The Orioles minor league system is headed in the right direction. General manager Mike Elias has updated the club’s methods of scouting and development. Throw in a couple of premium draft picks plus a renewed interest in foreign talent and you have the makings of a competitive, modern talent pipeline. But this rising tide hasn’t lifted all boats.
Yusniel Diaz came to the Orioles organization in July of 2018 as the cornerstone of the trade that landed Manny Machado with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Other notable names in that deal were Dean Kremer, Rylan Bannon and Zach Pop.