Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Baumler boosted his stock late in the showcase cycle, pitching well at the Area Code Games in August and turning in an impressive bullpen workout at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in September. Iowa's best high school pitching prospect since Mitch Keller, he could be the state's earliest Draft pick since the Pirates made Keller a second-rounder in 2014. But he only got one disappointing outing in this spring before the coronavirus shutdown, making it unlikely a team will spend enough to lure him away from his Texas Christian commitment.

Baumler has a strong, athletic frame that currently produces 90-94 mph fastballs with riding life and he projects to add more velocity in the future. His curveball lacked consistency early in the summer but improved afterward, showing good depth and leading some evaluators to grade his bender as a future plus offering. He hasn't used his changeup much but demonstrates some feel for the pitch.

Scouts love Baumler's clean delivery and arm action, which should allow him to throw strikes and stay healthy. He's a quality athlete who has flashed some power and speed while playing a variety of positions, including catcher. Though he drew some college football interest after kicking and punting for Dowling Catholic's (Des Moines) 4-A state championship football team in 2018, he committed to play baseball only at TCU.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

When high school righty Nick Bitsko didn't fall to the Orioles' supplemental first-round pick as hoped in 2020, they pivoted and spent their extra bonus-pool money on Coby Mayo ($1.75 million in the fourth round) and Baumler ($1.5 million in the fifth). The Iowa high school product blew out his elbow in instructional league that fall and has totaled just 88 2/3 innings in five pro seasons since, having Tommy John surgery in 2020 and a shoulder operation in '22. Back issues delayed the start of his 2025 season but he did advance to Double-A before the Pirates selected him in the Rule 5 Draft in December, then immediately traded him to the Rangers for righty pitching prospect Jaiker Garcia and cash.

Baumler displayed two plus pitches while working a career-high 39 2/3 innings last season. His fastball operated from 93-97 mph and touched 99 with explosive carry at its best. He long has shown aptitude for spinning the ball and can land his low-80s power curveball for strikes as well as get chases with it. He'll occasionally mix in a mid-80s slider, more versus righties.

As a two-pitch guy with fringy control and a long medical record, Baumler will be a reliever rather than the mid-rotation starter Baltimore once envisioned. He'll have to remain on Texas' active roster throughout 2026, or else clear waivers and get offered back to the Orioles for half of his $100,000 draft price. His fastball/curveball combination should be enough for him to claim a low-leverage bullpen role, with the promise for more if he can stay healthy.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

The Orioles have been waiting to get a long look at Baumler since 2020, when they drafted him in the fifth round out of the Iowa prep ranks and signed him above slot for $1.5 million. He blew out his elbow at instructs that fall and underwent Tommy John surgery in October 2020, delaying his debut until May 2022. He’s thrown only 28⅔ innings in games during the two years since, missing most of ‘22 with a shoulder issue that required another offseason operation and limited him to 27 innings in ‘23. Ten of those frames came in the Arizona Fall League, where Baumler showed an ability to miss bats by racking up 15 strikeouts.

A former football player with a strong, athletic frame, Baumler maintained most of the velocity he showed pre-injury, with his heater averaging 92-93 mph in the Fall League. He has a full package of pitches to work with, including a low-80s curveball, a mid-80s changeup and a mid-80s slider. He just hasn’t pitched much, and so the defining quality of that mix is more projection than polish. He remains one of the system’s biggest mysteries almost four years after his Draft date.

Baumler’s always been a quality athlete (he caught in high school and drew college football interest as a kicker and punter). He's received high marks for his competitiveness and makeup, and his resiliency has been tested repeatedly by his injury history. While durability concerns might point to a long-term future in the bullpen, there still is time for Baumler to develop and deliver on his considerable ceiling. But right now, health and innings are paramount.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

The Orioles’ fifth-round pick in 2020 (above-slot $1.5 million bonus), Baumler faced immediate adversity, tearing the ulna collateral ligament in his right elbow during his second bullpen at the club’s instructional camp that fall. Baumler underwent Tommy John surgery in October 2020, and worked his way back to enjoy an electric four-start debut in May 2022 at Class A Delmarva, where he racked up 20 strikeouts in his first 11 2/3 professional innings. But then the injury bug struck again in the form of shoulder inflammation, sidelining Baumler for the rest of the season and he had offseason surgery that kept him off the mound even longer. Still only 21, injuries have kept Baumler from pitching consistently since the summer of 2019, when he boosted his draft stock significantly as a rising senior from Iowa. 

A former football player with a strong, athletic frame, Baumler produced 90-94 mph fastballs with riding life before the injury, and projects to add more velocity going forward. Scouts raved about his clean delivery and arm action coming out of the Draft, also giving Baumler high points for his competitiveness and makeup. His pitch mix remains more projection than polish, but he does feature a potential plus curveball and a developing changeup. Repeatable mechanics hint at an ability to throw strikes consistently, though he’s yet to prove that ability in games due to the injuries. 

The early signs were that Baumler would be a fast riser in the Orioles' organization, but almost three years after his Draft date, he remains one of their system’s biggest mysteries. A quality athlete who played catcher in high school and also drew some college football interest as a kicker and punter, there’s still time for him to develop and put that athleticism to use in delivering on his considerable upside. But right now, health and innings are paramount. More than anything, Baumler needs time on the mound to develop before the Orioles get a better sense in what they truly have in the young righty. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

Two years since the Orioles signed Baumler, their fifth-round pick in 2020, for an above-slot $1.5 million, the athletic right-hander remains one of their system’s most intriguing mysteries. The pandemic limited Baumler to one disappointing outing the spring of his senior year at Dowling Catholic High (Iowa) in 2020, and he pitched just two bullpen sessions at the Orioles’ instructional camp that fall before tearing the ulna collateral ligament in his right elbow. Baumler underwent Tommy John surgery that October, and as a result, he hadn’t pitched consistently since the summer of 2019, when he boosted his draft stock significantly at the Area Code Games and World Wood Bat Association World Championships. The layoff had the Orioles itching to see Baumler return to the mound for his professional debut in 2022, a debut that was brief due to shoulder inflammation.

A former football player with a strong, athletic frame, Baumler produced 90-94 mph fastballs with riding life before the injury, and projects to add more velocity in the future. Scouts raved about his clean delivery and arm action coming out of the Draft, also giving Baumler high points for his competitiveness and makeup. His pitch mix is more projection than polish at this point, but Baumler does feature a potential plus curveball and a developing changeup. His repeatable mechanics hint at an ability to throw strikes consistently, though he’s yet to prove that ability in games due to the injury.

While Baumler did not experience any setbacks in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, the new shoulder issues put another cloud over his future. A quality athlete who played catcher in high school and also drew some college football interest as a kicker and punter, there’s still time for him to develop and put that athleticism to use in delivering on his considerable upside.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

The pandemic limited Baumler to one disappointing outing the spring of his senior year, after he boosted his stock significantly at the Area Code Games and World Wood Bat Association World Championship the summer before. That made it unclear if Iowa’s best high school pitching prospect since Mitch Keller in 2014 would be drafted and convinced to forgo his commitment to Texas Christian University. But by manipulating their bonus pool in part by taking Heston Kjerstad No. 2 overall, the Orioles had enough money left to sign Baumler for $1.5 million after nabbing him in the fifth round, making him the only pitcher in their six-player 2020 Draft class. Baumler then impressed early on during instructional league last fall before suffering a torn UCL that required Tommy John surgery. 

Baumler is a former football player with a strong, athletic frame that produced 90-94 mph fastballs with riding life before the injury, and projects to add more velocity in the future. His best secondary pitch is a potentially plus-curve, which he’s thrown more consistently since his high school days and shows good depth. Baumler also features a developing changeup, and the ability to throw all three pitches for strikes.

Scouts love Baumler's clean delivery and arm action, and laud his competitiveness and makeup. He's a quality athlete, one who drew some college football interest as a kicker and punter and who also flashed some power and speed while playing a variety of positions, including catcher. Only 18 years old when he underwent surgery in October, Baumler should have more than enough time to recover, develop and deliver on his considerable upside.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

After Baumler boosted his stock late in last summer’s showcase cycle, pitching well at the Area Code Games in August and turning in an impressive bullpen workout at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in September, he only got one disappointing outing in this spring before the coronavirus shutdown. That made it unclear if the best high school pitching prospect in Iowa since Mitch Keller came out in 2014 would get drafted and paid to keep Baumler from attending Texas Christian University. But after saving more than $2.5 million by taking Heston Kjerstad No. 2 overall, the Orioles had enough bonus pool money to nab Baumler in the fifth round and give him $1.5 million to sign. He had impressed early on during instructional league play this fall before suffering a torn ucl that required Tommy John surgery in late October.

Baumler has a strong, athletic frame that currently produces 90-94 mph fastballs with riding life and he projects to add more velocity in the future. His curveball lacked consistency early in the summer but improved afterward, showing good depth and leading some evaluators to grade his bender as a future plus offering. He hasn't used his changeup much but demonstrates some feel for the pitch.

Scouts love Baumler's clean delivery and arm action, which should allow him to throw strikes. He's a quality athlete, one who drew some college football interest as a kicker and punter and who also flashed some power and speed while playing a variety of positions, including catcher.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	12/10/2025	Pittsburgh Pirates purchased contract of RHP Carter Baumler in the Rule 5 Draft.
	12/10/2025	Pittsburgh Pirates traded RHP Carter Baumler to Texas Rangers for RHP Jaiker Garcia and cash.
	08/19/2025	RHP Carter Baumler assigned to Chesapeake Baysox from Aberdeen IronBirds.
	05/13/2025	RHP Carter Baumler assigned to Aberdeen IronBirds from Delmarva Shorebirds.
	05/05/2025	sent RHP Carter Baumler on a rehab assignment to FCL Orioles.
	05/05/2025	Delmarva Shorebirds sent RHP Carter Baumler on a rehab assignment to FCL Orioles.
	04/04/2025	Delmarva Shorebirds placed RHP Carter Baumler on the 7-day injured list.
	10/01/2024	Delmarva Shorebirds activated RHP Carter Baumler from the 7-day injured list.
	10/01/2024	Delmarva Shorebirds activated RHP Carter Baumler from the 7-day injured list.
	07/18/2024	Delmarva Shorebirds placed RHP Carter Baumler on the 7-day injured list retroactive to July 10, 2024.
	06/18/2024	RHP Carter Baumler assigned to Delmarva Shorebirds from Aberdeen IronBirds.
	04/02/2024	RHP Carter Baumler assigned to Aberdeen IronBirds from Delmarva Shorebirds.
	09/22/2023	Mesa Solar Sox activated RHP Carter Baumler.
	08/25/2023	Delmarva Shorebirds activated RHP Carter Baumler from the 60-day injured list.
	07/29/2023	Delmarva Shorebirds sent RHP Carter Baumler on a rehab assignment to FCL Orioles.
	04/06/2023	Delmarva Shorebirds placed RHP Carter Baumler on the 60-day injured list.
	10/06/2022	Delmarva Shorebirds activated RHP Carter Baumler from the 7-day injured list.
	07/07/2022	Delmarva Shorebirds placed RHP Carter Baumler on the 7-day injured list.
	07/07/2022	Delmarva Shorebirds placed RHP Carter Baumler on the 7-day injured list.
	05/24/2022	RHP Carter Baumler assigned to Delmarva Shorebirds from FCL Orioles.
	04/03/2022	RHP Carter Baumler assigned to FCL Orioles from Delmarva Shorebirds.
	11/07/2021	Delmarva Shorebirds activated RHP Carter Baumler.
	05/04/2021	RHP Carter Baumler assigned to Delmarva Shorebirds from GCL Orioles.
	07/24/2020	RHP Carter Baumler assigned to GCL Orioles.
	07/24/2020	Baltimore Orioles signed RHP Carter Baumler.
	08/08/2019	RHP Carter Baumler assigned to PG West.