Orioles govt vp and customary supervisor Mike Elias sometimes speaks of his have to see prospects “graduate Triple-A” in relation to effectivity sooner than promoting them to the majors. Jordan Westburg’s cap and gown finally received right here Monday.
After larger than a yr of sturdy performances with Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles often called up Westburg, a 24-year-old infielder Baseball America ranks as a result of the No. 4 prospect inside the group and No. 46 inside the sport, sooner than Monday night’s recreation in opposition to the Cincinnati Reds. To create roster home for Westburg, the Orioles optioned infielder Joey Ortiz to Norfolk, whereas catcher José Godoy cleared waivers and accepted an challenge to Norfolk, opening a 40-man roster spot.
In 158 video video games with the Tides all through the earlier two seasons, Westburg hit .283/.366/.533 with 36 home runs and 128 runs pushed in. Promoted to Norfolk alongside eventual excessive common prospect Gunnar Henderson early closing June, Westburg wanted to attend for for much longer for his first different inside the majors. Westburg had 714 Triple-A plate appearances sooner than his promotion, in distinction with Henderson’s 295.
Like Henderson, Westburg was Baltimore’s second selection in a draft, taken thirtieth common in 2020 out of Mississippi State a yr after the Orioles drafted Henderson out of an Alabama highschool atop the second spherical with select No. 42. His faculty experience gave him an early leg up on Henderson, nonetheless the pair spent loads of their climbs up Baltimore’s farm system sharing infields. Most of Westburg’s defensive appearances inside the minors received right here at shortstop, nonetheless he sometimes ceded the place to Henderson and Ortiz whereas seeing widespread time at second and third base.
Each beat him to the majors. Henderson was often called up closing August, baseball’s excessive prospect arriving amid the Orioles’ shocking playoff push. Ortiz, moreover a member of Baltimore’s 2019 draft class, was eligible for the Rule 5 draft this earlier offseason and thus was added to the group’s 40-man roster, making it less complicated for the membership to promote him over Westburg when a necessity arose for a right-handed-hitting infielder early this yr.
Earlier this month, the Orioles added Josh Lester, a minor league veteran, to the 40-man roster and promoted him over Westburg, with supervisor Brandon Hyde explaining Lester’s call-up by saying the membership sought one different left-handed bat ahead of a string of matchups with right-handed starters. In his expert occupation, Westburg has fared significantly better in opposition to right-handed pitching, posting an OPS larger than 350 elements larger this season when going by means of same-handed pitchers in distinction with when he has the platoon profit.
If Westburg had any frustrations over being bypassed, he certainly not permit them to current in his play. He accomplished 2022 with an .852 OPS, 27 home runs and 106 RBIs between Norfolk and Double-A Bowie, acknowledged as a result of the group’s minor league participant of the yr. This season with the Tides, Westburg has hit .295/.372/.567 with 18 home runs and 54 RBIs in 67 video video games. Westburg moreover made six defensive appearances inside the outfield for Norfolk, reflecting the pliability he now brings to Baltimore.
Westburg’s effectivity shows the reward teammates and coaches heaped on him in spring teaching, with many deciding on the phrase “constant” as a result of the one which most interesting defines him and his recreation. He was actually considered one of six infield prospects in Baltimore’s major league camp who appeared on as a minimum one offseason report of baseball’s excessive 100 prospects, and solely he and Henderson lasted until the highest of spring. A late-camp injury to considered one of many Orioles’ established infielders might have resulted in Westburg landing on the opening-day roster.
As an alternative, his wait continued months into the season. On Monday, it’ll lastly end.
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