OTV Top 50Prospects 2026

A contract extension and an MLB debut highlighted Basallo's 2025 season that saw a then 20-year-old catcher hit 23 home runs with a 151 wRC+ in Triple-A. Boasting some of the best power numbers in baseball, Basallo also brings an above-average hit tool to create one of the more enticing profiles in the game. For reference, Basallo is only a few months older than many of the college bats who will be drafted in the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft and here's the full list of prospects given a future value grade of 65 overall or higher by FanGraphs over the last five years: Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt, Corbin Carroll, Wyatt Langford, James Wood, Paul Skenes, Jackson Churio, and Roki Sasaki. Pretty impressive company.

Basallo and Beavers won't be long for this list after making their MLB debuts last year. Beavers' debut was a pleasantly successful one, putting up a 125 wRC+ and hitting four home runs in 35 games. He hit nearly .300 against fastballs in the majors, but opposing pitchers began to adjust and throw more breaking balls and offspeed pitches, which Beavers hit just .045 and .208 against, respectively. Even if he's part of a platoon with Tyler O'Neill in right field, Beavers will be on the strong side of that platoon and should be in the lineup most nights, where better success against non-fastballs will be a game-changer. Both Beavers and Basallo begin 2026 firmly in the conversation as AL Rookie of the Year candidates.

An undrafted free agent in 2023, Gibson is now primed to be the top-ranked prospect in the Orioles system as soon as Basallo and Beavers graduate shortly. A 6'5", workhorse frame with seven feet of extension as he barrels towards hitters, Gibson has a large arsenal of pitches and has showcased some of the best strikeout stuff in all of minor league baseball over the last two years. His Triple-A struggles came after reaching into a new career-high in innings and there was an immediate identification of how to combat some of the issues he experienced with using the MLB ball for the first time in games. He's already given a potential preview of what 2026 may hold with three scoreless innings in his first spring outing.

The first round pick of the Orioles in last year's draft out of Auburn, Irish was projected to go earlier in the first round, but the board ultimately fell in a very favorable way for the Orioles as they were able to land Irish, last year's Golden Spikes winner Wehiwa Aloy, and Coastal Carolina's Caden Bodine with their first three picks. Irish played a lot of outfield last season after an injury, but he's expected to get significant run behind the plate beginning in High-A this year. One of the more decorated college hitters last year, Irish has a strong hit tool and above-average power, but struggled to lift the ball with regularity both in college and in his small pro sample last year. The bat should quickly carry him through the minors.

How the Orioles were able to land a premier shortstop with plus athleticism, noted power, and multiple years of high level success in the SEC is beyond me. Questions about the hit tool may have left some teams docking him a bit, but there's strong belief that Aloy's hit tool can progress with better pitch recognition. He's a large, physical presence who has all the tools necessary to stick at shortstop as he develops the power to hit 20+ home runs a season as one of the better shortstop defenders, if all development goes well, of course. That's an uber attractive profile, even if he's a .240 or so hitter.

Signed for just $30,000 on the final day of the 2021 international signing period, De Leon brings upper-90s heat from the left side with two potential plus offerings in his slider and changeup. Since joining the organization, he's added a splitter that also gets a high grade. Walks and command have been an issue for him, but he's shown noted improvements. After a strong 2025 and dominant AFL campaign, De Leon is considered a top 100 prospect by some and could be a late season bullpen add who brings rare velo from a lefty and the ability to keep the ball on the ground (0 HR allowed last season in 87 IP) before battling for a rotation spot in 2027.

A 16th round pick out of the Illinois high school ranks, George was a largely unknown cold weather prospect who didn't spend a ton of time on the showcase circuit, but the Orioles found him and gave him a decent bonus to get him away from his college commitment. He reached High-A in his first year of pro ball, putting up a 158 wRC+ with 28 extra-base hits and 50 stolen bases across three levels. He was, however, caught 25 times. George plays with electric passion and aggressiveness that doesn't need to be tempered, but does need to be channeled. He doesn't turn 20 until June, but after what he showed last year, the Orioles wouldn't be crazy to put him as the starting center fielder in Double-A on opening day.

Bradfield impacts a game in ways the modern game doesn't appreciate, but it's still impact. The former first round pick out of Vanderbilt has shown very little in-zone swing and miss coming up through the minors, using his top-end speed to turn singles into doubles and drive pitchers crazy when he's on base. His Triple-A struggles last season (in a small sample after multiple IL stints due to hamstring injuries) overshadows his 125 wRC+ in Double-A last season. He still has a good bit to prove with the bat when he gets back to Triple-A this year, but Bradfield's ceiling of an everyday centerfielder in the big leagues who can change a game with his speed and save a game with his glove is still firmly in play.

After some early season struggles to begin 2024, along with a six week IL stint due to shoulder inflammation, Wells strung together a strong finish to his first full year of pro ball and ended his second year in Triple-A on the doorsteps of the big leagues. With a unicorn fastball that can hit triple digits and multiple above-average secondaries, Wells could end up clawing his way into the backend of an MLB rotation, but his profile, high octane stuff, and uber competitiveness on the mound may end up leading him into a high-leverage relief role at the next level. Regardless, Wells is primed for a big 2026 that should end in the majors.

The hype on Mejia was uncontrollable last year after national outlets picked up on the flamethrowing Orioles pitching prospect, and while it's exciting to have a prospect of this caliber in the system, he's an 18-year-old with fringy control up to this point. He'll begin 2026 in Delmarva where the 70 grade fastball and plus slider will be on full display. The question will be if his changeup can emerge as a viable offering and if he can throw more strikes and limit the walks. Regardless, it's fair to say no other pitching prospect in the Orioles system can match his ceiling.

Estrada has shown strong bat-to-ball skills since his 183 wRC+ season in the DSL in 2022, but added strength, muscle, and bat speed have brought out more power in his game, resulting in 9 home runs in 2024 and 10 last season. With a near 80% contact rate, the ability to steal bases at a high clip, and growing power, Estrada has emerged as a prospect of note and the national steam has driven the hype up even more. The groundball rates have improved, but are still high, and he doesn't have a firm defensive home, but a lot of eyes will be on the 21-year-old's development in 2026.

With a five pitch mix, command of all of his offerings, and the ability to generate whiffs at a high clip with each offering, German has risen from an unknown arm out of Seattle to one of the top prospects in the Orioles system and even some faint whispers about a potential top 100 overall ranking. He will begin 2026 in Norfolk's rotation, part of a large group of pitching prospects who have all worked their way into the upper-minors and are facing their Rule 5 offseasons.

Serious question, do the Orioles have the tallest organizational pitching staff in baseball? Bateman, a 6'8" lefty was headed to LSU before getting a $2.5 million signing bonus as a second round pick of the Padres in 2024. The fastball can sit in the mid-90s, but a common observation we've noted since he joined the Orioles at last year's deadline is the lack of fire in his stuff to finish off hitters. However, he was just 19 last year and the Orioles didn't have a full offseason to put their developmental touch on his pitch mix and delivery. It wouldn't be shocking to see him enter 2026 with an expanded mix and likely a longer developmental timeline given his age and potential.

The 6'7" lefty is the highest drafted pitcher in the Mike Elias era (58th overall) and brings a premier changeup to the organization. He also brings a career 6.7% walk rate in three years of starting experience at Michigan State. The velo has climbed over the last year or so into the 90-92 range (T95 mph), but given his size and frame, it wouldn't be surprising to see him add another tick or two now that he's in a pro organization. The command and changeup are plus aspects of his profile and could likely begin the year in High-A.

An over-slot, $1 million arm drafted by the Blue Jays in the 3rd round of the 2023 draft, Watts-Brown has logged 227 innings through his first two seasons with 289 strikeouts. He was pitching in Double-A for the Blue Jays when he was traded to Baltimore for Seranthony Dominguez and joined his new team by simply walking across the field as New Hampshire was in Bowie at the time. He's been a whiff machine (17% swinging-strike rate last season) thus far in his career, thanks in large part to his plus slider, but the big question is his fastball and if improvement with that offering can take him from a more-likely reliever to a potential backend starter.

While the Orioles drafted Quinn in the Competitive Balance B round in last year's draft (69th overall), he's still a bit of an unknown after injuries limited him at Ole Miss and then not being used extensively at Georgia last year. But the intrigue is high and based in a potential plus fastball from his 6'6" frame. Quinn's value was helped by a dominant Cape Cod League stint just before last year's draft (25 K/2 BB/14 IP). The "reliever risk" tag is already being heavily used when discussing Quinn's future, but the Orioles drafted him where they did with every intention of unleashing him as a starter.

Bragg exploded up the ranks last year after torching his way through opposing lineups, only to be met with TJ surgery and an abrupt end to his season, one trending towards possible major league time. Now sitting in the 93-95 mph range with a kick-change and command of multiple secondary offerings, Bragg still profiles as a major league starter, but he's going to be faced with limited (if any) time back on the mound in 2026. If his rehab goes well, he could get a few innings before the end of the year and continue to build up in the AFL before being added to the 40-man roster next winter and back in line to make his MLB debut in 2027.

The left-handed hitting Cuban outfielder finally made his long awaited full-season debut in 2025, but it was only for four games in the last week of the season. However, a two-homer day left us eager for more. Sanchez put up a 167 wRC+ in the DSL back in 2024 and then a wRC+ of 154 between the FCL/Delmarva last year. He maintained a 15% walk rate in the States while flashing his plus power potential, but the strikeout rate spiked from 20% to 30%. 2026 will paint a better picture of what the hit tool looks like, but the power should shine, even in Delmarva.

We're all still waiting for the true Thomas Sosa breakout, but it's been clear that internally, the Orioles love him and still strongly believe in his ability. Despite missing an extended amount of time last year due to an ankle injury suffered during the opening week of play, Sosa was still promoted to Double-A to close out the year, where he homered in his first game. The raw power is very real and started to translate to game power last season, he has a cannon for an arm in right field, but he still needs to show regular production at the plate. He just turned 21 in January and will get a full campaign in Double-A this year.

Weston logged 109 innings in 2024, his first full, healthy year in pro ball, and then piled up 135 innings in Triple-A last season, striking out 133 with a league-average ERA. He throws the kitchen sink, plus some, and has lowered his arm slot over the last few years, giving hitters a much different look. Weston ranked in the 82nd percentile in barrel rate allowed and 96th percentile in hard-hit rate allowed, while generating a 44% groundball rate in Triple-A. He remains intriguing as a change-of-pace reliever.

A $2.1 million international signee and crown jewel of the Chicago Cubs 2025 class, De La Cruz was traded to the Orioles at last year's deadline for RHP Andrew Kittredge, who returned to the Orioles this offseason. Hell yeah. He walked 27% of the time and posted an .856 OPS in his first DSL season and doesn't turn 19 until the very end of the 2026 season. Given his strong bat-to-ball and how aggressive the Orioles have been recently with their international bats of note, we could see him in Delmarva sooner rather than later.

After showing some of the more well-rounded batted ball data among his draft peers in a limited sample after the 2024 draft, Anderson worked extensively on his defense last season and was still promoted to Double-A to close the year. He is coming off a strong offensive season in the Arizona Fall League where he was among the league leaders in extra-base hits. A switch-hitter who looks to be more impactful from the left side, Anderson's bat-to-ball skills were very impressive in college and could help the bat shine in 2026 as he continues to get more comfortable behind the plate defensively.

Yet another Yankees-connected international prospect who ultimately signed with the Orioles, Martinez was the youngest player in the entire 2024 international class and was pushed to Delmarva last year at the age of 17. He will get a second run in Low-A and won't turn 18 until August. The numbers in Delmarva were dreadful in his 25 games and strikeouts are always going to be prominent, but the 6'4" RHH possesses some of the best raw power and hard-hit rates in the organization, even while being the age of a high school junior.

A former switch-hitting infielder who was drafted and later released by the Padres, re-invented himself at the D2 level and found himself on the mound before ultimately being signed by the Mets as a UDFA in 2024. In his first full season of pro ball as a pitcher, Nunez pitched to a 2.06 ERA with 83 strikeouts, a .121 average against, and .81 WHIP in 56 total innings across three levels. He was added to the Orioles 40-man roster this offseason and could figure into the big league bullpen equation at some point this season. His fastball and cutter are major league quality, but his changeup and slider are the stars of the show.

The 6'3", 19-year-old third baseman has shown immense raw power and impressive bat speed, but his early development once he came Stateside was hindered by a lower-body injury. He was pushed up to Delmarva at the age of 18 last season and struggled to catch on, but did flash what makes him an intriguing power-over-hit corner infielder.