Taking another glance at some prospect lists

Various sites are publishing their top prospects lists and the Orioles can't be ignored.

No one puts baby Birds in the corner.

Baseball America placed five Orioles in its Top 100: catcher Adley Rutschman (No. 2), right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (No. 22), left-hander DL Hall (No. 59), outfielder Heston Kjerstad (No. 62) and outfielder/first baseman Ryan Mountcastle (No. 63).

The Orioles have never been represented by more than five players.

Mountcastle retains rookie status, which makes him eligible for the rankings. What I can't understand is how he slots behind Kjerstad, who hasn't appeared in a single game.

Kjerstad was the second-overall pick in last year's draft. Spencer Torkelson, the top selection, is fifth on Baseball America's list. So yeah, high draft picks are honored.

I'm just surprised that Kjerstad would be ahead of Mountcastle, who was the Orioles' best player upon his arrival on Aug. 21. But I'm sure there's some sort of formula that I don't understand. Sort of like New Coke.

You know what doesn't surprise me? MLBPipeline.com ranks Rutschman as the No. 1 catching prospect in baseball.

The Giants' Joey Bart is second. The distance between them isn't measured. But Rutschman is first and he has nowhere else to go.

(In my best Richard Gere voice.)

Rutschman and the Mets' Francisco Alvarez graded as having the best hitting tool (60). Rutschman was selected as having the best power (65), was tied with the Braves' Shea Langeliers in fielding (65) and had the highest ceiling and floor. But Bart was chosen as a Rookie of the Year candidate after the second-overall pick in 2018 made his major league debut last summer and slashed .233/.288/.320 in 33 games.

It could be due to Bart being ahead of Rutschman in development and experience. It could be due to the possibility that Rutschman will be a late arrival with the Orioles starting him at Double-A Bowie.

The site projects that Rutschman will play in the majors this season. The Orioles have made no promises.

They could arrange for his climb from Bowie to Triple-A Norfolk before his debut. If so, that's going to take some time. He won't be rushed. But he could be in the majors before the final game is played.

And he could retain rookie status in 2022, as Mountcastle is doing this year.

The site placed Rodriguez seventh among its top 10 right-handed pitching prospects and noted how he possessed the highest ceiling based on his "size, stuff, feel for pitching and age (21)." Hall ranked ninth among left-handers.

Both pitchers are estimated to reach the majors in 2022.

The Orioles gladly will slot them in any order if they're ready - imagining a top three that includes left-hander John Means.

Baseball America predicted that the 2024 rotation would begin with Rodriguez, Hall and Means. Dean Kremer and Keegan Akin would follow and Michael Baumann would be the closer.

Left-handers Bruce Zimmermann, Zac Lowther and Alexander Wells haven't gone away. But there's only room for five.