full season. 

(#12) Dean Kremer, RHP

Ceiling: 45        Risk: High        ETA: 2019       Role Description: Swingman
Ht/Wt: 6’3” / 180 lbs.          B/T: R/R         Highest Level: AA               Age (as of April 1, 2019): 23y, 2m
Video | Spotlight

Kremer was one of the prospects returned from the Dodgers for Manny Machado. His lanky frame adds deception to a delivery with good extension, causing a low-90s fastball to get an above-average rate of swinging strikes for its velocity. On the surface, Kremer’s strikeout numbers last year don’t match his raw stuff: no pitch grades as particularly dynamic, but the tandem of a lively heater and two usable secondaries get results. Kremer is a safer bet to fit as a swingman or multi-inning reliever than true #4/#5 starter, but a back-rotation profile is what we see as his max ceiling. If he keeps performing like he did last year, we will look bad for putting him outside the top 10.

(#11) Dillon Tate, RHP

Ceiling: 45         Risk: High       ETA: 2019       Role Description: Swingman
Ht/Wt: 6’2” / 195 lbs.          B/T: R/R         Highest Level: AA               Age (as of April 1, 2019): 24y, 11m
Video | Report

Tate was the main prospect return in the deal that sent Zach Britton to the Yankees. He has developed better control and pitchability since going fourth overall in the 2015 draft, though a fastball that once hovered in the high-90s has lost a few ticks. As a starter, Tate’s heater hovers in the low-90s and scrapes 94-to-95 mph at best. Both a slider and changeup are usable offerings, though neither grades as a true plus. Tate throws strikes with his fastball with more control than true command, meaning he’s vulnerable to hard contact when the pitch catches too much plate. We see him as a swingman option long-term, though it’s interesting to think about the stuff he showed in college coming back in a bullpen role.