Baltimore Orioles' Top Prospects: Who's Hot and Who's Not, August 17th
The Orioles have been seemingly rejuvenated under Buck Showalter, and while he hasn't really set his sights on the minor leagues, he has stated on several occasions that he's looking forward to evaluating the entire organization once the season ends.
Just like the Orioles big leaguers, many minor leaguers are trying to take advantage of having a new guy in charge, putting their best feet forward in hopes of making themselves a long-term part of the Orioles' plan.
So, here we have the bi-weekly edition of "Who's Hot and Who's Not."
Enjoy!
HOT: Matt Angle, OF, Norfolk Tides (25 Years Old)
1 of 11
Angle is a almost-weekly contender for HOT honors, and for the most part, he's avoided any real slumps that would earn him a spot on the NOT list.
These past two weeks were typical Angle for the 24-year-old outfielder. He hit .368 with a double, triple, home run, six RBI, seven runs, eight walks, and four stolen bases. As usual, he posted an on-base percentage well above .400 (at .478 to be exact).
Angle is quietly having a fantastic season. His latest hot streak pushed his average up to an even .300, and while his OBP has dipped below .400, his eight walks (compared to only five strikeouts) these past two weeks have helped.
His 0-for-4 performance last night dropped him below .300 for the season, but he did manage one more walk and another stolen base, his 22nd of the season with Norfolk and his 27th overall.
The extra-base hits have still come at somewhat of a premium for Angle, who has only six doubles in 350 at-bats. He does have four triples and has notched two home runs (giving him seven career long balls), but for the most part this season has been all about getting on base for Angle. He has 41 walks and only 50 strikeouts, and since he joined Triple-A Norfolk, he has only five more strikeouts than walks.
If you're asking me, I'd say Angle is one of a handful of players at Norfolk who deserve a September call-up. He'll turn 25 on September 10th, so the O's might as well see what they have in him rather than waiting until next year.
NOT: Tim Bascom, RHP, Norfolk Tides (25 Years Old)
2 of 11
Yikes!
You know Bascom wishes he could erase the last three starts from his, and the organization's, memory.
Unfortunately, his three-game run in which he gave up 26 hits, 20 earned runs, and five home runs in only 13.2 innings is permanent, and it has permanently ruined any shot the 25-year-old had at salvaging what has been a very disappointing season.
The post-All-Star break stretch has been brutal to Bascom, who is winless in seven starts and pitching to an ERA well over 10.00. He has substantially more walks than strikeouts (18 to 14) and has been lit up to a .406 batting average in August. At least Ted Williams would be proud of that number.
The season line is getting uglier and uglier too, as Bascom is now 5-11, with 159 hits allowed in just over 123 innings, coupled with 18 long balls served up and an opponents average of .306.
Bascom had a similarly rough year in 2008 and bounced back to earn a promotion to Double-A in 2009, so hopefully he can shake off this year and earn a shot with the big league club sometime next season.
HOT: Michael Aubrey, 1B, Norfolk Tides (28 Years Old)
3 of 11
Aubrey is another guy who could be in line for a September call-up. He has been swinging the bat quite well the past month and has put a .225 pre-All-Star break number behind him.
In August, the 28-year-old Aubrey is hitting .288 with four homers and eight RBI, and three of those homers have come in the past four days. He's also rapped five doubles and drawn four walks. He's slugging a mean .700 since the last HOT/NOT sheet.
On the season, Aubrey's numbers are starting to look respectable. His average is still borderline abysmal (.235), but his power numbers look good at 18 homers and 55 RBI in 87 games. He's drawn his share of walks too, and his 32-to-48 walk to strikeout ratio is very respectable.
Aubrey hit well in a late-season call-up last year (.289, seven doubles, four homers, 14 RBI), and if he keeps up this tear he's on, he could be one of the first guys the O's look to to man first base in September.
.png?w=256)
NOT: Jonathan Tucker, OF, Bowie Baysox (27 Years Old)
4 of 11
One of my personal favorites, who emerged as a legit mid-level prospect after a 2009 season that saw him hit .269 with 25 doubles, six triples, 40 RBI, 75 runs, a 55-to-59 walk to strikeout ratio, and 34 stolen bases, Jonathan Tucker has taken a very dramatic step backwards in 2010.
After hitting .348 in a seven-game trial to end last season, Tucker began back at Norfolk, but when he struggled to a .226 average in 21 games, the O's sent him back to Bowie, where his slump carried over. He's only hitting .237 for the Baysox, with an OBP just over .300 and a slugging percentage just under.
It's beginning to look like his breakout 2008 season, in which he set career highs in batting average, doubles, home runs, and RBI, may have just been a fluke, and it now looks like Tucker is your prototypical Double-A/Triple-A guy that fills a need until the team can find a younger, cheaper alternative.
HOT: Pedro Beato, RHP, Bowie Baysox (23 Years Old)
5 of 11
Beato has exploded on the scene as a reliever this year after spending several doomed years as a starter.
Pitching out of the pen has rejuvenated his career, as he has arguably been the team's best reliever all season and has settled quite nicely into the closer's role.
His 14 saves on the season lead the team, as does his 2.03 ERA, which he has been lowering over the past two weeks by not allowing a run since August 1st.
He only has three strikeouts over that period, but he's been using his above-average stuff to get tons of ground balls. In seven August outings, he's pitched to a 1.29 ERA, allowing only five hits and two walks in only seven innings. He's also locked down three saves in that time.
On the season, Beato is now 4-0, with those 14 saves and 48 strikeouts in 57.2 innings.
NOT: Tyler Henson, 3B/OF, Bowie Baysox (22 Years Old)
6 of 11
Tyler Henson is another Oriole prospect who has improved his stock greatly this year.
He's about as close to a five-tool guy as they have in their system. He's good with the bat, offers some power, has excellent speed, and is a very toolsy defensive player, despite all those errors.
Yet for some reason, Henson has yet to put together a truly impressive campaign. He's also the epitome of streaky, and these past two weeks haven't been too kind to the 22-year-old.
He's 7-for-42 over the past two weeks with 18 strikeouts, including seven in his past two games. Aside from his four-RBI game on August 13th, he hasn't produced at the plate since July.
Somehow, Henson is still having a pretty good season. Despite his .167 average since August 5th, he's still hitting .282 with 12 home runs and 59 RBI, and his 34 doubles are second on the team to double machine Ryan Adams.
But get this...Henson has 140 strikeouts. That number is good for second-worst in the Eastern League, next to teammate Brandon Waring's 151.
HOT: L.J. Hoes, 2B, Frederick Keys (20 Years Old)
7 of 11
Hoes is back in Frederick, healthy and hitting.
Over the past two weeks, he's posted a .349 average and has driven in a run in seven of his past 10 games. He's also notched a hit in each of his past 10 games, including four multi-hit games.
His 12 RBI over the past two weeks have accounted for one-third of his total at Frederick this year.
On the season, Hoes is having a very impressive campaign. His average is above .300, and he has 55 runs, 22 doubles, four homers, 45 RBI, and 43 walks. The 20-year-old has continued to play spectacular defense as well.
He's still working on harnessing his tick-above-average speed, as evidenced by his nine steals and eight times caught stealing.
But the O's were always believers in Hoes' bat, which is why he'll most likely be back up at Bowie as a 20-year-old later this season.
NOT: Billy Rowell, 3B, Frederick Keys (22 Years Old)
8 of 11
We might be witnessing the final death rattle of Billy Rowell's career.
After two awful seasons at High-A Frederick, the O's decided against moving him up or down so he could get a change of scenery, and the results have been just as dreadful as his first two go-arounds.
This season, his average is at its highest point in three years, and his nine homers have tied a career high, but he's also already set another career mark in strikeouts, something you think would be hard to do for a guy who has never struck out FEWER than 104 times in one full season.
I guess you could say that Rowell has made some progress at the plate, but definitely not enough to justify hanging on to him after this season. He doesn't appear to have taken any great leaps in plate discipline, and he hasn't developed into the above-average power that so many scouts thought he would as a pro.
On defense, Rowell continues to struggle. It doesn't help that he's changed position three times in as many years, but coming back to third base, where he began his pro career, hasn't helped Rowell gain any stability. His 25 errors lead the Keys.
At the plate over the past two weeks, he has been the typical Rowell. He's hitting .211 with four RBI, 12 strikeouts, and only one walk.
Just sad for the former first-round pick.
HOT: Brett Bordes, LHP, Frederick Keys (26 Years Old)
9 of 11
Bordes spent the last two seasons basically self-destructing and ruining any helium he once had as a prospect.
While he once seemed like he could have been a lefty specialist, he's been giving up way too many hits and way too many runs. Throw in the fact that he's issued just about as many walks as he has innings the past three years, and Bordes needed a good year.
For the most part, he's delivered. Over the past two weeks, Bordes has pitched six scoreless innings, allowed only two hits, and struck out five batters. Since the All-Star break, Bordes has been even better. He's tossed 20 innings, allowed only one run, and struck out 18. He's still having some issues with the walks (11), but he's pitched to a 0.45 ERA.
On the season, Bordes is now 3-2 with a 2.61 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 38 innings.
NOT: Steven Bumbry, OF, Delmarva Shorebirds (22 Years Old)
10 of 11
While Bumbry has put together a decent season, his past two weeks have been particularly dreadful.
Like .152 dreadful. Zero extra-base hits. Zero RBI. One run scored. Eight strikeouts, and one CS.
He also hasn't notched a base hit since August 5th and is zero for his last 24 at-bats.
Somehow that hasn't tainted his season, in which he's hitting .263 with 23 doubles, nine triples, four homers, 34 RBI, 42 runs, and nine steals.
He has to learn to cut down on the strikeouts (131 in 105 games) and take a few more walks, and that will help him utilize his plus speed.
HOT: Robert Bundy, RHP, Delmarva Shorebirds (20 Years Old)
11 of 11
After spending the first chunk of the year pitching out of the bullpen, Bundy has adapted quite well to starting.
Bundy got shelled in his last start but rebounded quite nicely two nights ago, tossing a complete-game five-hitter. He struck out only five batters, and gave up two runs, but for a guy who has questions about stamina, it's definitely an encouraging sign.
Bundy's brother, Dylan, will be a top prospect for the 2011 MLB draft, and there are many who feel that he will be the superior prospect, but once upon a time Robert was quite the find, and he only fell in the draft due to concerns about his surgically repaired knee.
Bundy is now 3-5 on the season, with an ERA just barely above 4.00 and 77 strikeouts in 97.1 innings.
.png?w=480)
