Developing pitching prospects hasn’t been a strong suit of the Mike Elias-led organization, so it’s doubly disappointing when a once-promising prospect seems to hit a wall in the minors. However, that’s seemingly what happened with Justin Armbruester in 2024, as the right-hander struggled to adjust in his first full season in Triple-A.
Armbruester came into the Orioles organization with little fanfare. A 12th-round pick out of New Mexico in 2021, the big right-hander seemed like an Elias special—a pitching prospect who may not seem to have the highest upside but had the attributes to potentially out-perform his initial expectations.