It took Matt Wieters two swings to show why the Orioles gave him the largest signing bonus in team history.
Wieters homered in each of his first two offical at-bats and drove home three runs in his debut with the Single-A Frederick Keys, leading them to a 7-3 victory over the Lynchburg Hillcats on Friday.
It was that display of power which the Orioles envision seeing one day at Camden Yards when they selected the former Georgia Tech catcher with the fifth overall pick in last year?s draft before giving him $6 million to sign a professional contract.
“Hitting a home run right away was a great way to get started, but I also know I?ve still got 140 games to play this year,” Wieters said. “I know there are a lot of expectations, but none are greater than the ones I place on myself. Right now, we have a lot of young players here and I think it?s a great time to be a baseball fan here.”
Frederick manager Tommy Thompson said Wieters, who went 1-for-2 with a run driven-in and a run scored in a 2-0 victory over the Hillcats on Saturday, has all of the skills ? a great arm, speed, hitting and defensive ability ? to succeed in the major leagues.
“He?s awesome,” said Thompson, who led Frederick to the Carolina League title last season. “I just need to let him play and try to teach him about pitch selection and get him at-bats. He?s a very smart kid. When you get a player in the first year, you often have to teach them a lot. But Matt has a good head on his shoulders. You put a player like that in leadership roles on the field and in the clubhouse.”
Wieters has the highest profile of any Oriole prospect, but Frederick?s roster features fourl first-round draft picks, who the franchise is counting on to be its future stars.
The Keys are powered by third baseman and 2006 top pick Billy Rowell, 2006 supplemental pick Pedro Beato and 2006 first-round pick catcher Brandon Snyder, who combine with pitchers Jake Arrieta and Brandon Erbe, a former McDonogh standout, to give the team a strong nucleous.
Snyder, a 6-foot-2, 205 pound native of Centreville, Va., was supposed to be the Orioles? catcher of the future before shoulder injuries forced him to become a first baseman.
“I?ve definitely grown up as a player and a person,” Snyder, who hit .378 in the Hawaii Winter League, said. “The hardest adjustment wasn?t physically, but trying not to get beat up mentally as you have to get yourself up for every game. There is also added pressure being a top pick because you know they want you to get to the big leagues, but that can?t make you more nervous than you already are. You just trust the ability that made you a first-round pick.”
