Baltimore Orioles' top prospect ranked top five in MLB

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Within the last week, the Baltimore Orioles have seen two top prospects make their big league debuts.
Dylan Beavers (No. 3) was the first to get the call last Saturday, but Samuel Basallo (No.1) was not far behind, making his debut the next day. In ESPN's latest top 100 prospects, both players were represented, but it was Basallo who earned the most praise, ranking fourth overall.
An updated Top 100 Prospects List with a new #1 overall prospect: https://t.co/PjpBXQdIJA
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) August 20, 2025
Just three games into his professional career, it's easy to see why the young catcher/first baseman garners such buzz. Basallo has looked comfortable at the plate, notching three hits and five RBIs in his first 10 at-bats.
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While he didn't get the start on Tuesday against Boston, the O's called on Basallo to pinch hit in hopes he could break a 3-3 tie in the top of the 11th. Basallo did just that, connecting on a swinging bunt down 0-2 in the count that scored the go-ahead run in the 4-3 victory.
Samuel does the job. pic.twitter.com/IqqHD0aNa2
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 20, 2025
Basallo makes hard contact and boasts 40-home run upside from the left side of the plate. His strong throwing arm makes him a competent option behind the dish, but the 21-year-old could also become an everyday first baseman if he struggles to develop as a catcher.
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Basallo had an impressive .966 OPS in Triple-A this season while mashing 23 homers with 67 RBIs. He's played 401 minor league games across five seasons, maintaining a .283/.366/.498 slash line.
Beavers ranked 93rd with RHP Trey Gibson close behind him at 95th overall. Rounding out Baltimore's top five (but not cracking the top 100) were outfielders Enrique Bradfield Jr. and Ike Irish.
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Like Basallo, Beavers has made a smooth transition to the major leagues, tallying four hits in his first 14 plate appearances and working four walks. Beavers laced a double to right field for his first hit as an Oriole in the top of the ninth of a tie game in Houston.
How about this for a 1st MLB hit?
— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) August 17, 2025
Dylan Beavers (#Orioles' No. 3 prospect per @MLBPipeline) comes up in a tie game and leads off the 9th inning with a double: pic.twitter.com/HtFqrwlYa4
Beavers slashed .304/.420/.515 for Triple-A Norfolk and notched 18 homers with 23 stolen bases in 94 games. With tremendous speed on the basepaths and the ability to play all three outfield positions, Beavers will look to generate consistent power as he develops into an everyday player.
While Basallo and Beavers are already with the big league club, Gibson has just recently made his first Triple-A start. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound right-hander struggled through nine games at the High-A level this year, but regained form in Double-A, pitching to a 1.55 ERA with 68 Ks across 10 starts (52.1 innings).
Gibson is a power pitcher who can dial his fastball up over 95 mph, but also offers a slider, curveball, cutter, and changeup for off-speed options. At 23 years old, Gibson could figure into the rotation for the Orioles early next season and could also develop into a strong option out of the bullpen.
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Ezra Lombardi is a contributing writer for the Mets On SI site. He has previously written for The Lead and the Hamilton College Spectator. He graduated from Hamilton College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy and played football. You can follow him on Twitter @LombardiEzra