June 6: Baltimore has now formally chosen Povich’s contract from Triple-A Norfolk, per a group announcement. Left-hander Nick Vespi was optioned to Norfolk in a corresponding 26-man roster transfer. The Orioles’ 40-man roster is now at capability.
June 5: The Orioles are calling up pitching prospect Cade Povich to begin tomorrow’s collection finale with the Blue Jays, supervisor Brandon Hyde informed the group’s beat (X hyperlink by way of Danielle Allentuck of the Baltimore Banner). Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reported this morning (on X) that Povich was assembly the group in Toronto, initially as a member of the taxi squad.
It’s the primary name for the 6’3″ left-hander. Povich, a College of Nebraska product, was a third-round decide of the Twins in 2021. He was in Excessive-A within the Minnesota group when the O’s acquired him on the ’22 deadline. Baltimore despatched nearer Jorge López, then within the midst of an All-Star season, to the Twin Cities for Yennier Cano, Povich, and two different minor league pitchers.
The transfer was an unpopular one among the many clubhouse and with a big portion of the fanbase contemplating the O’s have been on the perimeter of playoff competition. But it has turn out to be an unquestioned win for Baltimore, as Cano nearly instantly blossomed into the most effective relievers within the sport. Povich, now 24, is likely one of the extra proficient pitchers of their system.
Povich cut up final season between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk, logging 126 2/3 innings throughout 28 begins. A cumulative 5.04 earned run common isn’t significantly spectacular, however Povich was one of many higher strikeout pitchers within the minors. He fanned 171 hitters, behind solely Drew Thorpe and Tobias Myers amongst all minor league pitchers. Whereas that’s partially a mirrored image of Povich’s sturdiness, his 31.1% strikeout charge was additionally properly above common.
That has continued over 11 begins with Norfolk in 2024, this time main to raised run prevention. Povich has punched out 32.5% of batters confronted en path to a 3.18 ERA in 56 2/3 innings. His 9.1% stroll charge is a bit of greater than supreme for a beginning pitcher, however it’s an encouraging total exhibiting simply the identical.
Povich isn’t the identical caliber of prospect as Baltimore’s most touted place gamers (e.g. Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo). He’s typically seen by evaluators as a probably strong beginning pitcher. Baseball America and The Athletic’s Keith Legislation every slotted him within the again half of the O’s prime 10 prospects over the offseason.
Legislation praised Povich’s changeup and curveball, whereas BA lauds the arm-side run on his fastball. FanGraphs ranks him fifth within the system and because the sport’s #92 prospect total, with reward for the deception in his supply and his assortment of offspeed pitches. Povich might want to proceed bettering his strike-throwing, however there’s broad settlement that he has the repertoire to be an enormous league starter.
He steps right into a rotation that misplaced John Means and swingman Tyler Wells to elbow surgical procedure final week. Baltimore is working with a beginning 5 of Corbin Burnes, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Cole Irvin and Albert Suárez. Righty Dean Kremer is shelved by a triceps pressure however might return this month. It’s a powerful prime three, however the rotation depth is a relative query mark on an excellent group that’s off to a 39-21 begin. The O’s will possible be linked to beginning pitchers in commerce rumors over the subsequent two months.
Povich will look to make a superb preliminary impression because the entrance workplace evaluates their back-end starters earlier than the deadline. He isn’t on the 40-man roster, however the O’s have already got a gap. They’re carrying the utmost 13 pitchers on the lively roster, so that they might want to ship out one other pitcher tomorrow.
