Orioles first-round selection Matt Hobgood headlines the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds' preseason roster, and he'll be joined by other pitching prospects Ryan Berry and Jake Cowan.
In his first professional season, Hobgood was 1-2 with a 4.73 ERA in eight starts for the Rookie-level Bluefield Orioles. The 19-year-old right-hander struck out 16 hitters and issued eight walks in 26 2/3 innings.Cowan was 1-2 with a 2.25 ERA in eight games (four starts) for the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds last season, while Berry will be making his professional debut. The Orioles selected Berry in the ninth round of last year's MLB draft, while Cowan was picked in the 10th round.
Michael Ohlman, who the Orioles took in the 11th round of the 2009 MLB draft, is expected to split time with sixth-round choice Justin Dalles behind the plate for the Shorebirds in 2010.
Ohlman was 2-for-11 (.182) with one RBI in four games for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Orioles at the end of the 2009 season, while Dalles batted .225 with 21 RBIs in 48 games for the IronBirds.
Steve Bumbry, the son of former Orioles outfielder Al Bumbry will play in the outfield for Delmarva this season. The younger Bumbry hit .234 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 45 games for Aberdeen in 2009.
Other notable players on the Shorebirds to start the 2010 season include right-handed pitchers Jesse Beal, Bobby Bundy and Randy Henry, as well as infielder Garabez Rosa.
Here is a link to the Shorebirds' full roster.