Evaluating the new crop
Well, the picks are in. How much help will they be?
A week ago Friday the Orioles signed their top draft choice for this year, C/OF Ike Irish out of Auburn. (Noteworthy: despite the fact he played college ball down south, Ike is a Michigan boy from the Detroit suburbs. That’s a plus.) By the time the deadline for signing most players had occurred this past Monday, the Orioles had grabbed all but a couple players.
Having gone through a year of the new system with a July draft and Complex League that finished last week, with the Orioles being last team out of the playoffs - by being swept in a doubleheader finale - it’s interesting speculation as to which players will likely suit up for Delmarva this season and which ones will be here in the future. (By the time you read this, some may already be here.)
There are four buckets in which I’ve placed these players, assuming they sign. [If they have an asterisk (*) afterward, they have NOT signed.]
Coming to Delmarva in 2025 (and likely on to Aberdeen for a few games at the end):
Ike Irish, C/OF (1st round, 19th overall - Auburn)
Caden Bodine, C (1st round, 30th overall - Coastal Carolina)
Wehiwa Aloy, IF (1st round, 31st overall - Arkansas)
RJ Austin, OF (3rd round - Vanderbilt)
Colin Yeaman, IF (4th round - UC Irvine)
Brayden Smith, IF (13th round - Oklahoma State)
In essence, these are players who have played major D1 college baseball so you figure they should be able to handle A-ball. Notice there are no pitchers on the list: I think those guys come in the spring as the Orioles accustom them to the organization’s preferred workout routines.
Coming to Delmarva for Opening Day 2026, or thereabouts:
Joseph Dzierwa, LHP (2nd round, 58th overall - Michigan State)
JT Quinn, RHP (2nd round, 69th overall) - Georgia)
Caden Hunter, LHP (6th round, University of Southern California)
Braeden Sloan, LHP (17th round, Texas Christian)
Again, D1 college players. And I can’t wait for Dzierwa because he’s my homie - born in Toledo and went to Otsego High School in Wood County, Ohio. My alma mater high school plays them a lot as a non-conference opponent of similar size.
Later on in 2026, like Nate George this year:
Slater deBrun, OF (1st round, 37th overall, Summit HS, Bend, Oregon)
Jaiden Lo Re, IF (5th round, Corona del Sol HS, Tempe, Arizona)
Hunter Allen, RHP (7th round, Ashland University)
Kailen Hamson, LHP (8th round, University of the Cumberlands)
Cam Lee, OF (9th round, Mineral Area College - Missouri)
Dalton Neuschwander, RHP (10th round, University of West Florida)
Holden deJong, LHP (11th round, New Jersey Institute of Technology)
Someone needs to give the Ohio area scout a raise because they picked a second homie of mine in Hunter Allen, who was ALSO born in Toledo and went to Woodmore High School in Ottawa County. That was a school we might meet in district or regional tournaments being on the other side of Toledo.
In 2027 or beyond, if at all:
Daniel Lopez, RHP (12th round, Odessa College - Texas)*
Brayan Orrantia, RHP (14th round, New Mexico Junior College)
KK Clark, RHP (15th round, Pearl River CC - Mississippi)
Denton Biller, RHP (16th round, Johnson County CC - Kansas)
Cole Johnson, OF (18th round, Oconee County HS, Watkinsville, GA)*
Jimmy Anderson, IF (19th round, Heartland CC, Normal, IL)*
Connor Gehr, RHP (20th round, Meridian HS, Meridian, MS)
Late-round picks that could be diamonds in the rough but also might not sign or may never make it out of Florida as a professional. However, that was more common when we did the 40-round draft that stopped several years ago.
Also, we have signed three pitchers and an infielder thus far as non-drafted free agents. We may see three of the four this season as players are shelved for the year or released to make space.
JoePhillip Guzman, IF (Shoemaker HS, Killeen, TX) My guess is he’ll first report to spring training and start with the FCL next season.
Todd Kniebbe, RHP (Florida Atlantic)
JD Hannen, RHP (Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD)
Isaac Silva, RHP (Murray State)
So that’s how I think things will shake out as I write this.
In the meantime, though, you can Buy Me a Coffee, since I have a page there now. You can also like and restack this piece so others can enjoy it.