2022 Dugout Edge MLB Awards

American League MVP

Winner: OF Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Stat line: 62 HR, .311/.425/.686, 16 SB, 207 wRC+, 11.4 fWAR in 157 games
All due respect to Shohei Ohtani, seriously. I cannot emphasize enough how incredible he is, and if he hits and pitches at a high level every year, I have no problem with him winning the MVP every year. It should take a truly historic season to top an ace pitcher/middle of the order hitter, and unfortunately for Shohei, that's just what Aaron Judge provided this year. We all know his 62 home runs are the most by a hitter since Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa hit 73 and 64, respectively, in 2001, as well as the most home runs ever by an American League hitter. But not only that, his .686 slugging percentage was the highest in a non-shortened season since J.D. Martinez slugged .690 in 2017, while his 1.111 OPS was the highest since prime Albert Pujols reached 1.115 in 2008. What's more is that he did all this in a year where offense was down across the board, so his 207 wRC+ made him the first member of the 200 club since Barry Bonds in 2004. Throw in very solid outfield defense, and Aaron Judge's 11.4 fWAR was the seventeenth highest total in MLB history, again the highest since Barry Bonds in 2004. Only eight different players – Bonds, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Ty Cobb, and Honus Wagner – have ever topped that number, and only Bonds and Mantle did so since integration. Overall, he led the American League this year in home runs, RBI (131), runs scored (133), walks (111), total bases (391), on-base percentage (.425), slugging percentage, OPS, wRC+, and WAR, and many of those weren't even close. Judge hit for tremendous power and got on base at a top-of-the-league clip in a year where offense was down across the board, threw in solid outfield defense and 16 stolen bases, and put up an all time great season. Shohei Ohtani is unbelievable, but there is no denying what Aaron Judge did this year is legendary.

Runner-up: RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Stat line: 34 HR, .273/.356/.519, 11 SB, 142 wRC+, 3.8 fWAR in 157 games
Stat line: 15-9, 2.33 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 2.40 FIP, 219/44 K/BB in 166 innings
I am of the belief that if Shohei Ohtani plays at this level every year, then he should win the MVP every year, and he would have this year if Aaron Judge didn't hit 62 home runs and throw up eleven-plus WAR. A year ago, he deservedly won the AL MVP after posting a 3.18 ERA over 130.1 innings and a 151 wRC+ over 158 games as a hitter. This year, he dropped that ERA nearly a run to 2.33, threw 35.2 additional innings, and maintained nearly the same wRC+ at 142 over 157 games as a hitter. All told, he was probably even better this year than he was last year. Just isolating his bat, he was the American League's seventh best hitter by wRC+, ahead of stars like Rafael Devers (141), Carlos Correa (140), Jose Ramirez (139), Alex Bregman (136), and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (132). His 34 home runs also placed third in the league and despite spending all that time on the mound, he still stepped to the plate 666 times, ninth most in the AL. And he still found the time to steal eleven bases. Flip over to the mound, and his numbers were perhaps even more impressive. He accumulated 5.6 fWAR as a pitcher, good for third in the AL behind Justin Verlander (6.1) and Kevin Gausman (5.7), while his 2.33 ERA finished fourth and his 2.40 FIP came in second. So we are talking about perhaps a top ten hitter and a top five pitcher in the league – nobody will ever do that again. In fact, if some player comes around and so much as posts an ERA in the 4's with a league average bat, that would be incredible, but we wouldn't see it that way because Ohtani has spoiled us.

Honorable mention: 2B Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
Stat line: 28 HR, .300/.387/.533, 18 SB, 164 wRC+, 6.6 fWAR in 141 games
I went back and forth, back and forth on this third spot between Jose Altuve and Jose Ramirez, who had extremely similar seasons as all-around well above average hitters with some speed and solid if unspectacular gloves on the infield dirt. Altuve was clearly the better hitter, as he finished 20, 32, and 19 points, respectively, ahead of Ramirez in the three triple slash categories of batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, while his 164 wRC+ dwarfed Ramirez's very respectable 139. However, Ramirez also played in 16 more games than Altuve, missing just five Guardians games to Altuve's 21. I initially leaned Altuve due to the bat, moved over to Ramirez when I looked closer and decided that his 16 extra games were enough to overcome the offensive gap, then came back to Altuve when I looked at how their production was spread out throughout the year. Ramirez came out of the gate extremely hot, slashing .342/.411/.722 in April and holding a .288/.368/.576 slash line through the first half, but he gradually slowed down throughout the season as his OPS dropped in every month besides October and he hit just .269/.339/.439 in the second half as his teammates stepped up to put the finishing touches on the AL Central title run. Altuve, meanwhile, was a non-factor in April as he missed time with a hamstring injury and didn't hit much when he was on the field, but once he got over that and found his groove, there was no turning back. From May onwards, he was one of the best hitters in baseball as he slashed .310/.396/.554 and picked up all 6.6 of his fWAR – the third most in baseball in that stretch, behind only Aaron Judge's 10.4 and Paul Goldschmidt's 6.8. Wins in April count just as much as wins in September, but there's something to be said about momentum. Altuve was a non-factor in April and was excellent from May onwards, while Ramirez was exceptional to start the season and gradually slowed down.

Others
3B Jose Ramirez (Guardians): 29 HR, .280/.355/.514, 20 SB, 139 wRC+, 6.2 fWAR in 157 games
DH Yordan Alvarez (Astros): 37 HR, .306/.406/.613, 1 SB, 185 wRC+, 6.6 fWAR in 135 games
RHP Justin Verlander (Astros): 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 2.49 FIP, 185/29 K/BB in 175 innings
3B Alex Bregman (Astros): 23 HR, .259/.366/.454, 1 SB, 136 wRC+, 5.5 fWAR in 155 games
2B Andres Gimenez (Guardians): 17 HR, .297/.371/.466, 20 SB, 140 wRC+, 6.1 fWAR in 146 games

National League MVP

Winner: 3B Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals
Stat line: 30 HR, .293/.358/.533, 5 SB, 151 wRC+, 7.3 fWAR in 148 games
If you look at the raw offensive numbers for Nolan Arenado, you may not be overly impressed. His .381 wOBA would not stand out in most seasons, but offense was down across MLB in 2022 and it actually came out to the fourth best mark in the National League, and just barely behind Manny Machado's third place .382. He didn't actually lead the NL in any individual stat, but in addition to finishing fourth in wOBA he was also second in fWAR, third in slugging percentage, third in doubles, fourth in wRC+, fourth in OPS, and fifth in extra base hits (73). He did all that while finishing with the third lowest strikeout rate in the league at 11.6%, behind only contact artists Jeff McNeil and Nico Hoerner – in fact, you can throw in Miguel Rojas right behind him and the other three names in the top four combined for just 25 home runs to his 30. Arenado's combination of power and elite ability to put the ball in play was not matched this year, and that's all just in the bat. We all know that he is also one of the best defensive third basemen in the game, sucking up everything that comes his way at the hot corner and turning surefire infield singles or down the line extra base hits into outs at first base. Per Statcast, his 15 outs above average were second among all NL third basemen behind only Pittsburgh's Ke'Bryan Hayes, if you want confirmation. Take that bat in a down year for offense combined with the elite glove, and you can make a pretty strong case that no National League player was better than Nolan Arenado in 2022.

Runner-up: 3B Manny Machado, San Diego Padres
Stat line: 32 HR, .298/.366/.531, 9 SB, 152 wRC+, 7.4 fWAR in 150 games
One man did have a nearly identical season to Arenado, and that's Manny Machado. Like Arenado, Machado is an elite defensive third baseman that provides significant value with his glove. His eight outs above average at the hot corner were fourth in the NL, but because Arenado nearly doubled him in that category, he gets the edge despite nearly identical offensive stats (his 11.6% strikeout rate to Manny's 20.7% also helps). Mchado actually beat Arenado by five points in batting average and eight points in on-base percentage while falling two points short in slugging percentage, which gave him a one point advantage in the all-encompassing stats of wOBA (.382) and wRC+. It also meant that Manny led the NL in fWAR while finishing third in wRC+, third in wOBA,third in OPS, fourth in batting average, fourth in slugging percentage, and fifth in total bases (307). Overall, it was one of the best all-around seasons in the NL, but his excellent defense vs Arenado's elite defense and his higher strikeout rate contributed to him falling just short in my book.

Honorable mention: 1B Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
Stat line: 35 HR, .317/.404/.578, 7 SB, 177 wRC+, 7.1 fWAR in 151 games
Paul Goldschmidt was the single best hitter in the National League this year, and I don't think there are any two ways around it. He led the league in wRC+, wOBA (.419), slugging percentage, and OPS, all by a very healthy margin, and finished second in total bases (324), second in on-base percentage, third in hits (178), third in batting average, fourth in extra base hits (76), and fifth in home runs. He was so good, in fact, that I very nearly put him ahead of defensive whizzes Nolan Arenado and Manny Machado, though his being limited to first base does hurt his value just a little. Goldschmidt did look like the favorite for much of the season and was slashing .338/.423/.633 on August 27th, but his bat quieted a bit towards the finish line and he hit just .229/.325/.349 over his final 31 games, allowing Arenado and Machado to overtake him.

Others
1B Freddie Freeman (Dodgers): 21 HR, .325/.407/.511, 13 SB, 157 wRC+, 7.1 fWAR in 159 games
RHP Sandy Alcantara (Marlins): 2.28 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 2.99 FIP, 207/50 K/BB in 228.2 innings
OF Mookie Betts (Dodgers): 35 HR, .269/.340/.533, 12 SB, 144 wRC+, 6.6 fWAR in 142 games
C J.T. Realmuto (Phillies): 22 HR, .276/.342/.478, 21 SB, 128 wRC+, 6.5 fWAR in 139 games
2B Jeff McNeil (Mets): 9 HR, .326/.382/.454, 4 SB, 143 wRC+, 5.9 fWAR in 148 games

American League Cy Young

Winner: RHP Justin Verlander, Houston Astros
Stat line: 18-4, 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 2.49 FIP, 185/29 K/BB in 175 innings
Justin Verlander may have thrown just the sixteenth most innings in the American League this year, behind names like Jordan Lyles and Nick Pivetta, but those 175 innings were some of the most dominant we have seen in some time. In fact, only two live ball era pitchers have EVER had a lower ERA and a lower WHIP while throwing that many innings in a season: Greg Maddux in 1995 (1.63 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 209.2 IP) and Pedro Martinez in 2000 (1.74 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 217 IP). That's it, that's the list. For my money, that is plenty enough to award him the AL Cy Young Award. He may not be striking out as many batters as he used to, with his 27.8% rate (sixth best in the AL) actually by far his lowest mark with the Astros, but pinpoint command meant he walked just 4.4% of his opponents, third best in the league. He was untouchable from start to finish this season, allowing three or fewer earned runs in 26 of his 28 starts and allowing one or zero earned runs in 20 of 28. He also never walked more than three batters in a start, walked more than two just twice, and walked one or zero in 21 of 28 starts. His worst ERA in any month was 2.27, while his worst WHIP was 1.01. That ERA would have finished fourth in the AL and that WHIP would have finished sixth. Just unbelievable stuff from the 39 year old future first ballot Hall of Famer.

Runner-up: RHP Dylan Cease, Chicago White Sox
Stat line: 14-8, 2.20 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 3.10 FIP, 227/78 K/BB in 184 innings
So Dylan Cease led the entire American League with 78 walks and a 10.4% walk rate, which isn't ideal, but he actually did almost everything else well. He finished second in ERA, second in strikeouts, second in opponents' batting average (.190), third in games started, and third in strikeout rate (30.4%), and he did all of that despite playing in front of one of the worst defenses in the AL that did him no favors. So he walked a lot of guys, but he stranded most of them on base and did pretty much everything else as well as you could. And even though he was a bit wild, he only hit three batters, the fifth fewest among the 22 qualified starters in the AL. It's a low ERA, high strikeout, large sample season that is comfortably behind Justin Verlander's but in my opinion just a touch better than everyone else in the league. To this point in his career, he has now dropped his ERA and WHIP in each of his four major league seasons.

Honorable mention: RHP Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Stat line: 15-9, 2.33 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 2.40 FIP, 219/44 K/BB in 166 innings
We already talked about Shohei Ohtani's pitching in the AL MVP section, and in my opinion he had the third best season of any AL pitcher this year, bat notwithstanding. Not only did he blast 34 home runs with a .356 on-base percentage as a hitter, but he was a legitimate ace and the best pitcher on the west coast. He led the American League in strikeout rate (33.2%), finished second in FIP, third in strikeouts, fourth in ERA, and fifth in WHIP, and additionally only allowed two unearned runs so he didn't allow errors to hurt him. He had ten different double digit strikeout games, kept the ball in the ballpark with just 14 home runs allowed (fourth fewest among qualified AL starters), and pitched like an ace nearly every time he went out there.

Others
RHP Shane Bieber (Guardians): 2.88 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 2.87 FIP, 198/36 K/BB in 200 innings
RHP Alek Manoah (Blue Jays): 2.24 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 3.35 FIP, 180/51 K/BB in 196.2 innings
LHP Shane McClanahan (Rays): 2.54 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 3.00 FIP, 194/38 K/BB in 166.1 innings
RHP Emmanuel Clase (Guardians): 1.36 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 1.98 FIP, 77/10 K/BB in 72.2 innings
LHP Nestor Cortes (Yankees): 2.44 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 3.13 FIP, 163/38 K/BB in 158.1 innings

National League Cy Young

Winner: RHP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
Stat line: 14-9, 2.28 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 2.99 FIP, 207/50 K/BB in 228.2 innings
Sometimes, old fashioned is better. Sandy Alcantara led all of Major League Baseball in innings pitched by 23.2 over second place Aaron Nola, with his 228.2 representing the highest total for any pitcher since David Price threw 230 innings for the 2016 Red Sox. Additionally, his six complete games (five of the nine inning variety) doubled second place Framber Valdez's total of three this year, and again represented the highest total since Chris Sale's six for the 2016 White Sox. Alcantara's shortest start this year was 4.2 innings, and he completed seven innings in 22 of his 32 starts. But you don't get the Cy Young Award just for throwing a bunch of innings, and Alcantara pitched like an ace throughout. Not only was he on the mound far more than anybody else this season, he also finished second in the NL in ERA, fourth in strikeouts, fifth in FIP, and sixth in WHIP. That kind of dominance over such a large sample is just too easy a choice for this award.

Runner-up: RHP Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies
Stat line: 11-13, 3.25 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 2.58 FIP, 235/29 K/BB in 205 innings
Aaron Nola's 3.25 ERA may have been just the thirteenth best in the National League, but it was an otherwise exceptional season. Pitching in front of an poor Phillies defense that finished 29th out of 30 teams in terms of outs above average and in a hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park, his 2.58 FIP (second in the NL) and 2.74 xERA (per Statcast) point to significant bad luck, mostly owing to that bad defense behind him. And yet he still threw the most innings in MLB by pitchers not named Alcantara, led all NL pitchers in fWAR (6.3) and walk rate (3.6%), and finished third in strikeouts, third in games started, and fourth in WHIP. It was about as well as you could expect anybody to pitch on their own, and if you swapped any other pitcher into his circumstances, I'm not sure you would have seen better numbers from anybody.

Honorable mention: RHP Carlos Rodon, San Francisco Giants
Stat line: 14-8, 2.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 2.25 FIP, 237/52 K/BB in 178 innings
Carlos Rodon found himself in a similar position to Aaron Nola, pitching in front of the third worst defense in the majors in San Francisco. In fact, if you take his defense out of it, his 2.25 FIP led all of Major League Baseball, so he controlled the three true outcomes better than anybody. In addition to leading the league in FIP, he also led the NL in strikeout rate (33.4%) and finished second in strikeouts (237), second in fWAR (6.2), sixth in ERA, and ninth in WHIP. He had eleven double digit strikeout games and was overall just a bat missing machine, which is exactly what the Giants needed given their relative inability to field the baseball.

Others
LHP Max Fried (Braves): 2.48 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 2.70 FIP, 170/32 K/BB in 185.1 innings
RHP Corbin Burnes (Brewers): 2.94 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 3.14 FIP, 243/51 K/BB in 202 innings
RHP Edwin Diaz (Mets): 1.31 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 0.90 FIP, 118/18 K/BB in 62 innings
RHP Spencer Strider (Braves): 2.67 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 1.83 FIP, 202/45 K/BB in 131.2 innings
RHP Ryan Helsley (Cardinals): 1.25 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 2.34 FIP, 94/20 K/BB in 64.2 innings

American League Rookie of the Year

Winner: C Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
Stat line: 13 HR, .254/.362/.445, 4 SB, 133 wRC+, 5.3 fWAR in 113 games
Adley Rutschman and Julio Rodriguez are so neck and neck, with fWAR assigning them both the same value at 5.3 and bWAR giving Rodriguez a 6.0 to 5.2 edge. You really can't go wrong with either here, and I'm only choosing Rutschman because you can't have two rookies of the year. Rutschman played 19 fewer games than Rodriguez and fell 13 points behind in wRC+, but he was also one of the better defensive catchers in baseball. The Orioles as a team had a 3.97 ERA this year, but that was down to 3.79 with Rutschman behind the plate versus 4.39 with Robinson Chirinos. He didn't only help the pitching staff, he helped the whole team. The Orioles were 16-24 (.400 WPCT) when he got called up, then went 67-55 (.549 WPCT) from there on out. To come in and immediately improve not only a pitching staff, but a team like that is even more impressive as a 24 year old rookie, and his presence is looking to kickstart an era that could bring the best Orioles teams since the Jim Palmer/Eddie Murray golden era of the 1970's and early 1980's. Rutschman isn't just notable for his glove, though, as his 133 wRC+ shows he brings a serious bat as well. His .362 on-base percentage would have been fourteenth best in the American League and his 13.8% walk rate sixth best if he had enough at bats to qualify, while his 35 doubles clocked in at thirteenth. Obviously those numbers won't blow you away, but again, this is a 24 year old rookie whose glove and clubhouse presence have already helped transform a team.

Runner-up: OF Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners
Stat line: 28 HR, .284/.345/.509, 25 SB, 146 wRC+, 5.3 fWAR in 132 games
Like I mentioned, Julio Rodriguez is equally deserving of the Rookie of the Year Award, and Adley Rutschman only beat him by a hair. Rodriguez's season was very different than Rutschman's, but just as impressive. He played in 19 more games, hit 15 more home runs, and posted a wRC+ 13 points higher, just about making up for Rutschman's prowess behind the plate. And don't forget about Rodriguez's glove, because even though center field might not be quite as important as catcher, his seven outs above average came in thirteenth among American League outfielders. In what was a down year for hitters, his 146 wRC+ was the fifth best in the entire AL, behind only Aaron Judge, Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, and Yandy Diaz (yep, Yandy Diaz quietly finished at 146). His 5.3 overall fWAR finished ninth in the league, just edging Rutschman. Rodriguez played the entire season at just 21 years old, in a very pitcher-friendly home stadium, and early in the season was the recipient of some of the worst called strike luck in recent memory, but you would't know that from his final numbers that included a 25-25 season. And we can't forget the show he put on at the Home Run Derby, either. He'll likely be worth every penny of that mega contract he signed with Seattle.

Honorable mention: OF Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
Stat line: 6 HR, .298/.373/.400, 19 SB, 124 wRC+, 4.4 fWAR in 147 games
It's a two horse race for the AL Rookie of the Year this year, but let's not forget about Cleveland outfielder Steven Kwan. An elite contact bat, he was one of just five qualified American League hitters to draw more walks than strikeouts, and his 9.4% strikeout rate was the second lowest in the league behind only Luis Arraez. His .373 on-base percentage was also ninth best in the league, so overall Kwan was just relentless about putting the ball in play and getting on base. The power wasn't quite there, but he did add significant value on defense with eight outs above average, good for eighth among AL outfielders. He fits in perfectly with Cleveland's contact-first style of play, and his big rookie season deserves recognition in the shadows of Adley Rutschman and Julio Rodriguez.

Others
RHP Jhoan Duran, Twins: 1.86 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 2.52 FIP, 89/16 K/BB in 67.2 innings
RHP George Kirby, Mariners: 3.39 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 2.99 FIP, 133/22 K/BB in 130 innings
RHP Joe Ryan, Twins: 3.55 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3.99 FIP, 151/47 K/BB in 147 innings
SS Jeremy Peña, Astros: 22 HR, .253/.289/.426, 11 SB, 102 wRC+ in 136 games
LHP Brock Burke, Rangers: 1.97 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 3.30 FIP, 90/24 K/BB in 82.1 innings

National League Rookie of the Year

Winner: RHP Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves
Stat line: 11-5, 2.67 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 1.83 FIP, 202/45 K/BB in 131.2 innings
The NL Rookie of the Year Award will come down to two Braves, and I think Spencer Strider gets the edge. He accrued the fifth most fWAR (4.9) of any National League pitcher this year, rookie or not, enough to earn the #6 spot on my NL Cy Young ballot. Though he only threw 131.2 innings, he was one of just six NL pitchers to record 200 strikeouts this year while his 38.3% strikeout rate and 1.83 FIP led the NL (min. 130 innings) by a huge margin ahead of second place Carlos Rodon's 33.4% and 2.25, respectively. He actually began the year in the Atlanta bullpen and made eleven relief appearances with a 2.22 ERA and a 37/11 strikeout to walk ratio in April and May, but jumped to the rotation at the end of the month and never looked back. He recorded his first double digit strikeout game in his third start and pitched the game of the year on September 1st, when he allowed jut two hits and no walks over eight shutout innings against the Rockies, striking out 16 along the way. Now Strider did walk 8.5% of his opponents, the ninth highest mark in the NL among pitchers who threw at least 130 innings, but if he can get that down, the league could have its next true ace.

Runner-up: OF Michael Harris, Atlanta Braves
Stat line: 19 HR, .297/.339/.514, 20 SB, 136 wRC+, 4.8 fWAR in 114 games
Like Spencer Strider, Michael Harris didn't play enough to qualify for rate-based stats, but he was so great once he did come up in late May that he deserves a good long look for the NL Rookie of the Year Award. I gave it to Strider because I see him fitting much better into the down ballot Cy Young discussion than Harris fits in the down ballot MVP discussion, but it is fairly close. Harris came one home run short of a 20-20 season despite missing a third of the season, and his .514 slugging percentage topped Julio Rodriguez for the best among MLB rookies (min. 100 games played) while his .297 batting average fell just behind Steven Kwan's .298 and his .853 OPS fell just behind Rodriguez's .854. He was also a very strong defender whose seven outs above average were enough to finish fourth among all NL outfielders. It's a pretty similar season overall to Rodriguez (in 18 fewer games), who got much more media attention.

Honorable mention: LHP Nick Lodolo, Cincinnati Reds
Stat line: 4-7, 3.66 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.90 FIP, 131/39 K/BB in 103.1 innings
It was a forgettable season in Cincinnati, but four rookie pitchers had seasons to remember. Nick Lodolo was perhaps the best among them and earns the third spot on my NL Rookie of the Year ballot, but Hunter Greene was right there behind him while Alexis Diaz was the best rookie reliever in the NL and Braxton Ashcraft made it to one hundred innings as well. Lodolo earns this spot despite throwing 22.1 fewer innings than Greene over five fewer starts because when he was on the mound, he was better. His 3.66 ERA, 3.90 FIP, and 1.25 FIP all compare very favorably to league averages, as the 24 year old gave the Reds 103.1 very effective innings in the rotation right off the bat. He got better as the season went along, too, and figures to stick around near the top of that Reds rotation for a very long time.

Others
RHP Hunter Greene (Reds): 4.44 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 4.37 FIP, 164/48 K/BB in 125.2 innings
RHP Alexis Diaz (Reds): 1.84 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 3.32 FIP, 83/33 K/BB in 63.2 innings
2B Brendan Donovan (Cardinals): 5 HR, .281/.394/.379, 2 SB, 129 wRC+ in 126 games
1B Joey Meneses (Nationals): 13 HR, .324/.367/.563, 1 SB, 156 wRC+ in 56 games
OF Seiya Suzuki (Cubs): 14 HR, .262/.336/.433, 9 SB, 116 wRC+ in 111 games

American League Reliever of the Year

Winner: RHP Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians
Stat line: 1.36 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 1.98 FIP, 77/10 K/BB in 72.2 innings
If you want to talk untouchable, then Emmanuel Clase is a great place to start. Opponents hit a paltry .167/.200/.225 against him as virtually nobody could barrel his triple digit cutter from start of the season to finish. His 28.4% strikeout rate was strong but not elite, but when hitters did make contact, it was weak contact galore as they wound up with a barrage of weak ground balls. He didn't walk anybody, either with just a 3.7% walk rate, so you really just had to get lucky to reach base. In fact, his longest stretch of consecutive appearances allowing a baserunner was just three appearances. In other words, he never went four games without posting at least one perfect appearance.

Others
RHP Jason Adam (Rays): 1.56 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 2.86 FIP, 75/17 K/BB in 63.1 innings
RHP Andres Muñoz (Mariners): 2.49 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 2.04 FIP, 96/15 K/BB in 65 innings
RHP Jhoan Duran, Twins: 1.86 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 2.52 FIP, 89/16 K/BB in 67.2 innings

National League Reliever of the Year

Winner: RHP Edwin Diaz, New York Mets
Stat line: 1.31 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 0.90 FIP, 118/18 K/BB in 62 innings
There were some great relievers in the National League this year, dare I say a deeper group than in the American League, but Edwin Diaz ultimately made this an easy choice. The man ran a 1.31 ERA as he allowed just nine runs in 62 innings, but even more impressive was a 0.90 FIP that represents the fourth lowest mark of all time (min. 50 innings) behind only 2012 Craig Kimbrel (0.78), 2003 Eric Gagne (0.86), and 2014 Aroldis Chapman (0.89). He was certainly helped by striking out 118 of the 235 batters he faced, good for a 50.2% strikeout rate that made him the third pitcher ever to strike out more than half the hitters he faced (min. 50 innings) after 2014 Chapman (52.5%) and 2012 Kimbrel (50.2%). Yeah, that'll play.

Others
RHP Ryan Helsley (Cardinals): 1.25 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 2.34 FIP, 94/20 K/BB in 64.2 innings
RHP Evan Phillips (Dodgers): 1.14 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 1.94 FIP, 77/15 K/BB in 63 innings
RHP Devin Williams (Brewers): 1.93 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 2.01 FIP, 96/30 K/BB in 60.2 innings

2020 Prospect Depth Chart: Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles' system is just night and day better than it was just a year and a half ago. Before the Manny Machado deal, the system was pretty much barren, but while acquisitions like Dean Kremer, Yusniel Diaz, Rylan Bannon, and Bruce Zimmermann have been nice, it's actually been homegrown talent that has given this system such a complete makeover. They've done a really good job with the recent group of college pitchers they've drafted, and now that group of Keegan Akin, Zac Lowther, and Michael Baumann, in addition to guys like Kremer, Zimmermann, and Alex Wells, looks like it can impact the non-existent Orioles rotation as soon as 2020. A pair of first round high school arms in DL Hall and Grayson Rodriguez look like they could be better than that whole group above them. On the offensive side, Adley Rutschman is clearly the headliner, and Ryan Mountcastle has been around forever, but a few other recent draftees like Adam Hall, Gunnar Henderson, Zach Watson, and Kyle Stowers look like they could become a nice offensive core down the line.

Affiliates: AAA Norfolk Tides, AA Bowie BaySox, High A Frederick Keys, Class A Delmarva Shorebirds, short season Aberdeen IronBirds, complex level GCL and DSL Orioles

Catcher
- Adley Rutschman (2020 Age: 22): Rutschman was just drafted first overall back in June, but he's probably already the top catching prospect in the game despite an unremarkable pro debut where he slashed .254/.351/.423 with four home runs and a 27/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 37 games between the complex level Gulf Coast League, short season Aberdeen, and Class A Delmarva. There's really nothing not to love with his all-around skill set. The switch hitter has plenty of pop from both sides, and he has no problems getting to it with excellent plate discipline and feel for the barrel. That leads to an easy projection of 25-30 home runs annually, or more, with high on-base percentages which could make him a Buster Posey type of catcher with more power. Defensively, he has both the arm strength and overall glove work to be a true asset behind the plate, and he comes with all the work ethic and leadership skills you look for in a catcher. Of course, nobody is a sure thing, but there are really no holes in Rutschman's profile and he should work his way to the upper minors by the end of 2020 and be in the big leagues by 2021. For those who remember all the hype behind Matt Wieters coming up, Rutschman is easily the better prospect.
- Keep an eye on: Brett Cumberland, Maverick Handley

Corner Infield
- Ryan Mountcastle (2020 Age: 23): The bad news is that Mountcastle has tumbled down the defensive spectrum over the years, getting drafted as a shortstop before moving to third base and eventually to first base/outfield, but the good news is that he's kept on hitting along the way and his OPS has gone up each year in the minors, giving him enough bat to profile as a 1B/OF type. In 2019, he slashed .312/.344/.527 with 25 home runs and a 130/24 strikeout to walk ratio over 127 games at AAA Norfolk, and he should be big league ready in early 2020. The book is pretty clear on Mountcastle at this point, as he uses his 6'3" frame to generate good power from the right side, and his advanced feel for the barrel helps him get to it consistently and hit lots of singles and doubles in addition to his home runs. He has an aggressive approach at the plate that limits his walks, so his high batting averages only translate into average on-base percentages, but he also doesn't strike out a whole lot and it hasn't affected his overall production at this point. There will likely be a learning curve as major league pitchers exploit that approach a bit at the next level, but I'd fully expect Mountcastle to hit 20-25 home runs annually with decent, batting average-driven on-base percentages.
- Andrew Daschbach (2020 Age: 22): The Orioles are really shallow at the corners behind Mountcastle, which could give 2019 eleventh round pick Andrew Daschbach the chance to break through. Daschbach, who signed above-slot out of Stanford, slashed .222/.349/.329 with three home runs and a 47/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 47 games at short season Aberdeen, showing off a patient approach at the plate but not much else at this point. He's got a lot of power in his 6'3" frame, which enabled him to hit four home runs in a college game against Cal Poly back in May, and he's a patient enough hitter that he should be able to tap it consistently in pro ball. He will, however, have to cut down on his strikeouts, and as a first baseman-only, he'll have to hit consistently in order to have a shot. I doubt he ends up a starter, but he could be a useful platoon bat down the line.
- Keep an eye on: Jomar Reyes, J.C. Escarra, Jean Carlos Encarnacion

Middle Infield
- Rylan Bannon (2020 Age: 24): Bannon is a little guy, listed at just 5'7", but he hits for plenty of impact nonetheless and slashed .266/.345/.421 with eleven home runs and an 86/50 strikeout to walk ratio over 130 games at AA Bowie and AAA Norfolk in 2019. Acquired from the Dodgers in the Manny Machado deal, Bannon makes his power play up with a big leg kick and an all out, but under control, swing, and his advanced plate discipline helps him unload on the right pitches and maximize his hit tool. He might be a little stretched at shortstop, but he can handle both second and third base well and has a good shot at cracking the Orioles roster in 2020 given how shallow they are, well, everywhere. His profile might be more conducive to a career as a utility man, but I like him as a prospect and I wouldn't be surprised if he broke through for a little bit more.
- Mason McCoy (2020 Age: 25): McCoy was a sixth round senior sign out of Iowa in 2017, then after an unremarkable first full season in 2018 (.266/.331/.369 at Class A), he broke out with the bat in 2019 to put himself firmly in the Orioles' future infield picture. He slashed .379/.416/.509 with a pair of home runs and a 16/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 27 games at High A Frederick, earning a quick promotion to AA Bowie and holding his own with a .266/.326/.343 line, two home runs, and an 84/36 strikeout to walk ratio over 105 games at the higher level. McCoy clearly does not have a ton of power, but he puts the bat on the ball consistently and uses his speed to add another dimension to his offensive game. He's also a strong defender that could stick at shortstop, but he'll more likely end up in a utility role where he fills in all around the infield with a light but playable bat. Even with the Orioles signing Jose Iglesias while I wrote this article, he should be able to crack the roster at some point in 2020.
- Adam Hall (2020 Age: 20-21): The Orioles took Hall in the second round out of an Ontario high school in 2017 with the expectation that he'd move slowly, which he has, but he's also hit well along the way. In 2019, he slashed .298/.385/.395 with five home runs, 33 stolen bases, and a 117/45 strikeout to walk ratio over 122 games at Class A Delmarva, a fitting line given his current skill set and a big improvement from where he was when he was drafted. Hall doesn't project for a ton of power, but the Orioles have streamlined his swing and he's getting better and better with his pitch recognition. That's helping him use his plus speed more, and he's now stolen 55 bases over the past two seasons. He's a good defender at shortstop, too, though with a limited ceiling with the bat, the Orioles are banking on him tightening up his strike zone judgement even more in hopes that he can eventually become a leadoff type.
- Gunnar Henderson (2020 Age: 18-19): Henderson was more of a first round talent, and though the Orioles drafted him with the first pick of the second round out of his Alabama high school, they gave him a first round bonus of $2.3 million to sign. As you might expect for a player coming out of rural Alabama, especially one a bit young for his draft class, he's understandably raw as a player, but he was making real progress as his senior year progressed and the Orioles loved his upside. He's extremely athletic at 6'3" and finds the barrel consistently from the left side, and once he fills out his frame, he'll likely hit for good power as well. Defensively, he's improving and could stick at shortstop, but he should still have the bat to profile at third base if he has to move there. Overall, it's hard to peg down exactly what he'll turn into, but that could be a shortstop with 20-25 home run power and high on-base percentages in the best case scenario. As a kid who won't turn 19 until June, he'll probably take significant time to get through the minors.
- Keep an eye on: Cadyn Grenier, Wilbis Santiago, Joseph Ortiz, Darell Hernaiz

Outfield
- Austin Hays (2020 Age: 24-25): Hays first reached the majors in 2017 and has played 41 games for the Orioles, but he's still two at bats shy of the rookie threshold and technically remains a prospect. It feels like a lifetime ago that he hit 32 home runs and slashed .329/.365/.593 in the minors back in 2017, as multiple injuries have kept him from establishing himself as a major leaguer at this point. In 2019, Hays slashed .248/.299/.464 with 17 home runs and an 83/18 strikeout to walk ratio over 87 games across four levels, and overall in his 41 major league games he's slashed .266/.312/.453 with five home runs and a 29/9 strikeout to walk ratio. He might not have quite as much power as we thought he did in 2017, but there's no question he can impact the ball consistently and against high level pitching. He rarely walks, but he also doesn't strike out a ton, and the key to his success will be channeling that innate feel for the barrel and continuing to lift the ball consistently. If he can consistently impact the ball in the air, I think he'll find success and be a 20 homer bat for the Orioles. If pitchers can get him to roll over and force him into ground balls, he's probably more of a fourth outfielder. On his side is defense, as he's strong in right field and can handle center as well.
- Yusniel Diaz (2020 Age: 23): The Dodgers signed Diaz for $15.5 million out of Cuba in 2015 and had to pay an additional $15.5 million in penalty taxes, then they shipped him to the Orioles in the Manny Machado deal in 2018. 2019 was up and down for Diaz, as he slashed .265/.341/.464 with eleven home runs and a 75/36 strikeout to walk ratio over 85 games, mostly at AA Bowie. He started slowly and missed time with a few injuries, but he started to heat up as the season went along. He's hit over power, but his big swing helps him get the most out of his power and he should be at least somewhat of an over the fence threat at the major league level. He finds the barrel easily and consistently, though the strike zone did get away from him occasionally in 2019 a bit more than it did in the past, and the key for him going forward will be tightening it up like he's capable of. He's also a good defender who should handle right field well, and he could push Hays over to center field if he hits like he's capable of. It feels like the common theme here is "like he's capable of," and that's intentional, because the real simple scouting report is that he's extremely talented but hasn't quite put it together yet. So we'll see, he'll be 23 for all of 2020.
- Ryan McKenna (2020 Age: 23): McKenna was a fourth round pick out of high school in eastern New Hampshire in 2015, and as you'd expect from a kid from the frozen north, it took him a little bit of time to figure things out. He busted out with the bat in 2018 by slashing .377/.467/.556 over 67 games at High A before a promotion up to AA, though he hasn't quite figured that level out yet. He slashed .239/.341/.338 in 60 games there in 2018, then in 2019, he slashed .232/.321/.365 with nine home runs, 25 stolen bases, and a 121/59 strikeout to walk ratio over 135 games, all with AA Bowie. He's a compact player at 5'11", but he's the kind of guy who gets the most out of what he has with a line drive approach and a knack for hard contact. His best tool is his speed, which helps him on both sides of the ball, and overall it's a really nice fourth outfielder package. If he can recapture just a little bit of whatever he did at High A in 2018, he should get there.
- Zach Watson (2020 Age: 22-23): Watson is one of the latest in a really talented group of outfielders to come through LSU recently, which also included Mikie Mahtook and prospects Jake Fraley (Mariners), Greg Deichmann (A's), and Antoine Duplantis (Mets). Drafted in the third round in 2019, he slashed .224/.295/.431 with five home runs and a 30/10 strikeout to walk ratio over 36 games at short season Aberdeen and Class A Delmarva in his pro debut. He's an extremely skinny kid with a lot of wiry strength and the feel for the barrel that enabled him to post high batting averages against quality pitching in the SEC and in the Cape Cod League, and the Orioles had him focus on turning that hard contact into playable power in his pro debut by putting the ball in the air.
- Kyle Stowers (2020 Age: 22): Stowers was actually drafted eight picks before Watson, in the second competitive balance round out of Stanford, and he went on to slash .216/.289/.377 with six home runs and a 53/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 55 games at short season Aberdeen. He was drafted for his bat, namely his power, as his game is pretty unspectacular everywhere else. He has an aggressive approach at the plate and had some swing and miss questions earlier in his Stanford career, but he improved in that regard in 2019 and shouldn't have a problem handling pro pitching. His power has been a bit streaky, so the Orioles will hope they can help him tap it more consistently without causing the strikeout rate to go up, which is entirely doable in my opinion. He has the upside of a guy who could hit 25-30 home runs annually, albeit with lower on-base percentages and fringe-average defense in left field.
- Johnny Rizer (2020 Age: 23): Rizer was a seventh rounder TCU in 2019, the culmination of an up and down college career that saw him start at Louisiana-Lafayette as a freshman, transfer to Blinn College in Texas, then struggle as a junior at TCU before catching his stride as a senior. He then slashed .308/.365/.456 with four home runs and a 45/15 strikeout to walk ratio over 63 games at short season Aberdeen and Class A Delmarva. His extremely successful debut showcased his innate ability to find the barrel from a quick left handed swing, though he'll likely never be a power hitter and will instead settle for line drives in the gaps. It's a fourth outfielder profile, but he's a definitely a sleeper given his lack of loud tools combined with his ability to make the most of what he has – not too dissimilar to Ryan McKenna, but without the plus speed.
- Keep an eye on: T.J. Nichting, Cole Billingsley

Starting Pitching
- Dean Kremer (2020 Age: 24): Kremer grew up in Stockton, California, but he's likely to become the first Israeli citizen to play in the majors. Originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 14th round out of UNLV in 2016, he came over in the Manny Machado deal and has been excellent in the Orioles' system, and in 2019 he posted a 3.72 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP, and a 122/37 strikeout to walk ratio over 113.2 innings at High A Frederick, AA Bowie, and AAA Norfolk. He has an ideal pitchers' frame at 6'3", and he sits in the low to mid 90's with his running fastball. He also adds a great curveball with a ton of movement as well as a distinct slider and a changeup, and he commands everything adequately enough. He probably needs either a little bit more refinement in his command or of his changeup in order to really succeed as a major league starter, both of which are entirely doable, but the Orioles will give him every chance to prove himself and he has a good shot at cracking the rotation at some point in early 2020 with mid-rotation upside.
- Keegan Akin (2020 Age: 25): Akin was a second rounder out of Western Michigan in 2016, and in 2019 he posted a 4.73 ERA, a 1.51 WHIP, and a 131/61 strikeout to walk ratio over 112.1 innings at AAA Norfolk, a hitter-friendly context. He's a 6' lefty that sits in the low 90's with his fastball and adds a good, lateral-breaking slider and a changeup, all of which play up because of the angle he can put on them with his delivery. His command can be inconsistent but tends to be pretty sturdy, and overall it's probably a #4/#5 starter profile without a ton of upside. He might fit better in the bullpen long term, but the Orioles don't have too many major league starters at present and he'll get every chance to land in that rotation until he's perhaps bumped by some of the other advanced arms they have coming up through the system.
- Zac Lowther (2020 Age: 24): Lowther is a very similar prospect to Akin, just a year younger, and he was drafted in the second competitive balance round out of Xavier 2017. He's dominated ever since he reached pro ball with a career 2.26 ERA, and in 2019 he had a 2.55 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and a 154/63 strikeout to walk ratio over 148 innings at AA Bowie. Lowther, like Akin, is a stocky lefty with a low 90's fastball, though his is maybe a tick slower than Akin's, and like Akin, he relies more on the way the ball comes out of his hand than on pure stuff. He adds a good dropping curveball and a solid fading changeup, which he can command pretty well, and he gets really good extension from his 6'2" frame coming towards the plate that makes his stuff play up. I'd give Lowther the exact same projection as Akin, except he might have a bit higher of a ceiling/chance to stick in the rotation just based on the fact that he's had such consistent success throughout his time in the minors.
- Michael Baumann (2020 Age: 24): Baumann is more of the Dean Kremer cut, and he's had plenty of minor league success since being drafted in the third round out of Jacksonville in 2017, where he was teammates with Austin Hays. In 2019, he had a 2.98 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and a 142/45 strikeout to walk ratio over 124 innings at High A Frederick and AA Bowie, a nice follow-up to the strong year he had in A ball the year before. Baumann sits in the mid 90's with his fastball, and it plays quicker due to his extension and 6'4" frame. He adds a slider, a curve, and a changeup, with the slider perhaps sticking out, though for the most part he uses his secondaries to play off of his fastball. His command has been a bit inconsistent, but it's improving and it's probably safely average at this point, so the last step for him is probably to just get more consistent with his secondary stuff and that command. He has some of the better upside between these top five, though he also carries some relief risk and could be an effective fastball/slider reliever who mixes in a changeup.
- Brandon Bailey (2020 Age: 25): Bailey has already changed organizations twice since being a sixth round pick out of Gonzaga in 2016, first from Oakland to Houston for Ramon Laureano in 2017 then onto Baltimore in the Rule 5 draft. That means he'll have to stick on the 26 man roster or be sent back to Houston in 2020, which means he might see time as both a starter and a reliever. In 2019, he had a 3.30 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and a 103/41 strikeout to walk ratio over 92.2 innings in AA, showcasing pretty average stuff across the board but not true weak spots. He sits in the low 90's with his fastball, adds a full set of secondaries that look good but not great, and commands it well enough. That's your basic #5 starter package, so the key to sticking in the rotation will be staying on top of that command, while a bump to the bullpen could mean his stuff would play up in shorter stints. Either way, you'll see a lot of him in 2020.
- Alex Wells (2020 Age: 23): Wells has moved slowly through the Orioles' system since signing for $300,000 out of Australia in 2015, but he's also been effective every step of the way and posted a 2.95 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and a 105/24 strikeout to walk ratio over 137.1 innings at AA Bowie in 2019. He doesn't throw that hard, sitting in the upper 80's, and his soft curveball isn't much of a weapon either, though it does have nice downer movement. However, he gets his outs due to excellent command, and it also pays to have a very good, fading changeup to keep hitters off balance. His margin for error keeps getting smaller as he works his way up through the minors, but he just continues to get tighter and tighter with that command and he could end up a #4 or a #5 starter, though I'd still prefer some of the names ahead of him on this list.
- Bruce Zimmermann (2020 Age: 25): Zimmermann is a hometown guy, having graduated from Loyola Blakefield High School in Towson before attending Towson University for two years, though he then transferred to Mount Olive College in North Carolina. Acquired from the Braves in the Kevin Gausman deal, he posted a 3.21 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and a 134/52 strikeout to walk ratio over 140 innings at AA Bowie and AAA Norfolk in 2019, and now he's knocking on the door to the bigs. He's not too dissimilar to Wells, actually, sitting around 90 with his fastball and adding a decent slider and a changeup with good command. Wells is probably the slightly better prospect due to the tighter command, but Zimmermann does have #5 starter potential and he'll compete for a spot in 2020.
- DL Hall (2020 Age: 21): Hall was a first round pick out of a Georgia high school in 2017, and his stock remains about where it was when he was drafted. In 2019, he put up a 3.46 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, and a 116/54 strikeout to walk ratio over 80.2 innings at High A Frederick, certainly impressive numbers for a 20 year old at that level. He sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and adds a great curveball that acts as his strikeout pitch, and he's come along nicely with a changeup that is an effective pitch in its own right. However, despite the success he's had so far in his minor league career, he still looks much more like a prospect than a big leaguer. His command remains spotty and in need of further refinement, and he has yet to throw 100 innings in a season, showing the need for improved durability. There building blocks are absolutely there for the 6'2" lefty, he just needs significant further refinement to put them together. The good news is that he'll play all of 2020 at 21 years old and he could make those breakthroughs at any point.
- Grayson Rodriguez (2020 Age: 20): Rodriguez might be a level behind Hall, but he's probably the better prospect at this point and I wouldn't be surprised if he beat him to the majors. A first rounder out of an East Texas high school in 2018, Rodriguez posted a 2.68 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and a 129/36 strikeout to walk ratio over 94 innings at Class A Delmarva in 2019. He's a big, 6'5" righty with a power low to mid 90's fastball and a pair of distinct, great breaking balls in a hard biting slider and a downer curveball, as well as a developing changeup. His arsenal, as well as his ability to command it decently, were enough to completely overwhelm Class A hitters. That command can be a bit inconsistent, but he also pitched all of 2019 at 19 years old, and I don't see it as much of an issue at this point. He does still have one other thing to work on, that being a deep arm plunge that might give more advanced hitters a good look at his pitches. The Orioles also held him on a short leash, giving him just 94 innings over 20 starts, so he'll have to prove his durability.
- Kyle Bradish (2020 Age: 23): Copied from the Angels' system report before he was shipped to Baltimore in the Dylan Bundy deal: A fourth round pick out of New Mexico State in 2018, Bradish didn't pitch professionally that year but skipped all the way to High A Inland Empire for his pro debut this year. The results weren't spectacular, but he still exceeded expectations with a 4.28 ERA, a 1.42 WHIP, and a 120/53 strikeout to walk ratio over 101 innings against advanced competition in a hitters' league. Originally projected as a reliever, he delayed that potential move with his performance this year and by doing a better job of maintaining low 90's heat late into his starts. While nothing he throws grades out as a plus, his tilt and go delivery makes everything play up as it's hard to time and see his pitches. His command was a bit better than expected in 2019, and while a move to the bullpen is still possible due to the effort in his delivery, he might just be able to throw enough strikes to stick as a potential #4 starter.
- Drew Rom (2020 Age: 20): Drew Rom was a fourth round pick out of a Cincinnati-area high school in 2018, then quietly put up a great season in 2019 with a 2.93 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and a 122/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 95.1 innings at Class A Delmarva. It's hard to say exactly what led to his success – the lefty sits around 90 with his fastball and adds a decent slider that flashes plus and a nice splitter, which he commands adequately, a truly average all-around game. Somehow, though, South Atlantic League hitters could not figure him out. I was considering writing up Brenan Hanifee or Blaine Knight in this spot, but both were inconsistent in High A this year, and Rom hasn't been hit hard yet so he gets the spot. At 6'2", he's projectable and could sit in the low 90's down the road, which combined with his slider, splitter, and hopefully gains in his command, could make him a sleeper to become a quality starting pitching option.
- Keep an eye on: Luis Ortiz, Tom Eshelman, Blaine Knight, Brenan Hanifee, Ofelky Peralta, Gray Fenter, Leonardo Rodriguez, Zach Peek

Relief Pitching
- Hunter Harvey (2020 Age: 25): Harvey was a first rounder out of a North Carolina high school in 2013, so he's been a prospect forever; that 2013 draft has already produced Kris Bryant, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger, among others, so it's amazing that Harvey is still a prospect. Injury after injury has kept him from throwing even 90 innings in any single season, and from 2015-2017, he threw a total of just 31.1 in three years. In 2019, Harvey posted a 5.00 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, and an 83/26 strikeout to walk ratio over 75.2 innings at AA Bowie and AAA Norfolk, and he finally reached the major leagues and posted a 1.42 ERA and an 11/4 strikeout to walk ratio over 6.1 innings in relief. Arm troubles aside, there's no question about the talent, as he sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and adds a really good curveball that gets a lot of swings and misses. With all the missed time to injuries, the rest of his game is still inconsistent, and at this point the fastball/curveball combination will play really well in the bullpen, especially with all the pitching prospects near the top.
- Cody Sedlock (2020 Age: 24-25): It's been a weird few years for Sedlock, who rode a breakout junior year at Illinois to a back-of-the-first-round selection in 2016, but struggled in both 2017 and 2018 and looked like a fringe-prospect. However, he bounced back in 2019, posting a 2.84 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and a 100/46 strikeout to walk ratio over 95 innings at High A Frederick and AA Bowie after having a 5.11 ERA in 2018 and a 5.90 ERA in 2017. He's never really regained the stuff he had that junior year in college, which now looks like more of a fluke than anything else, but he's learned to pitch with more average stuff and that drove his breakout. He sits in the low 90's with his fastball and adds a full set of secondaries, with his slider and changeup in particular looking very effective when he can hit his spots with them. He still needs to tighten in his command a bit more, but I think he's low enough on the starting pitcher depth chart that he'll move to the bullpen anyways, where he might be able to combine re-improved stuff with his knew knowledge of pitching and become an effective long reliever.
- Kyle Brnovich (2020 Age: 22): The Angels drafted Brnovich in the eighth round out of Elon in 2019, but he didn't pitch afterwards and was shipped to Baltimore in the Dylan Bundy deal, so he never threw a pitch in their organization. He's a really interesting pitcher because he only sits in the upper 80's with his fastball, sometimes bumping the low 90's, but his bread and butter is a wicked slider that just dives towards the left handed batters box and just keeps on diving and diving. He can also get some nice fade on his changeup and his pitches can play up because of a little hop in his delivery that adds deception, but make no mistake about what makes Brnovich notable. The Orioles will try to develop him as a starter for now, but my guess is he ends up in the bullpen where he could just pitch off that slider and miss a ton of bats.
- Keep an eye on: Dillon Tate, Isaac Mattson, Zach Pop

2019 Draft Review: Baltimore Orioles

First five rounds: Adley Rutschman (1-1), Gunnar Henderson (2-42), Kyle Stowers (CBB-71), Zach Watson (3-79), Joey Ortiz (4-108), Darell Hernaiz (5-138)
Also notable: Maverick Handley (6-168), Andrew Daschbach (11-318), Dan Hammer (13-378)

Obviously, this draft is going to be headlined by Adley Rutschman, possibly the best college catching prospect ever, or at the very least since Florida State's Buster Posey in 2008. For those who remember the Matt Wieters hype, Rutschman is easily better at the same stage of his career and should be a future All Star with power, high on-base percentages, great defense, and leadership. Moving past Rutschman, though, there's a lot to like elsewhere in this draft. Gunnar Henderson provides a ton of upside and guys like Kyle Stowers, Zach Watson, and Dan Hammer seem like they could take a big step forward with pro coaching. It was also a Stanford-themed draft, as the Orioles took Stanford position players in the second Competitive Balance round, the sixth round, and the eleventh round.

1-1: C Adley Rutschman (Oregon State, my rank: 1)
Adley Rutschman is not short on praise, and it's well deserved as one of the best draft prospects of the decade, perhaps the best since Bryce Harper in 2010. Simply put, he's the complete package as a player. The Portland-area native slashed just .234/.322/.306 as a freshman at Oregon State in 2017, then put himself firmly into the first overall conversation after a huge sophomore year where he slashed .408/.505/.628 as a sophomore. Somehow, he got even better in 2019, finishing with a .411/.575/.751 line, 17 home runs, and a 38/76 strikeout to walk ratio over 57 games. Despite going through the rigors of catching and playing in a tough Pac-12 conference, Rutschman led all college baseball players in on-base percentage (.575), OPS (1.326), and walks (76) while finishing fifth in batting average (.411) and sixth in slugging percentage (.751). As you might figure from those stats, he has an excellent feel for hitting between great plate discipline (28.6% walk rate, 14.3% strikeout rate) and great feel for the barrel, and that helps him get to his plus power very consistently. Defensively, he's a superb catcher with both a strong arm and a great glove, and he comes with all of the desired leadership skills you look for in a catcher. Together, that helps Rutschman project for 30 or more home runs per season with high on-base percentages and borderline Gold Glove defense, or as some would call it, "MVP caliber." He draws a lot of comparisons to Buster Posey, which is natural given that Posey was the game's most recent elite catcher, though Rutschman looks to have more power. No pressure or anything, Adley, but the expectations are sky high. He'll inevitably have his ups and downs working through the minors and breaking into the majors, but given his power, competency for hitting, defense, and work ethic, it's hard to see him becoming anything but a star. He signed for a record $8.1 million, which was still $320,000 below slot, and he's slashing .176/.282/.294 with a home run and a 4/5 strikeout to walk ratio over ten games between the complex level Gulf Coast League and short season Aberdeen.

2-42: SS Gunnar Henderson (Morgan Academy [AL], my rank: 25)
After saving money on Rutschman, the Orioles dipped into the high school ranks to spend that extra money on Gunnar Henderson. Henderson hails from Selma, Alabama, and you don't see too many players from these small towns in the Deep South get drafted this high out of high school. Henderson is the exception, having been a late riser on many boards with a great senior year at John T. Morgan Academy, and while he's still raw, he's improved considerably as of late. He's 6'3" and is very athletic, which helps him on both sides of the ball, and he has shown both power and feel for the barrel this spring. He has a quick bat solid raw power, and he has been getting to it more frequently, albeit against mediocre competition in Central Alabama. He's also getting it figured out defensively, with his strong arm and athleticism making him a virtual lock to stay on the left side of the infield, possibly at shortstop if he can refine his game a little bit, but if not, definitely at third base. He also didn't turn 18 until June, and he has the upside to hit 20-30 home runs per season with good on-base percentages and good defense. However, unlike Rutschman, he will need a lot of time to develop and probably won't move through the minors very quickly at all. Committed to Auburn, he instead signed for $2.3 million, which was $530,000 above slot, and he's slashing .240/.339/.280 with a 15/7 strikeout to walk ratio over 14 games in the Gulf Coast League.

CBB-71: OF Kyle Stowers (Stanford, my rank: 67)
Kyle Stowers is a bit of a polarizing player because of the way his numbers have fluctuated, but I think pro coaching can really help him. The San Diego-area native showed power from an aggressive approach when he slashed .286/.383/.512 as a sophomore at Stanford in 2018, but that approach didn't hurt him when he went on to the elite Cape Cod League and slashed .326/.361/.565 with six home runs and a 34/7 strikeout to walk ratio over 34 games there that summer. Then in 2019, he was a different player; this year, he slashed .303/.369/.523 with nine home runs and a 31/24 strikeout to walk ratio over 55 games in a lineup that also included 2019 Orioles draft picks Maverick Handley (6th round) and Andrew Daschbach (11th round). Stowers' strikeout rate dropped from 20.4% as a sophomore to 12.4% as a junior, while his walk rate also dropped a little from 12.5% to 9.6%. His swing is more direct this year, which has helped his strikeout rates, and he generates good power from his 6'3" frame and whippy swing. However, I think he could actually tap into it even more once he gets to working with Orioles minor league hitting coaches, and he could eventually profile for 20-30 home runs annually if things break right. While he improved his contact rates this year, it will still be something to follow as he works his way through pro ball. Additionally, he's an aggressive hitter and will probably never post high on-base percentages, so most of his value will be tied to that power, even if he hits for high averages. Defensively, he holds his own in the outfield but is nothing special. Stowers signed at slot for $884,200, and he's slashing .231/.294/.352 with a home run and a 31/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 30 games with Aberdeen.

3-79: OF Zach Watson (Louisiana State, my rank: 91)
Zach Watson could have gone in the top 100 picks as a draft eligible sophomore last year, where he slashed .308/.366/.479 for LSU and ranked 75th on my 2018 draft list, but he (along with Zack Hess) opted to return to Baton Rouge for his junior season. It turned out to be much of the same, as he slashed a nearly identical .308/.378/.468 with seven home runs and a 47/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 60 games. The Ruston, Louisiana native is a very consistent hitter who has proven himself against tough SEC pitching, and he also slashed .382/.450/.500 in a brief, ten game run through the Cape Cod League, so there's no question about his feel for the barrel. Watson is extremely skinny, listed at six feet and 160 pounds, and he uses that barrel to spray hard line drives around the field. Despite his slight stature, there might actually be some power projection in there just because he hits the ball so darn hard, and additional loft in his swing could help him hit 15 home runs per season. While he does have that coveted feel for the barrel, one important issue to address early in his pro career will be his plate discipline, which is average for now. Watson can also fly on the bases and in the outfield, where he lacks a big arm but is overall an above average defender. Overall, he looks like a fourth outfielder at first glance, but he's the kind of guy that could take off with pro coaching and end up an everyday center fielder. He is very old for his class, having turned 22 in June, so that's one knock. Watson signed at slot for $780,400, and he's slashing .247/.316/.494 with five home runs, five stolen bases, and a 24/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 29 games between Aberdeen and Class A Delmarva.

4-108: SS Joey Ortiz (New Mexico State, unranked)
I mentioned in Adley Rutschman's paragraph that he had the fifth highest batting average in college baseball at .411 this year. Well, Joey Ortiz ranked third at .422. While New Mexico State a) is an extremely hitter-friendly environment and b) doesn't face the same competition in the Western Athletic Conference that Oregon State sees in the Pac-12, ranking ahead of Rutschman in anything is pretty darn impressive, especially when you're third best in the country (albeit second on your own team behind Nick Gonzales' NCAA-leading .432). Ortiz' huge breakout year overall saw him slash .422/.474/.697 with eight home runs and a 26/21 strikeout to walk ratio over 55 games, though it was a little inflated in that Coors Field-like environment in Las Cruces. The Los Angeles-area native has great feel for the barrel and should continue to hit for a high average in pro ball, though he'll need to get more patient at the plate if he wants to post high on-base percentages as well. Though he hit eight home runs at New Mexico State this year, he'll probably be more of a singles and doubles hitter in pro ball at 5'11" and with an all-fields approach. With very competent defense at shortstop, his profile screams utility infielder down the line. On the plus side, he's more than a year younger than Zach Watson and didn't turn 21 until July. He signed for for $450,000, which was $88,200 below slot, and he's slashing .241/.315/.286 with a home run and a 19/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 31 games at Aberdeen.

5-138: SS Darell Hernaiz (Americas HS [TX], unranked)
Just 50 miles down the road from New Mexico State's campus in Las Cruces, the Orioles found another shortstop in El Paso high schooler Darell Hernaiz. He's a very athletic kid with high upside, but he has a long way to go developmentally. He's got some power but hasn't fully tapped into it yet, with room to grow in his 6'1" frame. He's also solid defensively but may not be able to stick at shortstop. Really, it's hard to project him at this point, especially because I'm writing this article on his 18th birthday two months after the draft, but his athleticism and strength should help him on both sides of the ball through what should be a long development path. Committed to Texas Tech, he signed for $400,000, which was $2,000 below slot, and he's slashing .213/.373/.298 with a home run and a 15/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 15 games in the Gulf Coast League.

6-168: C Maverick Handley (Stanford, unranked)
The Orioles picked up Kyle Stowers in the second Competitive Balance Round, and almost a hundred picks later, they grabbed his teammate, Maverick Handley. The man with the 80 grade baseball name slashed .290/.393/.442 with five home runs and a 39/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 59 games, but it's really his defense and feel for the game that the Orioles are buying as he will inevitably have a tough time starting considering who they took first overall. The Denver native has great plate discipline that helps him get his pitch and do enough damage to remain viable with the bat, but at a stocky 5'11", he lacks much power and projects as a low-impact hitter overall. Defensively, he gets the job done and then some, as he is a lock to stick behind the plate both with his glove and with his leadership skills. Ultimately, he projects as Rutschman's backup down the line, and the Adley Rutschman/Maverick Handley combination might have the coolest pair of names ever for any pair of major league catchers on the same team. He signed for $250,000, which was $51,600 below slot, and he's slashing .218/.338/.273 with a 24/7 strikeout to walk ratio over 21 games at Aberdeen.

11-318: 1B Andrew Daschbach (Stanford, unranked)
Make that three Stanford hitters in the first eleven rounds for the Orioles. However, Andrew Daschbach is perhaps the polar opposite to Maverick Handley as a player. The Silicon Valley native is a pure masher, and he slashed .289/.382/.602 with 17 home runs and a 54/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 59 games for Stanford this year. That big season was highlighted by a four homer performance against Cal Poly on May 14th, and he also slashed a strong .306/.424/.515 with five home runs and a 32/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 40 games on the Cape. At 6'3" and 225 pounds, he's plenty strong enough to blast balls out of any park, and he has gotten to that power consistently against quality pitching. However, his plate discipline is only so-so, with a 21.7% strikeout rate and just a 10% walk rate, so it's fully a power-only profile. There's not too much projection, but he could hit 20 home runs annually if he gets to the majors and tightens his control of the strike zone. Defensively, he's limited to first base and could end up a DH long term, so all of the pressure will be on his power. He signed for $250,000, which counted for $125,000 against the Orioles' bonus pool, and he's slashing .227/.370/.333 with one home run and an 18/15 strikeout to walk ratio over 24 games at Aberdeen, where he once again shares the lineup with Handley and Kyle Stowers.

13-378: RHP Dan Hammer (Pittsburgh, unranked)
Between Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Maverick Handley, and now Dan Hammer, the Orioles really are stocking up on the cool names. Hammer comes from Pitt, where he has never quite put it together despite strikeout stuff. The Philadelphia native posted a 6.55 ERA, a 1.85 WHIP, and an 80/37 strikeout to walk ratio over 66 innings for the Panthers this year, but he was much better on the Cape last summer, where his ERA was just 2.16 and he struck out 20 batters to five walks in 25 innings. He sits in the low 90's with his fastball and adds a solid breaking ball and changeup, but his stuff hasn't been consistent and he has gotten hit hard when he fell behind in the count. The Orioles will work to get him more consistent with everything in the hopes of getting a #4 starter, though shifting him to the bullpen could help him take a big step forward. Hammer signed for $150,000, which counts for $25,000 against the bonus pool, and he has a 1.17 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, and a 19/6 strikeout to walk ratio over 15.1 innings at Aberdeen.

2019 Draft Preview: Catchers

Drafting catchers is extremely risky, because catching is both the most demanding and the most difficult job on the diamond. Most catchers are either considered bat-first or glove-first, and many struggle to develop the secondary trait because the rigors of catching are either a) too difficult to learn or b) holding back their bat. High school catchers are especially risky, but even college catchers flop with regularity, as we have recently seen with guys like Max Pentecost (2014 Kennesaw State -> Blue Jays), Austin Rei (2015 Washington -> Red Sox), Chris Okey (2016 Clemson -> Reds), and Logan Ice (2016 Oregon State -> Indians).

Tier I: Adley Rutschman, Shea Langeliers
While catchers tend to be risky, there are two excellent options right at the top, by themselves making this a banner year for college catching. Adley Rutschman is the best catching prospect in recent memory, topping even Joey Bart (2018 Georgia Tech -> Giants), Mike Zunino (2012 Florida -> Mariners), and Matt Wieters (2007 Georgia Tech -> Orioles). He is exceptional in every facet of the game, absolutely crushing Pac-12 pitching with 16 home runs, a .424/.575/.771 slash line, and a 36/66 strikeout to walk ratio through 51 games, showing power, contact, and plate discipline. Rutschman is as safe a bet as any player in this class to hit well in pro ball, and he could produce 30 or more home runs annually with high on-base percentages. Defensively, he produces plenty of positive value, showing great glove work and a strong arm behind the plate. On top of that, he is considered a strong leader and a hard worker, and in all likelihood the Orioles will pick him first overall. Meanwhile, in most other draft classes, Baylor's Shea Langeliers would be the top catching prospect available. Langeliers is a glove-first catcher with a cannon arm and very good glove work, likely better defensively than even Rutschman. His bat, however, is an interesting story. He was just decent at the plate in 2018 (11 HR, .252/.351/.496, 45/35 K/BB), and a hand injury at the beginning of the season looked to slow him down even further. However, he has been very good since returning, slashing .311/.376/.484 with six home runs and a 24/15 strikeout to walk ratio, and he figures to be an average hitter in the majors. While that's not the most exciting profile, Yadier Molina is still a potential Hall of Famer, though Langeliers figures to hit for a little more power with a little bit lower of an on-base percentage. He looks to be drafted somewhere in the top half of the first round, likely closer to the middle than the front.

Tier II: Ethan Hearn, Jonathan French
The top two high school catchers are pretty close to each other with their stock, though high school catchers in general come with a ton of risk and I'd be weary of picking either of these players on day one. I see Mobile product Ethan Hearn as the slightly better prospect, as he has shown plenty of power and loft at the plate, though he does have some swing and miss in his game. He's solid defensively with his strong arm but needs to clean up the rest of his game behind the plate. Overall, he has the tools to be a successful, productive catcher on both sides of the ball, but tweaking both sides of a catcher's game simultaneously is difficult and Hearn has plenty of risk. He looks to go in the second or third round. Over in the Atlanta area, Jonathan French has a fairly similar profile to Hearn. He shows power from a clean swing, though he also has swing and miss issues and I'm slightly more confident in Hearn's power than his. Defensively, he also has a strong arm and is ahead of Hearn with his overall glove work, but he still has work to do and also comes with plenty of risk. He's also a second or third rounder, but he more likely fits in the third.

Tier III: Kyle McCann, Carter Bins, Thomas Dillard
On the college side, these three come with work to do, just like Hearn and French, but they're also three years older. Kyle McCann plays for Georgia Tech and has absolutely mashed this year, slashing .296/.462/.699 with 22 home runs and a 63/54 strikeout to walk ratio through 52 games, showing no doubt about his pure power but raising questions about his hit tool. Sure, McCann can take just about any ACC pitcher deep, but he has also struck out in a quarter of his plate appearances and slashed just .219/.309/.344 in the Cape Cod League last summer. His high walk rate might make teams feel a bit better about the swing and miss, but he's definitely not a lock to get to his power consistently at the next level. Defensively, he's just so-so, and there is a real chance he is forced to move to first base. In the best case scenario, McCann sticks behind the plate and goes on to mash 30 home runs per season in the majors, but in the worst case scenario he flairs out as a minor league first baseman who strikes out too much to be an impact offensively. He looks like a third or fourth rounder. Meanwhile, Fresno State's Carter Bins is McCann's polar opposite. He's a glove-first catcher who will stick behind the plate (though not to Langeliers' caliber), but his bat has been disappointing this year and he's far from a lock to produce in pro ball. He was pretty good as a sophomore (7 HR, .301/.372/.526, 41/17 K/BB), but he has regressed as a junior (5 HR, .263/.370/.389, 42/28 K/BB), showing improved plate discipline and that's about it. He has some loft and whip in his swing that could help him produce some power with wood bats, but the bat speed is closer to average and he might never hit more than 10-15 home runs per season. Combine that with some moderate swing and miss, and Bins looks more like a back-up catcher than a starter, though he has the tools to improve. Lastly, Thomas Dillard is more of a first base prospect, but he has caught some at Ole Miss and a team could choose to run him out there as a catcher and just see what happens. He is having a strong season with the bat for the Rebels, slashing .298/.440/.505 with ten home runs and a 39/50 strikeout to walk ratio through 56 games. He has plenty of pop in his right handed stroke, using his stocky frame and the whip and loft in his swing to drive balls out of the park. Additionally, his strong plate discipline helps cut down the swing and miss in his game to reasonable levels despite the power-oriented swing, and I see him as a better bet to hit in pro ball than both McCann and Bins. However, he is also the most likely of the three to end up at first base, which would put more pressure on his bat to perform. He projects as a 20-25 home run hitter with solid if unspectacular on-base percentages and figures to go in the third or fourth round.

Others: Cooper Johnson, Nick Kahle, Hayden Dunhurst

2019 Draft Preview: Adley Rutschman

C Adley Rutschman, Oregon State
6'2" 215 lbs, S/R, born 2/6/1998

If you're at all familiar with the prospects of the 2019 Draft, you certainly know all about Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman. If you're late to the game, it's time to get caught up; Adley Rutschman is the best prospect in this draft and is a near-lock to go first overall to the Baltimore Orioles when the draft rolls around on June 3rd. So, who is he?

Adley Rutschman, from the southwestern Portland suburb of Sherwood, has been the Oregon State Beavers' starting catcher for three years. The switch-hitter slashed just .234/.322/.306 as a freshman in 2017, but the coaching staff liked what they saw and he broke out in a big way. In 2018, as a sophomore, Rutschman slashed .408/.505/.628 with nine home runs and an excellent 40/53 strikeout to walk ratio, setting himself up as an early favorite for the 2019 Draft. Then, in 2019, he got even better; through May 2nd, the junior is slashing .429/.576/.800 with 14 home runs and a ridiculous 28/54 strikeout to walk ratio, showing literally no holes in his game. He has power, he gets to it consistently, he knows the strike zone inside and out, and it all adds up to a complete offensive package.

However, it's not just his bat that makes him special. Rutschman is considered a fearless leader behind the plate, where he blocks everything and uses his strong arm to cut off the opposition's running game. Catchers are almost always bat-first or glove-first, but Rutschman is the rare find that has both an impact bat and no risk of being forced to move out from behind the plate. Even Joey Bart, the second overall pick to the Giants in 2018, had some swing and miss concerns, and while Rutschman doesn't have quite the same light tower power, he is easily the better prospect heading into his respective draft. Throw in his reportedly excellent work ethic, and he in all likelihood will be the first overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft.

Ultimate projection: middle of the order bat with good defense behind the plate, true MVP potential
Likely draft range: would be surprising if he falls past the Orioles at first overall