Fansided

One prospect each MLB team should call up right now

By Joshua Sadlock

MONTREAL, QC - MARCH 27: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during the MLB preseason game at Olympic Stadium on March 27, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - MARCH 27: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during the MLB preseason game at Olympic Stadium on March 27, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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SARASOTA, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Cedric Mullins #70 of the Baltimore Orioles bats during a Grapefruit League spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Ed Smith Stadium on February 23, 2018 in Sarasota, Florida. The Rays won 6-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
SARASOTA, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Cedric Mullins #70 of the Baltimore Orioles bats during a Grapefruit League spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Ed Smith Stadium on February 23, 2018 in Sarasota, Florida. The Rays won 6-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Baltimore Orioles: Cedric Mullins

The Baltimore Orioles are the biggest disaster in the entire league. The O’s entered the 2018 season fully believing they still had what it took to contend in Manny Machado’s final year before free agency. Instead, they have sunk to the depths of baseball and are in the running with a handful of teams who aren’t actually trying to win for the worst record in MLB.

Sooner or later, the Orioles will come to terms with the reality that their window to contend has been firmly slammed shut. The time to begin evaluating minor leaguers for the future will be here in July instead of September.

Austin Hays is the top overall prospect in the Orioles farm system, and he made his MLB debut at the end of last season when the team was hanging onto faint playoff hopes. Hays is back at Double-A and should be given as much time as possible to prepare for a full-time role in 2019. Hays rocketed up the system last year, jumping from Single-A to the big leagues. He has been struggling for Bowie and might just be trying to do too much.

The Orioles will potentially have two starting outfield spots open next year with Adam Jones up for free agency and Mark Trumbo looking like a DH in the final year of his contract. Hays will have a chance to win the job in right field next year, but the prospect to watch for center field is Cedric Mullins.

The 23-year-old has been tearing up Double-A and has the speed and defensive tools the Orioles need after rolling out subpar outfield groups the past three years. Mullins is blessed with a unique set of tools — switch-hitter, speed, decent power at 5-foot-8, strong arm, plus glove — and the Orioles should start seeing what he has instead of giving more at-bats to Craig Gentry or Joey Rickard.

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