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With Spring Training underway for the Baltimore Orioles, we're now just over a month away from 2023 MLB Opening Day, where the O's visit the Boston Red Sox on March 30th. This team was actually a pleasant surprise in 2022, finishing with an 83-79 record and just missing out on an AL Wild Card spot. It's clear the rebuild won't take as long as expected in Baltimore.
Looking at the 23′ campaign, the Orioles have a ton of intriguing young talent, headlined by catcher Adley Rutschman and Cedric Mullins, plus a potential superstar on the mound in No. 2 prospect Grayson Rodriguez. Without further ado, here are three bold Orioles predictions for the upcoming season.
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3. Grayson Rodriguez cracks big league roster, makes huge impact
Rodriguez is one of the best young arms in the sport. If it wasn't for a lat injury last year, the 23-year-old would've definitely made his MLB debut in 2022. The reality is he's already above the minors. The 2018 first-round pick has dominated at every single level in the Orioles system, compiling an impressive 2.47 ERA in 69 career appearances, striking out a whopping 419 hitters in 292 innings. Rodriguez also posted a ridiculous 25-9 record.
The Houston native truly possesses electrifying stuff with a high 90s fastball and three off-speed offerings that will all be effective in the show. Late last year, O's GM Mike Elias even said that Rodriguez is definitely in the mix to win a spot in the rotation and if Baltimore was smart, he'd be one of their top options. The righty is more than ready to pitch at the highest level. I mean, he's one of the best prospects in all of baseball for a reason. To get even bolder, Rodriguez could even pitch so well that he's in the mix for American League Rookie of the Year. Barring health, of course.
2. Adley Rutschman hits over .300 with 20+ home runs
We only got a small glimpse into the type of player Adley Rutschman is last season because he didn't make his debut until May 21st. But in 113 games, the former top pick out of Oregon State flashed his tremendous skill set both behind the dish and at the plate, slashing .254 with 13 homers. Rutschman even finished 12th in AL MVP voting. The rookie is a game-changer for this franchise. He's a top-notch catcher who has a cannon for an arm and can call a hell of a game. Rutschman can also hit for average and power, a rarity in today's game. We saw just that in college. With a full season in the Majors under his belt, Rutschman will lead this Orioles offense with an average over .300. His power is going to be on full display as well, clubbing a minimum of 20 long balls.
1. Orioles make the AL Wild Card
This might seem bold, but I mean, Baltimore wasn't that far off making the playoffs last Fall. There are several top prospects who will likely make their MLB debuts at some point in 2023 and show what they can do at the big league level. Plus, the young Orioles core really opened a lot of eyes last season, and know they're not far off being a postseason team. Will their rotation improve? Only time will tell. Rodriguez will help. But, the offense showed serious progression in 22′ and all signs point to them being even better, especially with Rutschman taking a step forward. There are fewer games against AL East opponents as well, which is only a benefit for Baltimore. After all, this is arguably the toughest division in baseball. The Birds finish well above .500 and give their fans something to cheer about.
