Here's where O's Top 30 prospects are starting '22

With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Orioles’ Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:

1. Adley Rutschman (MLB No. 2), C -- Injured (right triceps)
2. Grayson Rodriguez (MLB No. 6), RHP -- Norfolk (Triple-A)
3. Gunnar Henderson (MLB No. 64), SS -- Bowie (Double-A)
4. Colton Cowser (MLB No. 66), OF -- Aberdeen (High-A)
5. D.L. Hall (MLB No. 90), OF -- Extended spring training
6. Jordan Westburg, SS -- Bowie (Double-A)
7. Coby Mayo, 3B -- Aberdeen (High-A)
8. Kyle Stowers, OF -- Norfolk (Triple-A)
9. Heston Kjerstad, OF -- Injured (hamstring)
10. Kyle Bradish, RHP -- Extended spring training
11. Connor Norby, 2B -- Aberdeen (High-A)
12. Cesar Prieto, 2B -- Aberdeen (High-A)
13. Michael Baumann, RHP -- Baltimore (MLB)
14. Terrin Vavra, 2B -- Norfolk (Triple-A)
15. Joseph Ortiz, SS -- Bowie (Double-A)
16. Hudson Haskin, OF -- Bowie (Double-A)
17. Drew Rom, LHP -- Bowie (Double-A)
18. Kevin Smith, LHP -- Norfolk (Triple-A)
19. Samuel Basallo, C -- Extended spring training
20. Maikol Hernandez, SS -- Extended spring training
21. Braylin Tavera, OF -- Dominican Academy
22. Jahmai Jones, 2B -- Norfolk (Triple-A)
23. John Rhodes, OF -- Aberdeen (High-A)
24. Reed Trimble, OF – Injured (left shoulder)
25. Leandro Arias, SS -- Dominican Academy
26. Yusniel Diaz, OF -- Norfolk (Triple-A)
27. Zac Lowther, LHP -- Norfolk (Triple-A)
28. Adam Hall, SS -- Bowie (Double-A)
29. Carter Baumler, RHP -- Extended spring training
30. Felix Bautista, RHP -- Baltimore (MLB)

Team to watch
Once he’s healthy, it’s probably safe to assume Adley Rutschman will get some time with Triple-A Norfolk before he’s deemed ready to make his big league debut. He’ll join the best pitching prospect in baseball, Grayson Rodriguez, and that 1-2 punch alone makes the Tides worth watching. But they won’t be alone, with seven total Top 30 prospects at the organization’s highest level of the Minors, a sign that good things are very close to reaching Baltimore.

Teams on MiLB.TV
Triple-A Norfolk
Double-A Bowie
High-A Aberdeen
Single-A Delmarva

New faces
The Orioles have returned full-force to the international free agency market, and they were very aggressive when the most recent period opened on Jan. 15. They signed outfielder Braylin Tavera and shortstop Leandro Arias, both of whom were on our Top 50 international prospects list, with Tavera getting $1.7 million and Arias receiving $600,000. Both will begin their careers in the Dominican Summer League. Orioles fans can see Prieto, who got $650,000 to sign, a lot sooner. The Cuban infielder is 22 years old and is making his organizational debut with High-A Aberdeen.

On the shelf
Adley Rutschman continues to recover nicely from a right triceps strain that shut him down for two weeks this spring. He’s resumed light baseball activities, but it’s going to be a little while before he returns to game action as the Orioles are understandably going to ramp their top prospect back up cautiously. Heston Kjerstad, the club’s top pick in 2020, has yet to play a professional game, missing all of 2021 due to myocarditis and then being set back again this spring with a hamstring injury.