The Baltimore Orioles’ farm system, for several years, was the crown jewel of minor league baseball. Ranked as the top farm system for over two full years, they also featured a Triple-A National Championship from the Norfolk Tides in 2023.
Most of the impact players from that team have graduated to the majors, with many heading to Baltimore, which has drastically reduced the talent in the farm system. But that’s what the farm system is for: to feed the big club.
Just because the farm system is no longer ranked in the top spot doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of talent waiting in the wings.
Samuel Basallo and Coby Mayo are two of the best prospects in baseball, and the rest of the O’s top 30 features lots of talent at every position. But let’s take a deeper look at some players that you may not yet know who are making some noise.
Right-handed starter lighting up the lower levels
Coming into this season, Braxton Bragg had never thrown a pitch above Single-A. An eighth-round pick in 2023, Bragg got a taste of professional baseball with the Delmarva Shorebirds that season and spent the entire 2024 season in Delmarva.
He was assigned to the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds to start the season and has exploded ever since.
In three starts with the IronBirds, Bragg allowed just one unearned run on six hits in 16.1 innings while striking out 18 batters against five walks.
The Orioles were so impressed with the effort that Bragg was promoted to Double-A. The higher level hasn’t slowed Bragg a bit.
After averaging 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings last season, he’s currently averaging 11.8 K/9 between Aberdeen and Chesapeake this season. Not to mention his 0.61 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. Bragg’s best pitch is his fastball that has touched 100 mph this season, with multiple off-speed pitches that play off of that power fastball.
Power arm making noise in Double-A
Joining Bragg on the Chesapeake Baysox is Levi Wells. Like Bragg, Wells also has a fastball that can hit 100 mph and has a plus slider with a knee-buckling curveball to go with it. He was a starter all through college and his first year as a pro last season with Aberdeen, but looked like a breakout player this spring as a reliever.
The Birds aren’t quite ready to give up on Wells as a starter just yet. His first three appearances this season were out of the bullpen, but they all lasted more than three innings.
He yielded five runs, only two of which were earned. His last two appearances have been starts, and he’s surrendered five runs (all earned) in those games. Wells’ 21/4 strikeout to walk ratio shows that his command is good. He should be moved to Norfolk this season with a chance to make it to Baltimore as a long reliever.
International catching prospect thriving in Single-A
On the other side of the ball is Yasmil Bucce. The 20-year-old switch-hitting catcher from Venezuela has gotten off to a hot start in Delmarva. Bucce was signed in the same international class as Samuel Basallo, and the two even share the same birthday. Signed as a 16-year-old in 2021, Bucce has spent the last four seasons with the Orioles’ Dominican and Florida coast teams.
In his first chance in Single-A this season, Bucce has not disappointed. He’s batting .309 with a .417 OBP through 22 games and has already a new career high with 14 RBIs. He’s never hit for much power, but he has now homered in back-to-back games and has a new career high in homers (albeit at three).
Bucce has very good bat-to-ball skills and knowledge of the strike zone. After hitting .302 with a .405 OBP in 2022, Bucce struggled with the bat and only hit .185 in 2024, but still managed a .415 OBP.
Buried under a mountain of catching talent, Bucce has quietly developed into a solid catching prospect. He’s also seen a lot of time at first base, adding to his intrigue.
