Orioles Preseason Top 30 Prospects List Released
Austin Hays unsurprisingly tops this years top 30 prospects for the Baltimore Orioles, after reaching number eight at this time last year. The full top 30 list can be viewed here. Orioles fans will be hoping that Hays can repeat the path that lead Trey Mancini to an everyday player. Mancini impressed when he came up in September of 2016, when he hit three home runs in five games. With the Orioles being out of the playoff picture last September, Hays got a little more playing time with the Orioles last season.
Hays had 32 home runs with 95 RBI and a .329 batting average last season with Frederick and Bowie. After putting up those numbers, Hays was the first from the entire 2016 draft class to make it to the Major Leagues. He did not put up the same numbers in his short time in Baltimore, hitting only .217 and one home run in 65 plate appearances. Despite those numbers, Hays still comes into spring training with the opportunity to fight for an opening day roster spot. Can he repeat what Mancini did? We can only hope.
Chance Sisco, another familiar face comes in at number three. After being drafted out of high school in the second round of the 2013 draft, Sisco has been a top 10 prospect for the Orioles since 2014.
Sisco has been a consistent performer at the plate in his five minor league seasons. He has put up a sub .300 average once over five years when he hit .297 in 2015 during his time with Bowie and Frederick. He has never put up big power numbers, only amassing 25 in his minor league career.
Sisco got his first taste of Major League action last season appearing in ten games. In 22 plate appearances Sisco slashed .333/.455/.778 with two home runs driving in four runs.
Like Hays, Sisco will get the chance to compete for a spot alongside Caleb Joseph on the opening day roster this spring. Sisco will be competing with Austin Wynns (24 on the top 30 list) and Andrew Susac.
Jomar Reyes saw the biggest drop in the rankings, going from ten in 2017 to 21 in 2018. It is the second consecutive year with Reyes dropping in the rankings as he went from three in 2016 to ten in 2017. This years drop off likely stems from Reyes spending most of the season on the bench with a broken hand.
Reyes only appeared in 57 games last season after playing in 126 the year before. While he was playing for Fredrick and the Gulf Coast League Orioles, Reyes was able to put up some solid numbers. He put up a .324 average, with four home runs and 25 RBI. The good news is Reyes is just turning 21 (happy birthday Jomar) and still has plenty of time to develop.
The player making the biggest jump in the rankings was Brenan Hanifee who jumped to number ten from number 30. Hanifee had a stellar first pro season after being drafted out of high school in the fourth round of the 2016 draft.
Hanifee spent the 2017 in Aberdeen with the IronBirds. Hanifee posted a 7-3 record with a 2.75 ERA in 12 68.2 innings pitched across 12 starts. He had a 58% ground ball percentage which could play well at Camden Yards if/when he makes it there. MLB.com projects him to make the MLB in 2020.
Want to know more about all the prospects on the top 30 list? Starting Febuary 27, I will be profiling each of the prospects starting at number 30 Mason McCoy, and finishing off with number one Austin Hays just before Opening Day.
