The last week wasn’t very good for Norfolk or Bowie pitchers.
Here on Camden Chat, in addition to our daily minor league coverage, we’ll be stepping back every Tuesday morning to look at the bigger picture across a whole week of results and how the team’s prospects are faring so far. Most of the focus will be on players from Camden Chat’s composite top O’s prospects list, with mentions of some standout efforts from players who could be ranked on a future list.
Triple-A Norfolk Tides
- Last week: 1-5 at Lehigh Valley (Phillies)
- Coming week: vs. Charlotte (33-41 first half, White Sox)
- Season record: 36-39 first half, tied for fifth place (14 games back) of ten teams in International League East. The second half of the season starts today.
Tides pitching/defense gave up seven or more runs in five of the six games over this past week’s series. It’s been a common trend for this team this season, so it’s not like this was much of a surprise. This struggle also swept up Dean Kremer on Saturday, who made a rehab outing and could not complete the first inning, giving up five runs in the process.
Chayce McDermott successfully did not walk too many dudes this week, handing out two free passes while striking out eight batters over 5.2 innings. Those are acceptable numbers, though four earned runs is not. He gave up two dingers. Possibly relevant as pitching depth in the organization, if not a prospect, Julio Teheran – yes, him – gave up a run over six innings.
The hitting prospects are still trying to push their way back onto the big league roster, or at least push up their value to other teams in trade talks. Connor Norby led the way for the Tides with eight hits across the series, including a pair of dingers. Coby Mayo was also up over a 1.000 OPS for the week with 7-20 batting across five games played. I think the fractured rib rest and recovery didn’t slow him down any. He’s OPSing .972 for the year.
Others of note
- IF/OF Billy Cook – Hot hitting of late to go from not on anyone’s radar to kind of interesting, Cook hit a grand slam this week, though he only batted .200 so his ceiling was limited. .864 OPS in 53 games.
- OF Heston Kjerstad – He’s back in Baltimore, getting recalled after getting hit by pitch three times on Sunday. For the week, 3-16 hitting with four walks, plus those HBPs for a nice OBP.
- RHP Brandon Young – Modestly interesting (if you really want to be thorough) 6’6” righty allowed two runs in 5.1 innings, mostly scattering seven hits. 3.38 ERA and 1.119 WHIP in five games since joining Tides.
- Jackson Holliday remains on the injured list. Last game played: June 12.
Double-A Bowie Baysox
- Last week: 1-5 vs. Altoona (Pirates)
- Coming week: at Reading (31-37 first half, Phillies)
- Season record: 32-36 first half, fifth place (6.5 games back) of six teams in Eastern League Southwest. The second half of the season starts today.
What was said above about the Tides pitching staff is similar, if not quite AS bad, for the Baysox here, as they allowed five or more runs in the games that they lost. Not even the power of the Adley Rutschman and Grayson Rodriguez dual bobblehead given away on Sunday could help.
Among the pitchers who had a tough time this week, perhaps no one had a tougher time than 40-man pitcher Seth Johnson, who walked four batters in the first inning and was yanked after recording only two outs. That’s not going to get anybody to Norfolk, let alone Baltimore. Not much to say except to hope that he’s better next time out.
Most weeks of the season for most teams, there’s at least one guy who was really hot for the week, if not more than one. That wasn’t the case with Bowie here, as their best-hitting performer was Frederick Bencosme, who notched six hits in 19 at-bats, including one double. He walked four times. The Samuel Basallo watch features a similar not bad but not impressive line: five hits in 19 AB, with a pair of doubles and three walks. He didn’t add any homers or drive in any runs.
Others of note
- OF Matthew Etzel – In his second week at the level, Etzel batted 5-23, striking out seven times while walking just once. Etzel is hitting .244 at Bowie but he’s yet to get an extra-base hit at this level.
- OF Jud Fabian – 4-18 with a double, dropping his season OPS to .762.
- OF Dylan Beavers – 3-20 with a double, dropping his season OPS to .786.
High-A Aberdeen IronBirds
- Last week: 3-3 at Wilmington (Nationals)
- Coming week: vs. Brooklyn (1-2 second half, Mets)
- Second half record: 2-1, tied for first place of six teams in South Atlantic League North. They finished the first half at 34-32.
This was a good week to be a prospect who hasn’t really launched up to this point. The oft-injured 2021 draft pick Reed Trimble had five hits, four of which went for extra bases, and added six walks and four stolen bases. He’s played in just 17 games for the IronBirds and this was his first week back after his latest injury. 2022 overslot guy Carter Young collected six hits in his 20 at-bats, plus three walks and three stolen bases. It’ll take more weeks like this for both of these guys to get onto the radar.
For last year’s first rounder Enrique Bradfield Jr., there was this good news: He stole five more bases. The bad news is he was just 4-19 at the plate and had no power numbers to speak of. That’s been about the norm for him. Catcher Creed Willems had a slumping week too, with just four hits in 21 AB, though at least one was a homer.
Among IronBirds pitchers, there’s nobody who seems to be rapidly marching towards MLB, but they’ve got their share of young and interesting arms. The top-ranked on our preseason composite list is Luis De León, who made a four-inning start in this past week, allowing a run on four innings, with one walk and five strikeouts. He’s struck out 25 batters in 22.2 IP since being promoted to this level.
Others of note
- IF Mac Horvath – Played in just four games this week after being hit by a pitch on the wrist, with two hits in 12 at-bats as well as four walks.
- RHP Yaqui Rivera – Look, we’ve all got busy lives and caring about relievers at Aberdeen is a big ask. I’m just saying, he doesn’t turn 21 until next month and this week he added 3.2 more scoreless innings to his tally, with seven strikeouts. Rivera is rocking a 1.88 ERA and 0.942 WHIP in 20 games.
- RHP Jackson Baumeister – Allowed just one hit in a 4.1 inning start this week, but still managed to allow two earned runs. Like many Orioles pitching prospects, needs to work on the walk rate.
Aberdeen season-to-date stats.
Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds
- Last week: 3-3 at Fayetteville (Astros)
- Coming week: vs. Down East (1-2 second half, Rangers)
- Second half record: 2-1, tied for first place of six teams in Carolina League North. They finished the first half at 23-42.
One reason that the Shorebirds first half record is what it was is that there weren’t many or really any brand name prospects and the aspiring guys didn’t have things going yet. That’s started to change lately, with some performance this past week being a great example.
19-year-old switch-hitting infielder Aron Estrada collected nine hits across six games, including a pair of dingers, plus he added four walks and stole four bases. His season OPS is up to .779, which is pretty good for the Carolina League. He was honored as the league’s Player of the Week. You could have also made a case for another 19-year-old, lefty-batting Thomas Sosa, who went 10-27 for the week with two doubles, a triple, and a homer. Sosa is now OPSing .734.
Carter Baumler is on his latest road back. The 2020 fifth round pick tossed a scoreless inning. He was last active with his assigned level, Aberdeen, on May 12.
Others of note
- C Aneudis Mordán – Only three hits but all went for extra bases, plus he walked five times, so he rolled to a .792 OPS to slightly increase his season numbers. Not bad for the 20-year-old catcher.
- OF Braylin Tavera – Wrapped up a rehab assignment at rookie level and is expected to return to the level this week. He was OPSing .478 when he went on the IL with shoulder trouble.
Delmarva season-to-date stats.
Florida Complex League Orioles
The affiliate lost to the FCL Braves in a ten inning game yesterday, falling to 15-18 in this short season league. 17-year-old Joshua Liranzo debuted for the affiliate within the last week, posting a .375/.500/.438 batting line so far. A standout among players who’ve been in action for more of the season is 19-year-old switch-hitting shortstop Elis Cuevas, who took an 0-4 yesterday but is batting .316 and OPSing .982 in 31 games.
FCL Orioles season-to-date stats.
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Last week’s minor leaguer of the week poll was won by Billy Cook, who took 76% of the vote for his first weekly title of the season. The list of winners includes Basallo, Brnovich, Etzel, Cade Povich, McDermott, Beavers, and Fabian. Just-promoted Heston Kjerstad has won the poll twice, the only repeat winner so far.
Will we add another repeat winner this week? No, because the guys who have won before either didn’t do anything superlative, or they’re Povich and in the majors. The choice is yours as to who to add to our list of winners.