Baltimore Orioles Ranked as Top Farm System

The Orioles have long been considered the best system in the game, and they retain their crown.

Apr 23, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) returns to the dugout following the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles went through a four year stretch in which they tanked, and doing so resulted in superstars like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson who are helping the team compete for the AL East. However, those are just two players that are consistently helping the big league team right now. The team going through a rough spot helped build what is the best farm system in baseball, according to Bleacher Report, littered with possible future stars.

The first and obvious name is Jackson Holliday. The consensus number one prospect in the game, Holliday carries a lot of weight in this ranking. A pure hitter, he has moved at lightning pace after being drafted out of high school in 2022 and making his debut this season.

Although he struggled in his big league time, a -48 OPS+, and is currently hurt, the 20-year-old is still considered a future star who will be a long term cornerstone in Baltimore.

Despite Holliday being the headliner, the rest of the system is still loaded. In Bleacher Report's description of each team, they gave a top ten from each system with tiers, the first one being a top 100 prospect. The Orioles have five other tier one players.

Of the five, two have already made their big league debut. Cade Povich was called up in 2024 and has made three starts to the tune of a 3.94 ERA. The other, Heston Kjerstad, has played 20 big league games but is currently in Triple-A where he has a .987 OPS and 15 home runs.

According to Bleacher Reports list, their best non-Holliday prospect is infielder Coby Mayo. Mayo has played 48 minor league games this season, where he has a 1.018 OPS with 16 homers and 43 RBI. Joining Mayo and Kjerstad in Triple-A is their number seven prospect, Connor Norby. Norby made his debut, but currently has an .881 OPS in the minors in a scary lineup.

Their remaining tier one prospects, Samuel Basallo and Enrique Bradfield Jr., are maybe their most intriguing. Basallo, 19, has been a fast riser of the last year as a heavy hitting catcher. At Double-A in 2024, Basallo has posted a .788 OPS with ten home runs and 11 doubles, and has quickly become one of the top two or three best catching prospects in the game.

Bradfield is interesting for a very different reason. He is more of a light-hitting outfielder, but he is an elite defensive centerfielder who can steal a base at any time, and he already has 33 in 49 games at High-A.

The O's system is undeniably loaded, but they will have some decisions to make in the future. With players like Mayo and Kjerstad knocking at the door, and an already great outfield in the majors with Anthony Santander and Cedric Mullins, they're going to have to choose going forward.

As they are already in the thick of so many trade rumors, the easy answer is to flip some of the young guys for a big time player at the deadline. That is a very real possibility, and Batimore can afford to do that because of the depth they have in both the minors and majors. Whether they are willing to do that or prefer to hoard their loaded system will be one of the biggest storylines for the team over the next month.