The Orioles’ deadline deals have started to ripple through the system, and this week the farm had a little bit of everything: fresh faces, a few promotions, and several arms that keep forcing the organization to pay attention.
Mike Elias’ flurry of moves brought in a batch of new names, plus one familiar one, and that matters because Baltimore’s big-league club still has time to climb, but not much. If the Orioles are going to improve from here, the farm is going to have to do some of the heavy lifting - either by producing major league help or by turning into trade currency down the line.
There are also three 2026 draft picks - Eric Booth Jr., Ty Head, and Jimmy Anderson - heading to Low-A Delmarva this week. The Shorebirds have four weeks of games left. On the promotion side, pitcher JT Quinn is moving to Double-A, while infielder DJ Layton and outfielder Jordan Sanchez are going up to High-A.
At Triple-A Norfolk, the overall picture remains bleak, but a few players worth watching did their part. Creed Willems turned in eight hits in five games, including a homer.
Enrique Bradfield Jr. also had a decent week, going 5-18 with a triple and four walks. If he had been putting up the .278/.391/.389 line he posted this week for the season, he’d be in Baltimore now.
Instead, his Norfolk OPS sits at .663.
The pitching side was less encouraging. Luis De León’s second outing at the level went poorly, as he allowed six runs in four innings while giving up eight hits, two walks, and hitting a batter.
Juaron Watts-Brown also had a rough relief appearance, giving up three runs in 1.2 innings. Michael Forret, back in the Orioles organization after being sent to the Rays for Shane Baz and returned for Tyler Wells, gave up two runs in 4.2 innings, allowing seven hits and two walks.
There was one bright spot from the rehab group: Chris Bassitt threw six scoreless innings, allowing three hits, two walks, and a hit batter while striking out five. Heston Kjerstad also kept flashing some life, going 4-17 with three extra-base hits.
Double-A Chesapeake keeps looking more and more like a place where the rotation is worth your time. Joseph Dzierwa added another six scoreless innings and struck out nine.
Anthony Eyanson, the newest name from the Adley Rutschman trade, matched him with nine strikeouts of his own over five innings, though he did allow two runs. Caden Hunter pushed even deeper into strikeout territory, piling up double digits over six innings while giving up two runs.
At the plate, Aron Estrada had the kind of week he’d rather forget: 3-23 with no walks over seven games. Brandon Butterworth went 5-21 with a homer, and Victor Figueroa was 4-21 with a homer.
Wehiwa Aloy, though, continues to look interesting. He went 4-18, but two of those hits left the yard and he drew five walks.
Through 13 games at the level, he’s at a .727 OPS.
Patrick Reilly also turned in a notable outing, scattering nine hits over 4.2 scoreless innings in just his third level-appropriate start since Tommy John surgery.
High-A Frederick got a big jolt from another trade arrival. Enddy Azocar, also from the Rutschman deal, made a loud first impression by collecting ten hits, six of them for extra bases. He’s only 19, so if this keeps going, it gets very interesting by season’s end.
Kyson Witherspoon, the third minor leaguer to debut from that same trade this week, had a line that was a little uneven: zero earned runs, but five hits and five walks allowed. Quinn, meanwhile, finished his time in Frederick with 5.2 scoreless innings and seven strikeouts before his promotion.
Boston Bateman was limited to a planned two-inning start after a couple of injury-shortened outings, but he made the most of it by striking out six of the seven batters he faced.
Low-A Delmarva saw mixed results from the new arrivals. Jhomnardo Reyes, acquired in the Dean Kremer trade, came in with a 3-23 line, but he did walk eight times and steal three bases.
Jordan Sanchez, who is moving up a level, had a strong week with 12 hits and two homers. DJ Layton also earned his promotion with a 5-19 week that included three doubles, six walks, and three stolen bases.
Jaiden Lo Re quietly outperformed both of them in OPS for the week, even though he had nine hits instead of Sanchez’s 12, because he drew seven walks. Sanchez leaves Delmarva with a .705 OPS. Layton’s .786 OPS translated to a 123 wRC+, and Lo Re has put up a .920 OPS through 45 games.
Last week’s minor league player of the week poll produced another repeat winner, with Caden Hunter taking 87% of the vote in a two-way race. The only multi-week winners this season are Hunter and Ike Irish. The single-week winners so far are Aron Estrada, Victor Figueroa, Payton Eeles, Braylin Tavera, Caden Hunter, Wehiwa Aloy, Jaiden Lo Re, Joseph Dzierwa, Luis De León, and Heston Kjerstad.
In Other News...
Orioles Just Learned The Full Price Of Bostons Adley Blockbuster
Adley Rutschman wasted no time getting settled in after his Boston debut, reaching base three times in all and handling things cleanly behind the plate in his first game with the Red Sox. The Orioles, meanwhile, finally got the last piece of the deal they made with Boston, as the transaction was completed with a player to be named later heading back the other way.
For Baltimore, the return now has a face and a place in the system, and it offers one more reminder of how much the organization was willing to give up to move a franchise centerpiece. The full cost of the blockbuster is now on the books, but the real judgment on it will take far longer than one debut to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Added One More Intriguing Piece In The Adley Rutschman Trade
The Adley Rutschman trade keeps revealing more layers for Baltimore, and the latest piece is a familiar kind of lottery ticket: a young outfielder with real tools and a long developmental runway. The Orioles received Harold Rivas from the Red Sox as the player to be named later, adding another prospect to a package that already brought back catcher Carlos Narvez, outfielder Enddy Azocar and pitchers Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon while Jake Rogers headed to Boston.
Rivas is still in Rookie-level ball, so this is less about immediate help than about betting on upside. Baltimore has made a habit of finding value in these kinds of additions, and the appeal here is obvious for a front office that prizes athleticism: speed, defense and arm strength are all part of Rivas' profile, even if the next step in his development remains the real story. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Elias Faces A Defining Rays Test Orioles Fans Cant Ignore
Since Mike Elias arrived in Baltimore, the Orioles have been measured against the kind of steady, resourceful operation the Rays have built over the same span. Tampa Bay has kept winning through changing rosters and real obstacles, piling up a better record and more playoff success while remaining one of baseballs toughest front offices to imitate. For Orioles fans, that comparison has become a useful barometer for where the organization is and where it still wants to go.
Elias has put his own stamp on the roster, leaning into player development and a long-view approach to building a contender. The challenge now is whether that vision can match the standard the Rays have set, especially when the margins shrink in October and the pressure rises. Baltimore does not need to copy Tampa Bay piece for piece, but it does need to prove it can turn its own blueprint into the kind of sustained winning that changes the conversation. [Read more 🡒]