The Orioles acquired 16 prospects in the July deals made by executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, and the theme was not surprisingly pitching. Eleven of the 16 players are pitchers, more than half of them project as relievers, and just two of them have appeared at Triple-A. Here’s a rundown of each new Oriole:
Boston Bateman, 19, left-handed pitcher
Level: Low-A
Acquired from: San Diego for Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn
Bateman was drafted in the 2nd round, 52nd overall, by the Padres in 2024 out of Adolfo Camarillo (California) High School. He’s started 15 games in Low-A this season with a 4.08 ERA in 68 1/3 innings. He’s struck out 9.9 batters per 9 innings with a 51 percent ground-ball rate. His 3.24 FIP (fielding independent pitching) ranks 3rd in the California league (minimum 60 innings pitched). He was the Padres’ fourth-best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The 6-foot-8, 240 pound lefty throws in the upper 90s with 60-grade curveball. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the Orioles’ 6th-best prospect, and he allowed 1 earned run in 3 innings in his first appearance with Low-A Delmarva on Wednesday.
Slater de Brun, 18, outfielder
Acquired in the 2025 MLB Draft (pick received for Bryan Baker)
The Orioles drafted de Brun with the pick they received for Baker (number 37) and gave him an overslot bonus of $4 million to sign. The slot value for the pick was $2.6 million. de Brun, a lefty hitter, is an undersized high school centerfielder who was committed to Vanderbilt and brings excellent speed and defense to the O’s system. His advanced batting-eye, speed and on-base skills are his strengths, according to MLB Pipeline.
Juaron Watts‑Brown, 22, right-handed pitcher
Level: Double-A
Acquired from: Toronto for Seranthony Domínguez
A 3rd-round pick in 2023 out of Oklahoma State, Watts‑Brown received an above-slot bonus of $1 million. At the time of the trade, he had posted a 3.54 ERA in 19 starts with a 11.6 K/9 rate across two levels in 2025. His 3.10 FIP ranked 16th across all minor league levels (minimum 80 innings pitched). MLB Pipeline ranks him as the Orioles’ 9th-best prospect. He was assigned to Double-A Chesapeake and allowed 5 earned runs in 4 innings with 6 strikeouts on Sunday.
Wellington Aracena, 20, right-handed pitcher
Level: High-A
Acquired from: New York Mets for Gregory Soto
Aracena was part of the Mets’ 2022 international class and racked up 84 strikeouts in 64 innings with a 2.38 ERA this season for Single-A Port St. Lucie. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the Orioles’ number 22 prospect. After throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts at Low-A Delmarva, the Orioles promoted him to High-A Aberdeen, where he tossed 4 innings of 1-run baseball on Wednesday.
Wilfri De La Cruz, 17, shortstop
Level: DSL
Acquired from: Chicago Cubs for Andrew Kittredge
De La Cruz was part of the Cubs’ international class this year, signing in January for $2.3 million, the largest bonus in Chicago’s class and the ninth-highest bonus overall. A switch-hitter, scouts like his plate-discipline and believe he could develop into a 20 home run hitter, according to MLB Pipeline. He’s posted a .470 on-base percentage and .923 OPS in the DSL. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the Orioles’ number 23 prospect.
Anthony Nunez, 24, right-handed pitcher
Level: Triple-A
Acquired from: New York Mets for Cedric Mullins
A former infielder who didn’t start pitching until 2024 at Division II University of Tampa, the Mets signed Nunez as a free agent last summer. He’s already reached Double-A, posting a 2.10 ERA in 25 2/3 relief innings, striking out 36 at the time of the trade. His fastball reaches 96 mph and he also features a changeup, sweeper and cutter, according to MLB Pipeline, which ranks him as the Orioles’ number 24 prospect. The Orioles promoted him to Triple-A Norfolk after one scoreless appearance at Double-A Chesapeake. He might have a chance to pitch in the O’s bullpen at some point next season.
Raimon Gomez, 20, right-handed pitcher
Level: High-A
Acquired from: New York Mets for Cedric Mullins
With a fastball that has reached 104 mph (you read that right), the knock on Gomez is naturally his control: he’s walked 25 in 35 innings this season. But the velocity and big strikeout numbers (12.34 per 9 innings) surely caught the O’s eye.
Tyson Neighbors, 22, right-handed pitcher
Current Level: Double-A
Acquired from: San Diego for Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn
Neighbors has thrown 45 innings, all in relief, split nearly evenly between High-A and Double-A. His 13.19 K/9 ranks 30th in all of minor league baseball this season (minimum 40 innings pitched). Neighbors throws in the mid-90s and features a slider, curveball and cutter, according to MLB Pipeline. He threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings in his first appearance with Double-A Chesapeake on Wednesday.
Micah Ashman, 22, left-handed pitcher
Level: Double-A
Acquired from: Detroit for Charlie Morton
Another 2024 draft pick, Ashman was selected in the 11th round and has already reached Double-A, where the Orioles assigned him to Chesapeake. At the time of the trade, 39 1/3 of his 43 1/3 innings came at High-A, where he posted a 1.60 ERA with 10.53 K/9 against just 1.83 BB/9. His 1.91 FIP was 6th-best in all of minor league baseball this season (minimum 40 innings pitched). In 2 1/3 innings with Double-A Chesapeake, he’s allowed 4 hits and 2 earned runs.
Brandon Butterworth, 22, second base/shortstop
Double-A
Acquired from: San Diego for Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn
A 12th-round 2024 draft pick from N.C. State, Butterworth is a speedy, defensive-minded infielder. He profiles as a potential utility player if he reaches the majors. Butterworth posted a .267/.327/.455 slash line at High-A with 11 homers in 377 plate appearances at the time of the trade. The Orioles assigned him to Double-A Chesapeake and he’s batting .316 with a homer in his first 5 games.
Cameron Foster, 26, right-handed pitcher
Level: Triple-A
Acquired from: New York Mets for Gregory Soto
Foster compiled a 1.01 ERA in 26 2/3 relief innings for the Mets at Double-A, prompting a promotion to Triple-A just before the deal. The Orioles have assigned him to Norfolk, where he’s appeared in 2 games and allowed 3 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Cobb Hightower, 20, shortstop
Level: Low-A
Acquired from: San Diego for Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn
Hightower was selected in the 3rd round of the 2024 draft out of East Rowan High School in North Carolina. He’s posted .233/.359/.302 at Low-A, with just 1 homer in 172 at-bats. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the Orioles’ number 21 prospect. He’s been assigned to Low-A Delmarva.
Twine Palmer, 20, right-handed pitcher
Level: Low-A
Acquired from: Houston for Ramón Urías
Palmer has appeared in 14 games (9 starts) and posted a 2.60 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 45 innings. FanGraphs describes him as a “relief prospect with a riding fastball.” In his first game at Low-A Delmarva, Palmer allowed 3 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Chandler Marsh, 22, right-handed pitcher
Level: High-A
Acquired from: New York Mets for Cedric Mullins
The Orioles assigned Marsh to High-A Aberdeen after he posted a 3.45 ERA in 31 1/3 innings at the same level for the Mets. An undrafted free agent out of Georgia, Marsh throws upward of 97 mph but struggles with control. He walked 2 batters and gave up 2 earned runs in 1 1/3 innings in his first O’s appearance.
Tanner Smith, 23, right-handed pitcher
Level: Low-A
Acquired from: San Diego for Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn
A 15th-round draft pick out of Harvard in 2024, the 6-foot-6 Smith has thrown just 15 innings at Low-A this season, posting a 1.80 ERA. His fastball reached 96 mph in college. He’s been assigned to Single-A Delmarva and allowed 1 earned run in 4 innings in his first appearance, walking 4 with 6 strikeouts.
Victor Figueroa, 21, first base
Level: High-A
Acquired from: San Diego for Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn
You’ve heard this before, but Figueroa was a 2024 draft pick, selected in the 18th round by San Diego. After posting a .375 on-base percentage and .831 OPS at the time of the trade in Low-A, the Orioles have assigned him to High-A Aberdeen, where he’s batting .182 in his first 3 games.