The Baltimore Orioles have built a promising roster in recent years, with a strong farm system and an emerging competitive core. As the team continues to develop its young talent and progress toward a more competitive era, the question of who will be the team’s ace in 2025 remains intriguing. The position of the ace is a crucial one, as it represents the top pitcher in a rotation and often sets the tone for the pitching staff and the team as a whole.
As of 2024, the Orioles’ pitching staff has seen a combination of experienced arms and emerging young stars. While the 2025 season is still a couple of years away, there are several key players on the roster or in the farm system who could emerge as the team’s ace by that time. The candidates to fill this role are likely to be a mix of established pitchers, prospects, and potential acquisitions. In evaluating the possible contenders, we need to consider their talent, trajectory, development, and how they might fit into the Orioles’ pitching plans for the future.
Current and Emerging Candidates for the Role of Ace
- Grayson Rodriguez (RHP)
Grayson Rodriguez is arguably the most likely candidate to be the Orioles’ ace in 2025. As one of the top pitching prospects in all of Major League Baseball, Rodriguez has been highly touted for his combination of a mid-90s fastball, devastating slider, and plus changeup. Rodriguez made his MLB debut in 2022, and while his rookie season in 2023 was a mixed bag, he showed plenty of flashes of his potential. In 2023, he had moments of dominance, particularly with his fastball velocity and command of off-speed pitches.
Rodriguez has the tools to be a frontline starter. He stands out for his combination of power and precision, with excellent strikeout rates in the minor leagues. His ability to miss bats and generate weak contact, combined with good control and a solid understanding of pitching, make him a candidate to become the team’s ace as early as 2025. His development in the next couple of years will be critical in determining whether he can live up to the billing as a future top-tier pitcher in the MLB.
The key for Rodriguez in the coming seasons will be his consistency. In 2023, he experienced some growing pains with command and control, but these are often the struggles of a young pitcher transitioning to the big leagues. If Rodriguez can iron out these issues and continue refining his secondary pitches, he could well become the ace of the Orioles by 2025, and perhaps for many years to come.
- DL Hall (LHP)
Another pitcher to keep an eye on is DL Hall. Known for his electric stuff, Hall has the potential to be a dominant force in the Orioles’ rotation. With a high-90s fastball and a lethal slider, Hall has the type of arsenal that could propel him to the top of the rotation. He has been a highly rated prospect for several years and made his major league debut in 2022. However, injuries and control issues have prevented him from fully breaking through as a reliable starting pitcher.
Hall’s development will largely depend on his ability to harness his electric stuff and reduce his walk rate. If he can make the necessary adjustments and stay healthy, he has the potential to evolve into a frontline starter for the Orioles. His left-handedness is an added advantage, as southpaws with Hall’s velocity and stuff are highly coveted in any rotation.
As of 2024, Hall still faces some challenges in terms of refining his command, but if he can get those issues under control, he is certainly a candidate to emerge as the ace of the Orioles’ staff by 2025.
- Kyle Bradish (RHP)
Kyle Bradish is another potential candidate for the Orioles’ ace role in 2025. Bradish has already made a significant impact in the major leagues since his debut in 2022. With a mid-90s fastball, sharp slider, and solid changeup, Bradish has been able to strike out hitters and keep runs off the board. While he is not the same kind of high-ceiling prospect as Grayson Rodriguez or DL Hall, Bradish has established himself as a reliable and steady arm in the Orioles’ rotation.
Bradish’s ability to generate weak contact and work deep into games makes him a valuable asset for the Orioles. He might not have the same dominant stuff as some of the other pitchers mentioned, but his consistency and experience could see him evolve into the team’s ace by 2025. His work ethic, combined with his ability to adjust and improve over time, makes him a realistic candidate for a top role in the Orioles’ rotation.
- Jack Flaherty (RHP)
A potential external addition to the Orioles’ rotation could be a player like Jack Flaherty, who has flashed ace potential in the past but has struggled with injuries and consistency in recent years. Flaherty, once regarded as one of the top young pitchers in the game, could be a candidate for a bounce-back season. If he were to regain his pre-injury form and join the Orioles on a multi-year deal, he could fill the ace role, at least temporarily, in 2025. However, his injury history and the level of his rebound would play a significant role in determining whether he could stay healthy and effective enough to fill that role.
- Free Agent Acquisitions or Trade Targets
Another possibility for the Orioles to fill the ace role in 2025 would be to acquire an established starting pitcher from outside the organization. The team’s strong farm system, which includes prospects like Heston Kjerstad, Colton Cowser, and others, could be used as trade chips to acquire a proven frontline starter. As the 2025 season approaches, the Orioles could make a move to bolster their rotation with an established ace, particularly if their internal options like Rodriguez, Hall, and Bradish haven’t fully developed by that time.
The free-agent market could also provide opportunities to acquire a top-tier starter. By 2025, players like Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, or other proven veterans might hit the open market. The Orioles, with a more competitive window opening, could pursue one of these players to solidify their rotation.
How the Orioles’ Organization is Developing Pitching
The Orioles have made significant strides in developing their pitching staff in recent years. The team has increasingly focused on improving its pitching infrastructure, which has included refining its approach to player development, analytics, and player health.
Under the leadership of executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, the Orioles have focused heavily on player development, particularly in their pitching prospects. The organization has invested in both scouting and technology, providing young pitchers with cutting-edge resources to improve their pitching mechanics, pitch selection, and overall approach. This has already paid off in terms of the development of players like Grayson Rodriguez, DL Hall, and Kyle Bradish, who all have the potential to be key parts of the Orioles’ pitching staff moving forward.
Moreover, the Orioles have also benefited from an improved defense behind their pitchers. The addition of key position players like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson has improved the team’s overall defensive efficiency, which is critical for pitchers to succeed. A strong defense can help pitchers avoid unnecessary runs and make them more effective in high-leverage situations, which will only help the team’s ace as the 2025 season approaches.
