Baltimore Orioles Officially Sign Intriguing International Pitching Prospect

More young talent has been added to the Baltimore Orioles organization after they signed an international free agent.

A Baltimore Orioles hat and glove rest on the dugout rail / Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles have gotten to this point where they are competing for a World Series title by drafting well, developing talent at a high level, and buying low on castoffs who they turn into solid lineup and pitching options.

That's been a staple of general manager Mike Elias since his days with the Houston Astros.

Results from that approach has turned their pipeline into the best farm system in baseball, giving them prospects waiting in Triple-A to be called up in the near future, and also giving the organization major trade chips they can use to bring in impact players for a championship run.

Elias' history and ethos would suggest he won't be overly aggressive in shipping out some of their star minor leaguers, and instead, will play the long game to ensure the Orioles always have talent they can call upon when needed.

Baltimore was able to add another intriguing piece to their organization by signing international pitching prospect Reykelly Rubi per reporter Francys Romero.

The 18-year-old defected from Cuba four years ago and will now be brought into the Orioles' organization where they have developed other international players into becoming featured parts of their farm system.

The most recent example would be Samuel Basallo, who has skyrocketed up prospect ranking boards, turning into their No. 2 prospect and No. 12 in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline.

Not a whole lot of information is known about Rubi, but Romero notes he possesses a fastball that sits around 88-90 mph, and has a curveball that is above average with a spin rate that suggests it could become a real weapon.

As the young pitcher works within a Major League program, he will certainly improve things like his velocity.

Based on the track record of Baltimore and their international signings, he could be the next prospect to keep an eye on as he begins to develop within this pipeline.