Baltimore Orioles: Ranking the Top 5 Prospects in Their System

Well, Orioles fans, it's that time of year once again.

Time to look at the very few positives left with this team, such as the opportunity to spoil the Boston Red Sox's playoff aspirations, watching the handful of good players on the current roster, and the fact that we can look toward 2012 with a little hope.

Typical stuff, as always.

One of the topics that comes with the fast-approaching year of 2012 is, of course, the maturing process of some of the O's top young prospects.

Even with the farm system pretty much bone dry up and down, there are still some guys down there, on the current expanded September big league roster, who show promise of being contributors for the parent club in the future, be it near or far.

Here's a look at some of these young ballplayers.

5. Dylan Bundy, Starting Pitcher

Dylan Bundy, the little brother of Bobby Bundy, who is also in the Orioles farm system, was drafted in the first round, No. 4 overall by the O's in the 2011 draft.

Coming out of high school, this young man has enormous potential with his electric right arm. His statistics for his senior year are mind-blowing: an 11-0 record with a 0.20 ERA an incredible 158 Ks over just 71 innings pitched.

Such a stellar performance earned him Baseball America's High School Player of the Year award.

He comes with a fastball, curve, changeup and cutter, all of which are considered to be above-average pitchers.

If all goes according to plan, fans should see Bundy planted towards the front of the O's rotation around the year 2014 or 2015.

4. Ryan Adams, Second Baseman

The air of doubt surrounding incumbent second baseman Brian Roberts is what makes Ryan Adams so important to the future of this franchise.

Over the last month or so, he had been showing the O's what he can do, and has impressed with his ability to consistently get base hits, including a walk-off single in one game a few weeks ago.

His defense is still considered a work-in-progress, but according to reports, he's been working hard and improving tremendously during his time in Baltimore this season.

The second-round pick in 2006 is batting .281 in 89 at-bats with seven RBI and an OBP of .333 during his time with the big club this year.

Unfortunately, he is dealing with a sports hernia that has bothered him all season, and will undergo surgery which will sideline him for the rest of the year. Now he'll be looking to compete for the starting second baseman job in spring training of 2012.

3. Matt Angle, Outfielder

After making his big league debut in mid-July and playing in a few games, Matt Angle was a "pre-September call-up," returning to the bigs in late August.

He's impressed club officials and many fans with his defensive play, speed on the basepaths and willingness to do whatever the manager asks of him. He lays down bunts, slaps doubles, steals bases and will play anywhere in the outfield.

With comparisons to the New York Yankees' Brett Gardner, some O's fans have called for him to receive consistent play in left field to see if he can become a similar type player atop the Baltimore batting order.

Someone like that setting the table for the Birds would be great, and if second baseman Brian Roberts can stay healthy, they'd make for a speedy 1-2 or 9-1 punch.

While he's only managed 12 hits over 69 at-bats this year, four of them have been doubles, and he has swiped nine bases in 10 chances, as well as working nine walks. If he can develop into a solid major-league hitter average-wise, which is very conceivable considering his youth and lack of MLB experience, he could become a huge asset to this team.

2. Dan Klein, Relief Pitcher

Drafted in the third round in June of 2010, Dan Klein was tearing up the Single- and Double-A levels before needing season-ending surgery in August.

Klein had a 1.11 ERA over 32.1 combined innings pitched in 2011 with 37 strikeouts, only 23 hits allowed, and walking a minuscule six batters.

Other than the hope that he comes back from his surgery in the same form he showed before needing it, the only thing the organization is concerned with about him is whether they should stretch him out into a starter or breed him as a closer.

Assuming he hits the ground running after rehabbing from his operation, O's fans could see Klein in Baltimore as soon as mid-to-late 2012. Players drafted out of college, as Klein was, tend to develop faster than those drafted out of high school.

Maybe Klein could take the job that Kevin Gregg was signed to do...

1. Manny Machado, Shortstop

Everybody should have seen this coming.

The young man from South Florida has some lofty expectations placed on him, as he has been compared to New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

While he probably will never reach the skill level that Rodriguez has, Machado promises to become a star in Baltimore, with Gold Glove defense, Silver Slugger batting potential and making the All-Star squad year in and year out.

Over low and high-A ball this year, Machado has a line of .257/11/50, with 11 stolen bases and a .335 OBP to boot.

With 73 Ks to 45 BB over 430 plate appearances, he's shown he's among the standard in terms of how many times he'll strike out and walk during a season. Obviously there's time for those numbers to get better or worse, but if he brings that average amount of both statistics to the show, there probably won't be many fans complaining about it.

Baltimore needs a stand-out star on their baseball team, and Machado could be that player when he finally reaches the majors, likely around 2013.