The Success of Garrett Cortright
My favorite part about covering the Delmarva Shorebirds is not writing about top prospects. Yes, it is important for the fanbase to hear about Hunter Harvey and Chance Sisco, but it is also important to look for prospects who may fly under the radar. It is fun to see guys like Austin Wynns and Sebastian Vader who have had success despite not being top prospects. Another prospect who is flying under the radar is RHP Garrett Cortright.
The Orioles selected Cortright in the 40th round of the 2013 MLB Draft. He attended Canisius in New York, where he pitched for 3 years. During his junior year at Canisius, Cortright went 11-4 with a 2.41 ERA. He led his team to the NCAA Tournament before the O’s took him in the draft. Cortright signed, and the O’s assigned him to their Gulf Coast League affiliate.
Cortright found success in the GCL. He pitched to a 1.11 ERA over 40.2 innings. He only allowed 5 earned runs and 32 hits at that level. He made 4 starts in 10 appearances. At the end of the season, the Orioles promoted Cortright to Short-Season Aberdeen. He threw 5.0 scoreless innings with the IronBirds, included a 4-inning effort. Cortright finished the year with a 0.99 ERA between the GCL and Aberdeen, which is extremely impressive at any level.
This year, Cortright has found a permanent home as a reliever. He began the season with Aberdeen, where he was dominant. In 9.2 innings, he allowed only a single earned run. The Orioles saw enough out of Courtright to promote him to Delmarva. In 3 appearances for the Shorebirds, he has logged 6.0 innings. In 2014, Cortright has pitched to a 1.15 ERA.
Cortright is listed at 6’5″, 208 lbs. His height will certainly benefit him, as several dominant major league pitchers are tall. His fastball is typically clocked in the low 90s, and he complements it with a solid changeup.
While he still has a long way to go, Cortright’s success and outstanding numbers make him a prospect worth watching. It will be interesting to see if he can continue his success through the 2014 season. Hopefully, Garrett Cortright will turn out to be a solid option for the Baltimore Orioles.
