Boston Bateman hasn’t wasted any time making his presence felt in the Orioles’ system.
The 20-year-old left-hander, one of six players Baltimore got from the San Diego Padres in the July 2025 deal that sent Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano to San Diego, has quickly become the most highly regarded piece of that return. MLB Pipeline ranks him No. 11 in the Orioles’ system, and Baseball America has him at No.
- Among the other players in the trade, only utilityman Brandon Butterworth cracks a Top 30 list, checking in at No. 30 with Baseball America.
That standing lines up with the kind of season Bateman has put together at High-A Frederick. In his second year of pro ball, the Padres’ second-round pick in 2024 is 4-3 with a 3.63 ERA over 22 games. He’s punched out 107 hitters in 79 1/3 innings, limited opponents to five home runs and issued 44 walks.
Keys pitching coach Jordie Henry sees the bigger picture with a pitcher who still won’t turn 21 until Sept. 20.
“I think he’s progressing. His timeline is fine,” Henry said. “He’s just a younger guys out of the crop of dudes we’ve had this year.”
Bateman’s stuff has drawn attention all year, but so has his frame. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, he’s hard to miss. When asked how hard he throws, he gave a grin-worthy answer.
“I’ve been up to 100 this year, 99.7, t00, I just rounded up, might as well,” he said.
The workload has been lighter since the All-Star break. Over his last four starts, Bateman has worked 11 scoreless innings and allowed eight hits. He said that was tied to a hip issue, though he stressed that he’s been fine and the club has simply been cautious.
“I had a little thing with my hip, but I was fine,” Bateman said. “Just being careful because this is a long season and making sure I’m staying healthy, but I feel great. I’m excited to get back up to six innings, seven innings here soon.”
Bateman’s path to Frederick has already included a couple of stops. He didn’t pitch after signing with San Diego in 2024, then made 15 starts with Single-A Lake Elsinore before the trade. After coming over to Baltimore’s side, he logged a 2.45 ERA in two starts for Delmarva and a 5.56 ERA in three starts for Aberdeen before the franchise moved to Frederick for this season.
He still sounds thrilled about being part of the package Baltimore landed.
“I think it was great,” Bateman said. “I’m grateful for every opportunity I get.
It’s been really great to come over to the Orioles. What a great organization they are.”
For Bateman, the trade also brought along familiar faces. Brandon Butterworth, Victor Figueroa and the rest of the group joined him in the organization, and he made clear how much that mattered during his first year in pro ball.
“I couldn’t have asked for better guys to come over with. Figgy, Butters, all of them.
They’re great guys and super good humans more importantly. I loved it.
“I bring the most intensity, confidence. I want to win every single day. I want to be the best teammate I can.”
That attitude has fit neatly into a Frederick clubhouse that has been loaded with prospects. This season the Keys have also had top 30 names Joseph Dzierwa and Caden Hunter, ranked Nos. 3 and 4, right-hander JT Quinn at No. 14, and right-hander Kyson Witherspoon at No. 12 after arriving from Boston in the Adley Rutschman trade.
Bateman said the group’s mindset has held steady even as injuries and illness have cut into several seasons around him.
“They’re great guys. It goes back to the culture in the clubhouse that we’ve created, all of us,” Bateman said. “It stayed the same the whole entire year.”
Henry said Bateman is still learning some of the day-to-day rhythms that come with pro ball, especially for a pitcher so young.
“He’s still figuring out some daily routine things,” Henry said. “What his process needs to look like day-to-day between outings, how to handle the ups and downs of a pro ball season. He’s still figuring out those kinks that other guys that he’s been competing with on the same team have been doing for two or three years, more than he’s had the opportunity to do so.”
Bateman, though, is already looking well beyond the present. Asked about the organization around him, he didn’t shy away from the big picture.
“I try not to look much about rankings,” Bateman said in a recent talk at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium. “All our teammates are good people. That’s the most important thing to me, creating that culture for the Orioles because in a couple of years we’ll be getting a ring in Baltimore.”
Also on the transaction front, right-hander Albert Suárez, designated for assignment for the fourth time this season, again cleared waivers and rejected an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk, becoming a free agent.
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