Jim Callis sizes up some O's on the farm

I recently talked with Jim Callis of MLBPipeline.com about some of the players the Orioles selected in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft. But we also, for a separate Zoom interview, discussed some players that had big years this past season on the O's farm. Players who did not yet need to be added to the 40-man roster but players who, in the case of three of them, are closing in on a shot with the Orioles.

We discussed outfielder Kyle Stowers, who played at three levels in 2021, ending the year at Triple-A Norfolk and sharing the Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year Award with Adley Rutschman.

In 124 games, Stowers batted .278/.383/.514/.898 with 23 doubles, one triple, 27 homers and 85 RBIs. He led the O's farm in homers and RBIs, was second in slugging and was third in OPS. He was the O's Player of the Month for July, when he batted .340/.436/.640/1.076.

Callis on Stowers: "A huge year, shared the Minor League Player of the Year award with Adley Rutschman within the organization. Hit 27 homers, hit almost .280. Drew a healthy amount of walks. He's really interesting. His development has helped a take a little bit of the sting off the health difficulties Heston Kjerstad has had. It looks like Stowers is going to be a nice corner outfielder, and maybe he and Kjerstad will be playing on the corners for Baltimore one day."

We talked about 21-year-old lefty Drew Rom, who had a big 2021. He pitched in 14 games for high Single-A Aberdeen and nine for Double-A Bowie in the regular season, going a combined 11-1 with a 3.18 ERA. Over 107 2/3 innings, Rom allowed 95 hits with a 2.17 walk rate, a 10.3 strikeout rate, a 1.12 WHIP and a .234 batting average against. Over his last four games (counting one start in the playoffs), he threw 19 scoreless innings on 10 hits with one walk and 25 strikeouts.

Callis on Rom: "He can really pitch. I think he will move up our (top 30 O's prospects) list. That list was done toward the end of July and we'll make some adjustments. But he doesn't light up the radar gun. He's more a pitchability lefty with really good feel for his secondary pitches, slider and changeup. I don't know if he has a true pitch you would say that's a plus.

"DL Hall has a plus fastball and plus curveball and Drew Rom is more of a guy that throws strikes with a good three-pitch mix. I think he's a high-floor, lower-ceiling guy. But nice pick by the Orioles, fourth-rounder in 2018, Kentucky high school kid. I think a lot of people thought he was going to wind up at the University of Michigan. He was strong commitment there and the Orioles went overslot to sign him."

Callis provided a few comments on Coby Mayo, the Orioles' fourth-round pick out of a Florida high school in 2020. Last summer Mayo, 21, played in 53 games between the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and low Single-A Delmarva. He batted .319/.426/.555/.981 with 14 doubles, a triple, nine homers, 46 runs, 11 steals and 41 RBIs.

Callis on Mayo: "The two big tools to hang his hat on are the big power, which he showed this year while making his pro debut, and he's got a real strong arm. He's huge. The hope is he can stay at third base. Might wind up corner outfield or first base. But man, his raw power ranks up there with just about anybody in the system. If you were having a home run derby as to who can hit the ball the farthest, he might win the Orioles home run derby.

Callis provided some thoughts on infielder Jordan Westburg, who played at three levels last season, beginning at Delmarva, then moving onto high Single-A Aberdeen before ending his year at Double-A Bowie. In 112 games he batted .285/.389/.479/.868 with 27 doubles, five triples, 15 homers, 17 steals, 74 runs and 79 RBIs. He was second among O's farmhands in runs scored, third in OBP and fourth in OPS.

Callis on Westburg: "I liked him a lot at Mississippi State. He was part of a really good double-play combination with Justin Foscue, who was a first-round pick of the Rangers in that same draft. He went 14th and Westburg went 30th. It's interesting. They didn't get a chance to play for the national title (because of the pandemic in 2020), then Mississippi State won the national title this year after they were both gone. Great program.

"What I like about Westburg, he can do a little bit of everything. He's got power, he can hit for some average, he's a solid runner. He can use his speed well. Solid arm strength. He's got pull power and can go the other way and drive doubles to the gaps. He just does a little bit of everything."

In the current MLBPipeline.com top 30 O's prospect rankings, Westburg is rated No. 6 with Stowers at No. 11, Mayo No. 17 and Rom at No. 25.

Here is the Zoom interview with Callis talking about these players.