Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon are wasting no time showing why the Orioles wanted them in the Adley Rutschman blockbuster.
On the same night, the two prospects each turned in another eye-catching outing for their new organization, combining for 16 strikeouts while flashing the kind of stuff that made them key pieces in the deal. Just at different levels, each pitcher kept the momentum rolling in his second appearance since joining Baltimore.
Eyanson, Baltimore’s No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 49 overall, worked through four hits and four walks in his latest outing. It was the latest strong line from the 21-year-old right-hander, who had already made his Chesapeake debut by tossing five innings, striking out nine and allowing two runs on four hits.
The 2025 third-round pick has now put together a 1.60 ERA over 18 starts across two levels this season. He’s also piled up 110 strikeouts in 78 2/3 innings, a huge number that underscores just how overpowering his arm has been.
Witherspoon, the Orioles’ No. 12 prospect, kept his own run going with a career night. The 22-year-old righty set a personal best with nine strikeouts, while allowing four hits and two walks. That pushed his season total to 90 strikeouts in 84 2/3 innings, with a 4.46 ERA across 19 High-A starts.
For Witherspoon, Friday’s nine punchouts were the most he’s ever recorded in a game. He was Baltimore’s first-round Draft pick in 2025.
In Other News...
Orioles Suddenly Have A Pete Alonso Concern They Cant Ignore
Pete Alonsos durability has been one of the more bankable things in baseball, which is part of why even a brief scare mattered so much. During the 10th inning against the Rays, he felt a cramp in his right calf, a jolt that briefly put a crack in the kind of availability the Orioles have come to count on as they fight through a wildcard push.
Alonso said he has played through worse and feels fine, and he expects to be in the lineup for the next game. There is also a chance he could be shifted to designated hitter, a small adjustment that would still keep his bat in play while the Orioles keep an eye on a streak of 537 consecutive games and the larger concern of having him right for the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Suddenly Face A Brutal Rays Twist In Series Finale
The Orioles were already trying to navigate a tough division series, and now the Rays are lining up a familiar problem for the finale. Shane McClanahan is set to come off the injured list and take the ball against Baltimore, giving Tampa Bay a front-line arm just when the matchup is tightening up.
McClanahan had been out with a back injury, but he only needed one rehab start before getting the green light to return. For an Orioles club that has spent the series trying to stay on top of the little edges, seeing him back in the rotation changes the tone of the last game quickly, even as Tampa Bay also waits on Griffin Jax and his elbow soreness to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Prospect Just Put Himself On The Radar In A Big Way
Aron Estrada gave the Orioles farm system a jolt Monday night, turning in the kind of performance that can quickly change the conversation around a prospect. The Baysox infielder finished 5 for 5 with a double, drove in five runs and scored twice, helping himself stand out in a system that also had a busy night elsewhere, including a Norfolk loss that went to 10 innings against Gwinnett.
The rest of the Orioles affiliates had their own mix of highlights, from Enrique Bradfield Jr. and Creed Willems to Victor Figueroa, Wehiwa Aloy, Enddy Azocar and RJ Austin, while the pitching lines from Cade Povich, JT Quinn, Twine Palmer and Carson Dorsey added more to track. Even so, Estradas night was the one that most clearly put him on the radar, the sort of line that forces a second look from anyone keeping tabs on Baltimores next wave. [Read more 🡒]