Brandon Snyder

2013

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2012

Snyder earned a second MLB cup of coffee in 2011, but he remained mediocre in the minor leagues. For the second straight season, Snyder posted an OPS below .740. If he wants to cut it in the majors, he'll have to improve. He'll get another shot at Triple-A in 2012 and an offseason trade to Texas from Baltimore may be a nice change of scenery and will improve his home park if he reaches the majors.

2011

Snyder, the O's first-round pick in 2005, hasn't lived up to expectations as he's climbed the minor league ladder, never quite hitting for the power that one would expect from a corner infielder. His 2010 season at Triple-A Norfolk was especially stagnant in the power department as he slugged just .407 in 339 at-bats. Derrek Lee was signed as a free agent during the winter and Snyder no longer projects to be the Orioles' first baseman of the near future, but rather a role player off the bench if he even makes the big league squad.

2010

Snyder tore right through Double-A pitchers before he was tested in Triple-A. He had a successful run in the Arizona Fall League, but Baltimore should have a veteran in house to take the job this spring. Make no mistake that Snyder is the first baseman of the future, but his bat will have to impress because his defense is anything but stellar. If he can get off on the right foot, Snyder could be called up before summer, but if he struggles he might not be heard from until September.

2009

Snyder took a step forward in 2008, hitting .315 with 13 home runs and 80 RBI in High-A. More importantly, the Orioles' first-round pick in 2005 stayed healthy. He will start the 2009 season in Double-A and could be in Baltimore by 2010, though his future position is yet to be determined.

2008

Many of the elite prospects in the Orioles farm system had disappointing campaigns, and Snyder is no exception, having moved to first base because of a shoulder injury suffered in 2006. As a catcher, his .283/.354/.422 line looks pretty good, but as a first baseman, it's pretty run-of-the-mill. Snyder will have to make strides next summer, presumably at High-A, to stay as anything near an elite prospect.

2006

A first-round pick in the 2005 draft, the 19-year-old Snyder impressed in rookie ball in the second half of the season. Catchers tend to take a longer time to reach the majors than other positional players, and the Orioles signed Ramon Hernandez to a four-year contract this offseason, so despite his success Snyder won't see regular time in the majors until 2010 at the earliest.