Baumler making strides, catching up in Fall League

They don't give out a Most Resilient Prospect award, but if each organization nominate someone for it, Carter Baumler would get strong consideration.

The Orioles' No. 22 prospect hasn't had a full season of any kind in years, probably not since he was a junior in the Iowa high school ranks in 2019. The pandemic shut down his senior season, he had Tommy John surgery that fall, a shoulder issue required surgery in the offseason of 2022. He's thrown a grand total of 28 2/3 professional innings since the O's took him in the fifth and final round of the 2020 Draft. Needless to say, he was as ecstatic as anyone to be sent to Arizona to pitch for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.

"This is a really good opportunity to get some more innings, face some good prospects, some good baseball players and match up and compete," Baumler said. "I've been away from competition -- I didn't really throw in 2020-21, had a little bit of competition in '22 and then was taken away from a little bit of competition in '23. So I'm just really excited to compete again. I love being out on the bump and competing."

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He's competed well in his first two starts for Mesa, allowing two earned runs (three total) on seven hits with a pair of walks and 10 strikeouts over seven innings. Baumler didn’t return to a competitive mound until July 29 and racked up just 17 innings, so he feels that this fall he can finally give people a glimpse of who he can be.

"This year, there have been ups and downs; there are ups and downs to every rehab," he said. "It’s growing and trying to get back to what I was as a pitcher. It takes time. I feel with the Orioles, we’ve put in some really good work over this past year. I feel like I’m in a good spot to come out here and showcase who I am."

The fact that he has such a positive outlook after all he's been through should not be overlooked. More than one pitching prospect has gone through the injury gauntlet like Baumler has and not come back. The 21-year-old has learned a lot of lessons about how to take care of his body and be a true professional through his trials and tribulations, a mindset first instilled at home.

"I think it all starts with just how my parents raised me," Baumler said. "My dad's a very resilient guy; he played college football. My mom, they both grew up on farms. That's kind of their nature. Growing up, they had that farm-kid mentality and I think they kind of instilled that in me a little bit where it's like, 'Never quit.' That's what I've always carried with me, going through this battle with injury and rehab."

Now the 21-year-old hopes he can use the extra time in the AFL to catch up to some of his peers, with two of his 2020 Draft classmates reaching Baltimore this year and another making it to Triple-A. Baumler wants to be a part of the continued wave of young players to help the Orioles become a perennial playoff contender, even if that might add a little extra stress.

"Maybe there's a little bit of pressure; there's always a little pressure in pro ball," he said. "But I'd say it's more excitement, knowing that we have this many good players in our system. I think it makes everybody better. I think we're going to look back at the Orioles farm system 10 years from now and we're going to say, 'Wow. That had a lot of really good players in that system.' And I think a lot of people would agree with that."

Orioles hitters in the Fall League

John Rhodes, OF (No. 20): Rhodes did tap into his raw power more in 2023, hitting 17 homers and reaching Double-A, though the 2021 draftee has yet to duplicate his early success at Kentucky or the Cape Cod League consistently. He'll need to keep working to refine his overall approach at the plate.

Billy Cook, 2B/OF (No. 27): A change in his approach and setup in 2023 paid dividends as Cook walked more and struck out less with Double-A Bowie to finish with a 24-homer, 30-steal season. He started slowly in the AFL, trying to do too much, but he does have a walk-off homer on his résumé.

TT Bowens, 1B: A non-drafted free agent signed after the shortened 2020 Draft, Bowens is a big, strong 6-foot-4 first baseman with impressive raw power, and he had a two-homer game early in Fall League action. The big question for Bowens is whether he can make enough contact to get to that power as he keeps moving up with a strikeout rate right around 30 percent in his pro career to date.

Connor Pavolony, C: A University of Tennessee product taken in the seventh round of the 2021 Draft, Pavolony was hoping to make up for missed reps both at and behind the plate after being limited to just 27 games and 103 plate appearances in 2023 because of a hamate injury. The 23-year-old backstop went 4-for-22 with two extra-base hits (a double and a homer), one walk and nine strikeouts over seven AFL games.

Orioles pitchers in the Fall League

Trey McGough, LHP: Originally a late-round pick of the Pirates in 2019, McGough was picked up by the Orioles via the 2022 Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. He had Tommy John surgery in June 2022, and the O's brought him aboard to finish his rehab, returning him to the mound in early August. He had a solid first full season in 2021, and the big lefty is hoping he can make up innings this fall to make a jump to the upper levels of the Orioles' system.

Zach Peek, RHP: The Orioles got Peek from the Angels in December 2019 as part of the Dylan Bundy trade, his first offseason as a pro. He made his pro debut in 2021 and pitched well, but had Tommy John surgery in August 2022 and missed almost all of this season, so he's trying to make up for a lot of lost mound time.

Carlos Tavera, RHP: While the right-hander has pitched largely as a starter since he was a 2021 fifth-round pick, he might have backend bullpen stuff. As a starter, his fastball was up to 96 mph with plus life to go along with a good changeup, and it's easy to see that ticking up in shorter stints out of the 'pen. That would not put as much pressure on his command, which has been an issue and something he continues to work on in the AFL as a reliever.

Peter Van Loon, RHP: The 6-foot-5 right-hander was a late-round pick in 2021, and while he's struggled with consistency, he does have good stuff, with a fastball up to 98 mph, a good breaking ball and a solid splitter. He's had one good outing and one bad to start off his Fall League experience, and it remains to be seen whether he's better off in a relief role than a starting one.