Orioles Top Prospect

Brandon Erbe

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'4' / 180
DOB: 12/25/1987
AGE: 19
BATS/THROWS: Right / Right

He's 6-4 and filling out. He throws a fiercesome fastball-slider combo. His fastball is mid-90's and can push even higher. He showed terrific stuff in 2006. 133:47 ratio in 114.2 innings, good control for a developing 18-year-old.And here's the kicker: He allowed just two home runs. Personally I think he has a very high ceiling. He may not be able to adequately develop a great third pitch, and if he doesn't then he becomes a dominant closer.

Fastball: Erbe's fastball can range anywhere between 90-98 MPH. Along with the velocity, the great movement he gets on his fastball makes it a plus pitch. He can tend to be erratic but has calmed those tendencies lately. He also throws a cut fatsball which has turned into a plus pitch for him.

Slider: Erbe is very young and still developing his slider. It has come far but is still not good to be thrown for strikes. The Orioles will have to mix that into his pitch selection more in order for it to become a plus pitch.

Changeup: Like his slider his changeup is still developing but is a promising pitch. It has some late movement but Erbe really doesnt know where its going to go. Once he figures how to command this pitch and his slider he could be dominate.

Projection: With his dominant stuff some people thought he could be a closer. But with the

emergence of Ray on the Orioles it looks as if he may be a future ace.