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Orioles farm system steadily improving
The volume of impact players the Orioles have produced via the draft since 2000 have been few and far between. Sure, Nick Markakis made his much-heralded debut last season and Chris Ray emerged as a bona fide closer. But for much of the early part of the decade, Baltimore's draft was a virtual wasteland.
That trend has clearly begun to reverse itself, though. The 2005 draft produced Garrett Olson,
Nolan Reimold and Brandon Erbe, all of whom are expected to play an integral role at the Major League level within the next year or two. Last season's draft also gave Baltimore fans something to look forward to in the form of Billy Rowell, Pedro Beato and Ryan Adams.
So while there still may be some struggles ahead for the O's, the influx of young talent should keep those trials and tribulations to a minimum. Help is on the way and it won't be long before Camden Yards is once again the home of some exciting young players.
Double-A Bowie
Nolan Reimold, OF
Reimold began the season by hitting .304 with nine homers and 36 RBIs through the first week of June at Frederick before the injury bug bit. Back woes and foot problems slowed him from then on and he hit .227 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs the rest of the season. He did make an appearance in the Futures Game and went on to hit .284 with nine RBIs in 25 games for Grand Canyon in the Arizona Fall League.
"He was really going good last year, but he got hurt a couple of times," Jordan said. "So he wound up having a good year, not a great year. But he's got the big upside. He hurt his back lifting weights and trying to do too much in the weight room. And the foot problem he had hasn't recurred and never happened before, so we don't feel as if we'll have any [injury] problems with this guy."