For all the difficult decisions the Orioles' pitching depth created as the final 25-man roster was formed, alarge crew of young arms is coming up through the local Orioles affiliates to further elevate the organization's pitching depth — and each other's games.
"That's what's fun about it right now, the friendly competition," right-hander Branden Kline said Tuesday at Double-A Bowie's media day. "We know there's guys here like Tim Berry that could easily be in Triple-A … even the big leagues in some organizations. We're just all out there [saying] 'He's going to go seven innings? Now it's my turn to go out there and do the exact same thing.'
"It's a nice little friendly competition, but at the same time, that's how we get better."
First-round picks like Dylan Bundy and Hunter Harvey will get the attention when any is given to the Orioles' farm system, but once you reach below the big league ready Triple-A Norfolk roster, the starters at Bowie and High-A Frederick might not litter top prospect lists. Those are reserved for players with higher ceilings, but nearly every homegrown pitcher in the Bowie and Frederick rotation represents the kind of low-floor depth with major league futures the organization has lacked in years past.
In Bowie, the left-handed Berry returns to start Opening Day at Richmond a year after he made 23 starts for the Baysox with a 3.51 ERA and 7.29 strikeouts per nine innings.
Behind him, new acquisition Elih Villanueva slots in before right-handers Parker Bridwell and Kline. Bridwell struck out 142 batters in 141 1/3 innings for Frederick a year ago and possesses one of the most advanced changeups in the system, while Kline has added several miles per hour to his fastball this offseason by utilizing a heavy-ball program at his alma-mater, the University of Virginia.
The fifth starter is perhaps the most heralded, with 2011 fourth overall draft pick Dylan Bundy slotting in at the end of the rotation. Bundy will be on an innings limit as he works to get a full season's work in after throwing just 41 1/3 innings last year on his way back from Tommy John surgery.
In Frederick, a rotation that includes products of unheralded programs such as Tennessee Tech and Dartmouth, as well as a recently signed minor league free agent, still has plenty of upside.
Left-hander Mitch Horacek, a Dartmouth product who led the South Atlantic League in strikeouts a year ago with 151 in 137 1/3 innings pitched, will start on Opening Day Thursday at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium. Then comes David Hess, a fifth-round pick who was the first 2014 draftee in the organization to reach Frederick.
The only other arm in a rotation that also includes Luis Gonzalez and Sebastian Vader who hasn't spent time developing with this same group is Jarrett Miller, a Carolina League veteran signed last week after he was released by the Atlanta Braves. Frederick pitching coach Kennie Steenstra sees plenty of advantages to a cohesive staff moving through the system like that.
"I think it means a lot, to be able to have guys lean on each other a little bit, where you're not having to do all the coaching," he said. "I think we'll have a group of starters that will challenge each other in the bullpens, and it's something they do in Baltimore really with the big league staff. We'd like to see that kind of go through the whole organization, with guys pushing each other."
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