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BOSTON – Jordan Westburg is out of tonight’s Orioles lineup after injuring his right ankle last night in the first inning.
An update is coming later.
Samuel Basallo also is on the bench. Luis Vázquez is starting at third base. Dylan Beavers is in right field. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter.
Coby Mayo is playing first base.
Tonight marks Tomoyuki Sugano’s 24th major league start. He’s posted a 4.13 ERA in 126 1/3 innings, and he’s only the 10th Japanese-born pitcher to win 10 games as a rookie.
Entering the 2023 season, the Orioles’ farm system was at the peak of its powers.
Baltimore had eight top-100 prospects, according to Baseball America. That included the No. 1 overall prospect, Gunnar Henderson, another top-10 prospect, Grayson Rodriguez, a rising star in Jackson Holliday, a soon-to-be Rookie of the Year candidate in Colton Cowser, and the underrated Jordan Westburg, checking in at No. 76.
By the time 2024 rolled around, however, that list had taken quite a hit due to graduations. Then it included just three players, with Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo joining Heston Kjerstad.
With Mayo’s graduation this season, there was some question as to who, if anyone, would join Basallo in the top 100. Baseball America’s most recent rankings gave us an answer, highlighting three Orioles prospects on the rise.
Nate George
