Props for players that left via the trades and more on Honeycutt

As the Orioles added several players in deals at the trade deadline – including two starting pitchers and two for their bullpen – some promising prospects left the organization.

No doubt for coaches, managers, trainers and all staff on the O’s farm and in their player development system, some players they liked and worked hard to help improve, walked out that door. Relationships were developed and now continue, but the players are no longer with the Orioles.

The O’s traded Connor Norby, Kyle Stowers, Seth Johnson, Moisés Chace, Jackson Baumeister, Matthew Etzel and Mac Horvath, among others, during this process.

On a conference call to announce they had signed top draft pick Vance Honeycutt on Thursday, vice president of player development and domestic scouting Matt Blood was asked if some of the top draft picks the Orioles added this year somewhat offset losing some of the prospects they traded.

“I don’t think they’re related," Blood replied. "We’re just very excited to have been able to select Vance. He’s a player that we’ve liked for a long time. He’s a player that we know is a fantastic person and has a chance to make a big impact at the big league level.”

But then Blood spoke about the players that left the Orioles.

“In regards to losing players through the trades, just on our player development side, every one of those players are like our children," he said. "They are players that we love and have cared for and have tried to do everything we can to help, and so it’s a little bittersweet. On one end they are leaving us and that’s sad, and on the other end it's to their credit and work they’ve done to improve themselves and to perform well enough for another team to be interested enough to trade major league value for them. So, for me, I’m happy for them but I’m also sad to see them go.” 

Agent Scott Boras provided the representation for Honeycutt, a player the O’s signed to a bonus of $4 million, which was over by $197,800 the slot value for the No. 22 overall pick in the draft.

Boras was on the Orioles' press conference on Zoom to announce Honeycutt’s signing. He was asked about dealings he has had with the O’s new ownership group. He didn’t comment on any of that specifically, but said that he’s had a strong relationship with the club for some time as he's worked on behalf of some of their young players beyond Honeycutt. They include Jackson Holliday, Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg. Veteran pitcher Corbin Burnes is also a Boras client.

"Mike (Elias, the Orioles' executive vice president and general manager) and I talk a good bit,” said Boras. “In the development of our players, Matt’s been involved with working with many in our company in the transition of each player. Because there are important decisions to be made in the development as to when a player is ready to move and when he isn’t. And you want to have the timing on that being correct. It’s been very communicative and professional and there have just been a lot of conversations that we’ve had about players and decisions and things of that nature. It’s been a very collaborative effort on both parts."

Honeycutt is prospect to watch. He's got an intriguing combo of speed, power and defense but has to improve his strikeout rate. At pick No. 22, the O’s got a player out of North Carolina that MLB.com gave a 60 grade for his power, 65 for running, 60 for arm and 70 for fielding. That is quite a strong skill set.

He was Baseball America’s No. 13 prospect for this draft and hit a school-record 28 homers this season at UNC and had 28 steals. His OPS this year was 1.124. For his college career it was 1.050.

While Honeycutt’s K rate for his UNC career was 26, that is not so high that the club can’t work with him to improve it. By comparison - and yes, comparing a college player to a pro player is an apples-to-oranges exercise - but Coby Mayo this season has a 24.3 K percent at Triple-A, Connor Norby had a rate of 27.7 and Gunnar Henderson’s K rate in his big league at-bats is 24.5.

When it comes to Honeycutt, the Orioles seem to have a lot of tools to work with and one specific area to work on.

About last night: The Orioles lost 8-4 at Cleveland, which holds the best record in the American League. The Orioles (65-46) remain tied for first in the American League East, as the Yankees also lost. Since June 21, the Orioles are 16-21 and the Yankees are 14-20.

The Orioles have scored just seven runs on nine hits in this series. 

Mayo made his big league debut, drawing two walks and striking out twice. Neither Mayo or left fielder Colton Cowser could get to Josh Naylor's two-run flare that fell for a double into short left field in the last of the fifth as Cleveland opened a 4-1 lead. An inning later the Guardians got four runs off lefty reliever Gregory Soto in his O's debut on their way to a win.

Cleveland is 4-1 versus the Orioles and has won the season series. That could be important late in the year for a playoff tiebreaker.

The O's this year are 23-10 (.697) against AL East teams and 42-36 (.538) versus everyone else.