BALTIMORE -- The Orioles’ farm system looks much different than it did at the beginning of 2025 -- and even quite different than it did at the beginning of July.
After the 2025 MLB Draft -- which took place from July 13-14 -- the O’s operated as sellers ahead of the July 31 Trade Deadline, dealing nine big league players and acquiring a stockpile of assets (15 Minor League players and a Draft pick) in return. It wasn’t a position Baltimore (53-65) wanted to be in, but the club capitalized on an opportunity to replenish its pipeline.
“This has been an enormous injection of talent into the Orioles organization over the month of July,” general manager Mike Elias said on Aug. 1. “This has been, I think, making the best of a very disappointing situation for us in 2025.”
On Monday, MLB Pipeline released the midseason re-rankings of its Top 100 Prospects list and the Orioles’ Top 30 Prospects list. Although the O’s still have only one representative in the Top 100 -- catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo (No. 8) -- the Top 30 is much stronger and deeper.
Let’s break down Baltimore’s farm system following the update.
COMPLETE ORIOLES PROSPECT COVERAGE
- Orioles Top 30 prospects
- Prospect stats: Today | Last 10 | Last 30
- Draft pick stats
- Highlights
Here’s a look at the Orioles’ top prospects:
- Samuel Basallo, C/1B (MLB No. 8)
- Ike Irish, C/OF
- Dylan Beavers, OF
- Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF
- Wehiwa Aloy, SS
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the preseason list:
Jump: Esteban Mejia, RHP (Preseason: NR | Midseason: No. 7)
Mejia signed for $150,000 out of the Dominican Republic in January 2024, then pitched in the Dominican Summer League last year. The 18-year-old burst onto the stateside scene this season, recording a 2.45 ERA over 11 starts in the Florida Complex League to earn a promotion to Single-A Delmarva. Mejia’s best pitch is his 70-grade fastball, which can get up to 102 mph.
Fall: Chayce McDermott, RHP (Preseason: 4 | Midseason: NR)
Set to turn 27 on Aug. 22, McDermott’s 2025 season hasn’t gone as expected. The right-hander began the year on the injured list due to a right lat strain and has since posted a 7.17 ERA over 15 games (10 starts) for Triple-A Norfolk. He has a 7.71 ERA in three big league appearances (two starts) over the past two seasons. His future is likely as a reliever moving forward.
New to the list
Here are the players added to the Top 30 from outside the organization:
No. 2: Ike Irish, C/OF (Draft, first round)
No. 5: Wehiwa Aloy, SS (Draft, No. 31 overall compensatory pick)
No. 6: Slater de Brun, OF (Draft, Competitive Balance Round A)
No. 9: Boston Bateman, LHP (Trade with Padres on July 31)
No. 10: Caden Bodine, C (Draft, No. 30 overall compensatory pick)
No. 13: Juaron Watts-Brown, RHP (Trade with Blue Jays on July 29)
No. 16: Joseph Dzierwa, LHP (Draft, second round)
No. 17: Colin Yeaman, SS (Draft, fourth round)
No. 24: Wilfri De La Cruz, SS (Trade with Cubs on July 31)
No. 26: Cobb Hightower, SS/2B (Trade with Padres on July 31)
No. 28: JT Quinn, RHP (Draft, Competitive Balance Round B)
No. 29: Wellington Aracena, RHP (Trade with Mets on July 25)
Best tools
Players are graded on a traditional 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.
Hit: 60 -- Irish
Power: 60 -- Basallo
Run: 80 -- Bradfield
Arm: 70 -- Basallo
Defense: 70 -- Vance Honeycutt (Bradfield, Austin Overn)
Fastball: 70 -- Mejia (Keeler Morfe)
Curveball: 60 -- Bateman
Slider: 60 -- Mejia (Watts-Brown, Luis De León)
Changeup: 60 -- Dzierwa (Aracena)
Control: 55 -- Nestor German (Dzierwa)