While new Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said upon his introduction last week that he was coming to an organization with good players already in place, he's certainly leaving behind a talented system in Houston.
The Astros’ top prospect list came out Monday from Baseball America, and the cross-section of players ranked in their top 10 should provide plenty of optimism for Orioles fans hoping Elias' role as the amateur scouting director and later, their international scouting director, carries over to Baltimore.
Unlike the Orioles' system, whose top 10 is a mix of trade acquisitions, top picks, and productive minor league bats, there's really only two archetypes in Houston's system — their top picks and international signings.