Two of baseball’s best farm systems battle in inaugural prospect showcase
Cover Photo Credit: Instagram @MLB and @orioles
Major League Baseball’s inaugural Spring Breakout, a four-day show case of the game’s up and rising stars, kicked off with a 7-inning exhibition between the Orioles prospects and the Pirates prospects last night.
The Pirates ended up with the 3-1 win. However, there were still some encouraging performances from the Orioles that indicated the bright and rising future for baseball’s best farm system.
Southpaw and Orioles No. 10 prospect Cade Povich threw the ball well, as he tossed 3 innings allowing just one earned run. He struck out four batters along the way.
Right-hander Trace Bright, the Orioles’ No. 17 prospect, came in after Povich exited and finished the game. He went the remainder three innings for the Orioles, allowing just one run and striking out four. He struck out the side in the fifth inning. To do so, he used a fastball that topped out at 95 MPH. He then proceeded to finish the last two hitters with low-80s curveballs that had deceptive break from a tall, overhand delivery.
The Orioles’ first round pick from last season, Vanderbilt alumni Enrique Bradfield Jr., collected the team’s lone hit of the night with an infield bunt hit. The Orioles’ 6th best prospect’s hit came with a sprint speed of 30.5 feet per second (Statcast), and he made it to first base in 3.69 seconds. That was faster than any home-to-first time by an Oriole in 2023, even faster than Cedric Mullins and Jorge Mateo.
Power-hitting outfielder Jud Fabian, the Orioles’ No. 13 prospect, collected the team’s lone run with a sacrifice fly.
Other than that, the offense didn’t really come around. However, especially right out of the gate, it is not necessarily the easiest task to have to tackle a phenom like MLB's No. 3 prospect and 2023 first overall pick Paul Skenes. He mowed down the Orioles with ease in the top of the first, sitting down Bradfield with three 100+ MPH fastballs and winning his rematch with No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday thanks to a 92 MPH changeup.
Now, the players will return to the rest of the Orioles team for the remainder of Spring Training, barring they have not been reassigned to Minor League camp yet. The Orioles will face the Rays today at 1:05 PM. Dean Kremer is on the mound, and Holliday is batting eighth at shortstop. Other top prospect in the lineup include Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad, and Connor Norby.
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