Unheralded Orioles Prospect Defying Expectations Early in Pro Career

Keep an eye on this fast-rising Baltimore Orioles prospect, who is moving faster than anyone expected.

May 5, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; The Baltimore Orioles logo on the sleeve of designated hitter Gunnar Henderson (2) as he prepares on deck during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

One thing that the Baltimore Orioles have excelled at in recent years is identifying and developing young talent for their lineup.

It certainly helps when a team is selecting near the top of the draft to add high-upside, impact talent to the mix. But just because a franchise is selecting near the top of the draft doesn’t guarantee success.

There have been plenty of top draft picks that have not panned out, but the Orioles have done a good job of avoiding that when it comes to their current core.

Some of their struggles in 2025, easily the most disappointing team in the sport to this point, can certainly be attributed to their positional players not living up to the lofty expectations they have created for themselves with stellar production early in their careers.

But, there is All-Star level talent in there, which they have already shown on the field.

Baltimore is hoping some of their less-established players, such as second baseman Jackson Holliday and struggling young players such as outfielder Heston Kjerstad and infielder Coby Mayo, can figure things out eventually.

The team is patiently waiting for Samuel Basallo, their top-rated prospect, to make his MLB debut, potentially later this year.

What was once the top rated farm system in baseball has been steadily fall in the rankings with constant graduation of players.

Who will be part of the next wave to replenish the rankings?

Nate George Is Orioles Prospect To Watch

Keep an eye on outfielder Nate George, who is already exceeding expectations early in his professional career, writes one of baseball's top minor league writers.

“George made the biggest leap after I ranked him 195th ahead of last year's draft, where he signed for $455,000, the 160th-highest bonus. Forty-seven players I ranked ahead of him didn't sign, so I roughly got that part right, but I wasn't expecting him to show control of the strike zone and in-game power with a 1.119 OPS early in his pro debut,” wrote Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.

A 16th-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Minooka Community High School in Minooka, Ill., he was not a top-10 ranked Orioles prospect entering the year, but that has changed.

George is now No. 9 in the organization with a .429/.500/.619 slash line through his first 73 plate appearances in the Florida Complex League.

He has already hit three home runs and stolen 11 bases, showcasing an incredible blend of power and speed.

It is still way too early to make any definitive assessments about George, but he could not have gotten off to a much better start than he has.