Baltimore Orioles Take Tumble In Updated Farm System Rankings

After several years of dominating the farm system rankings, the Baltimore Orioles are on the same tier as one of the worst teams in the National League.

Aug 7, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) hits a two run home run and celebrates with third baseman Coby Mayo (16) against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

How the mighty have fallen.

The Baltimore Orioles once had a powerhouse farm system which produced future Major Leaguers like Jackson Holliday and Coby Mayo.

It appears now as though the cupboard is bare.

According to Keith Law of The Athletic, the Orioles have the 20th-best farm team in baseball. This is not good considering there are only 30 teams in the MLB. It is looking real grim when the team is behind the Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins and the Minnesota Twins.

Mayo, a 2020 fourth-round selection from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, had his first taste of the bigs at the end of last season. He figures to be competing for the third base job in spring training. Chances are looking good for Mayo who showed some productivity at the hot corner after being called up late last season.

Catcher Samuel Basallo is also going to be competing for a job in spring training.

He is the new No. 1 organizational prospect, according to MLB.com.

CBS Sports also lists Basallo as the top prospect, supplanting Mayo. They say he has a powerful left-handed swing, but has some questions behind the plate.

"Basallo is a potential middle-of-the-order fixture, an imposing figure with the strength to match. That size, plus his spotty receiving and Adley Rutschman's continued presence on the Orioles roster, has long swayed evaluators to discount his chances of remaining behind the plate," R.J. Anderson said for CBS Sports.

Basallo made more starts at first base and DH than he did receiving last year. According to Anderson, that makes it hard to decide exactly how strong he is behind the plate, especially when you factor in a stress fracture in his throwing elbow. It appears as though his days at catcher are in the rearview mirror.

"Basallo's bat is the drawing point regardless," Anderson said. " It is the reason he ranks so highly, despite the uncertainty."

CBS Sports projects Basallo to be ready for the majors late summer 2025.

As for the system as a whole, Law does not favor it too kindly. Part of it is because so much of the talent that general manager Mike Elias and his staff have acculumated the past several years has migrated to the Majors, including shorstop Gunnar Henderson and catcher Adley Rutschman. Theire two piece of the foundation for the team's long-term future.

Law also pointed out that the Orioles' increased work internationally has netted them several quality prospects, but ones that will need time to develop and likely won't as quickly as Basallo did.

Baltimore has talent in its farm system — just not as much as it used to have.