Here are the prospects who could be sidelined for every MLB team in the Orioles
We saw a number of standout prospects leave an indelible mark on the 2023 season, from Corbin Carroll with the D-backs to Gunnar Henderson with the Orioles to Evan Carter with the Rangers.
Meanwhile, another wave of aspiring big league stars is on its way, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to step into the spotlight.
As we prepare to flip the calendar to 2024, here is one prospect to watch for each MLB team in the year ahead.
AL EAST
Blue Jays: LHP Ricky Tiedemann
Tiedemann will be one of the biggest stories in Spring Training for a second straight year, but this time, an MLB debut feels more realistic. The Blue Jays’ No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline (No. 31 overall) was limited by injuries in 2023, but he won the Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Year and is expected to open the season in Triple-A. His workload will be managed early and his eventual debut may come in a flexible role, but he’s on the doorstep and is dripping with potential for the Blue Jays to dream on.
Orioles: INF Jackson Holliday
All eyes will be on the 20-year-old Holliday in Spring Training, as MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 overall prospect will have a legitimate chance to break camp with the big league team. In fact, general manager Mike Elias said during the Winter Meetings there’s “definitely a very strong possibility” that Holliday could make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster. Holliday, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 Draft, had a meteoric rise through Baltimore’s farm system in ‘23, playing at all four full-season Minor League affiliates and finishing the season with an 18-game stint at Triple-A Norfolk. Despite having only 145 games of Minor League experience under his belt, the son of former All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday is on the cusp of his big league debut. It should happen in 2024 — and maybe even on Opening Day on March 28 at Camden Yards. — Jake Rill
Rays: INF Junior Caminero
Infielder Curtis Mead, the Rays’ No. 3 prospect, could be a difference-maker sooner than later. First baseman Xavier Isaac (No. 4) may establish himself as one of the game’s top hitting prospects by the end of the year. The Rays liked Yoniel Curet enough to add the young pitcher to their 40-man roster. But Caminero, MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 overall prospect and the Rays’ No. 1, has a chance to be something truly special. The 20-year-old hits the ball as hard and as far as anybody in the game, traits he showed after jumping straight from Double-A to make a brief debut down the stretch last season. He may not break camp with the Rays, and it’s unclear where he’ll fit defensively, but Caminero has the ability and track record to be a star at some point. — Adam Berry
Red Sox: C Kyle Teel
Boston’s first-round pick in the 2023 Draft, Teel rapidly climbed through the Minors in his first professional season. The club’s No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline (No. 82 overall), Teel started the year in the Florida Complex League, where he hit .429 over three games. The 21-year-old had 53 at-bats with High-A Greenville, hitting .377 with a .938 OPS to earn him a promotion to Double-A Portland. A left-handed-hitting catcher, Teel will likely start the 2024 season with Portland, where he will continue to adjust to the heightened level of competition. In the meantime, Teel is one of 11 players set to participate in the Red Sox 2024 Rookie Development Program, a five-day event that is scheduled to begin Jan. 15 at Fenway Park. — Molly Burkhardt
