Way, way under the radar Orioles prospects off to hot starts
You may not be too familiar with any of these prospects, but they are off to impressive starts in 2025.
Written by: Nick Stevens
Earlier this week, we made our first update to our top 50 Orioles prospects list now that we have a month of minor league baseball in the books. There were some big risers and some notable fallers, all of which you can check out here (Patreon membership required).
Even with this list 50 prospects deep, there are more intriguing players in the system performing very well to begin the 2025 season. Maybe some of these performances are signs of real breakouts and a rise up on our list, or maybe it’s just guys running into a hot month, either way, these 5 prospects have impressed through the first month of the season.
C Yasmil Bucce (Low-A)
The 20-year-old backstop was signed out of Venezuela as part of the 2021 international signing class, spending two years in the Dominican Summer League and then two years in the Florida Complex League, appearing in a grand total of 117 games. Three of these four seasons featured an OPS under .700 and a batting average under .240 (.184 last season), but he’s become a bright spot in Delmarva’s lineup.
Through 23 games, Bucce is hitting .309 with a 166 wRC+, 11 extra-base hits (3 HR), a 14.6% walk rate, and a 19.8% strikeout rate. After running a contact rate in the mid-50% range for much of his career, Bucce is running a 76% contact rate this season with a 9.2% swinging-strike rate (was running close to 30% through his first three seasons). I don’t have access to a ton of Single A data, but there’s been mention of 107+ exit velos with Bucce, which is solid.
Bucce may be in his fifth pro season, but he’s still half a year younger than the average Low-A player, so this isn’t an older bat beating up on younger competition. 77 of his 96 plate appearances have come against older pitchers, where he’s running an OPS of .952. He’s worth monitoring very closely as the season progresses.
RHP Dominic Freeberger (High-A)
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Freeberger was a two-way player at both UNC-Asheville and Connecticut, ending his college career by winning Big East Player of the Year honors as a third baseman. He signed with the Orioles as an undrafted free agent in January 2024, but signed as a pitcher.
He made three appearances with Delmarva and was moved up to Aberdeen, making 11 relief appearances before his season ended on May 30th due to an injury.
Freeberger is back in Aberdeen to begin 2025, currently rocking a 2.89 ERA across 9.1 innings with 15 strikeouts. Yes, he’s 25 years old now, but he’s been 100% dedicated to pitching for less than two years and the stuff is truly electric. Just the fastball alone, for example, can run into the upper-90’s with elite IVB numbers, and the slider has brought hitters down to their knees.
A full, healthy year for Freeberger could have him in the upper-minors sooner rather than later. Don’t just look at his age and level and dismiss him.
RHP Zane Barnhart (High-A)
A 17th round pick of the Orioles back in 2023 out of Hillsdale College, Barnhart struck out 13.2/9 IP in college and dominated in the MLB Draft League, striking out 30 in 18 IP before being selected by Baltimore. He spent most of last season with Aberdeen, posting a 2.47 ERA with 44 K in 43.2 IP and a .176 average against.
He had a solid season. Admittedly, I don’t think I paid attention to any of his outings. But then I found an interview he did with a local news outlet and it opened my eyes. In the piece, Barnhart discussed all the work he did in 2024- increasing his velo, throwing his changeup for more strikes, developing a cutter, and changing the grip on his slider.
He went to the Arizona Fall League after the 2024 season and logged 3 innings in Statcast parks. His fastball averaged 93.4 mph with a 42.9% whiff rate and his slider produced a 57% whiff rate with a 109 Stuff+. He was also getting 6.5 feet of extension from a 5’10” frame. Very small sample size, but it was a fun peek at Barnhart’s stuff.
This season, Barnhart is back in Aberdeen where has 12 strikeouts in 10.1 IP, good for a 27% strikeout rate (up from 23% last season in High-A). His 9% walk rate is down from 14.1% last season (between Low-A/High-A).
RHP Yaramil Hiraldo (Triple-A)
Hiraldo was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk to start the year, where he began on the IL. He pitched 9 innings between High-A/Double-A as he worked his way back into Norfolk’s bullpen, striking out 9 and walking 1, while allowing 1 earned run.
Now fully healthy and in Triple-A where he was supposed to start the season, Hiraldo has thrown 5.1 scoreless innings with 6 strikeouts and zero walks.
Per Thomas Nestico’s model, Hiraldo’s fastball is sitting 95 mph with 20 inches of IVB and a 111 Stuff+ (65/70 grade offering). The slider sits 85 mph with a 104 Stuff+ (50 grade offering) and his 86 mph cutter is at a 106 Stuff+ (60/65 grade offering).
Hiraldo was originally an international signing by the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he posted a career 1.99 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 99.2 IP, but he never made it above High-A and spent 2022-2024 pitching for multiple Indy ball teams and in Mexico.
TBD if the stuff can translate to the big leagues, but if Yaramil Hiraldo has any success whatsoever in the big leagues with the Baltimore Orioles, what a find.
OF Raylin Ramos (Low-A)
Ramos was part of the 2022 international signing class, signing for $200,000 out of the Dominican Republic. Check the twitter receipts, Ramos’ swing has been a favorite of mine since that 2022 season, so much so I might have purchased a signed baseball card of his right after he signed with the O’s. Unfortunately, after a very good 2022 season in the DSL, Ramos played in just 28 FCL games between 2023 and 2024 due to injury.
Highlighted before the 2025 season as a deep sleeper to watch, Ramos appears to be settling in and heating up with Delmarva.
The now 20-year-old is hitting .277 on the year, with a .355 OBP and 115 wRC+. His numbers over his last 16 games: .317 average, 140 wRC+, .838 OPS. He made a statement last week hitting the home run seen below over 400 feet at 110 mph. That will play.
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