Oriole prospects beat Red Sox, 3-1; Eflin allows 1 hit in 5 1/3 scoreless innings in 3-1 loss to Yankees

SARASOTA–What’s happening? The Orioles’ roster for Spring Breakout included 16 of the team’s top 30 prospects. The three most recent No. 1 draft picks — Enrique Bradfield Jr. (2023), Vance Honeycutt (2024) and Ike Irish (2025) — were on the roster.

So were last year’s minor league player of the year, Nate George, and pitcher of the year, Trey Gibson, who started.

Some weren’t as well known. Wilfri De La Cruz, an 18-year-old who’s playing in the United States for the first time this spring, was here. De La Cruz was acquired from the Chicago Cubs last July for reliever Andrew Kittredge.

“I think the position player group in this organization gets a lot of credit and a lot of acknowledgements and rightfully so,” manager Craig Albernaz said before departing for the Orioles-Yankees game in Tampa. “The pitching side of things has been really impressive because it’s not talked about.”

Christian Frias, who manages the Orioles’ Florida Complex League team, was the manager for the prospect team.

“I love the Spring Breakout games. I think it’s awesome,” Albernaz said. “The world gets to see the up-and-coming players and allow these kids to showcase their talent. I’m excited to allow these kids to get their recognition and go out and have fun.”

Gibson pitched three efficient innings, allowing just one hit, striking out two, throwing 30 pitches, all but six strikes in the Oriole prospects 3-1 win over the Boston Red Sox prospects before 4,497 at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday night.

“You can’t get much better than 30 pitches in three innings, a ton of ground balls,” Gibson said. “I think it was a pretty decent clip of first-pitch strikes, getting ahead of guys, letting them get themselves out.”

During spring training, Gibson had a 4.66 ERA in three games, and he thinks his promotion to the Orioles isn’t far away.

“I’m waiting for that day,” Gibson said. “There’ll be a lot of great things I take from that experience and remember really well.”

Henry Godbout, Boston’s No. 11 prospect, homered against Nestor German in the fifth. German gave up the home run and allowed two hits in three innings, striking out two.

The Orioles tied it, 1-1, in the sixth on Aron Estrada’s infield out. Ike Irish, who led off with a double, scored.

Joseph Dzierwa, a second-round draft pick in 2025 who has yet to pitch in a professional game, threw three impressive innings, allowing one hit and striking out eight.

“Being around these guys helps me get better, even being here for such a short time, just learning stuff from other people,” Dzierwa said.

De La Cruz’s two-run single put the Orioles ahead, 3-1, in the seventh.

“It feels like it’s that next step of my career, being able to be here,” De La Cruz said through a team translator.

What’s happened? Zach Eflin pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing only Jazz Chisholm’s fifth-inning double, striking out seven in the Orioles’ 3-1 loss to the New York Yankees before 9,989 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

Eflin threw 70 pitches before being replaced by Dietrich Enns with one out in the seventh.

Pete Alonso had the Orioles’ first hit, a third-inning double. Douglas Hodo III tripled with one out in the ninth and scored on Samuel Basallo’s double.

Minor league right-hander Cohen Achen allowed three runs in the eighth inning.

Dylan Beavers was scratched because of right knee discomfort.

What’s up with Ethan Anderson? The 22-year-old Anderson, the 26^th-rated prospect, was drafted in the second round in 2024 as a catcher and was hitless in seven at-bats while he was in major league camp.

“It was a great experience, my first big league spring training, being around the guys, being able to interact with them,” Anderson said. “With a brand-new coaching staff, being able to be here for their first time and get to know those guys.”

What’s what? Spring Breakout is a fun diversion from Grapefruit League play. It could be made better if the major league teams didn’t have games on the same day.

What’s the word? “I want to find myself in Baltimore. I think have the skillset and the ability to help the team win. Whenever that time comes, I’m just hoping I’m ready for it.”-Bradfield on his hopes for 2026.   

What’s the number? 3. Bradfield has played in each of the three Spring Breakout games.

What’s the record? 10-13-3. The Orioles will host a Philadelphia Phillies split-squad at Ed Smith Stadium at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday. Levi Wells, who has a 7.71 ERA in three spring games, will start against Ryan Cusick.

It’s the final game in Florida before the Orioles return north for a pair of exhibition games against the Washington Nationals on Sunday in Baltimore and Monday in Washington.

Ben Wagner and Jim Palmer will call the game on MASN. Brett Hollander and Josh Lewin will broadcast the game on WBAL/98 Rock.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com