Pitcher Kyson Witherspoon on adjusting to Orioles organization: ‘My 1st week felt surreal’

FREDERICK—Two weeks ago, Kyson Witherspoon was pitching for the Greenville Drive when they played the Asheville Tourists, not knowing his professional life was about to change.

The 22-year-old right-hander, who’d been the 15^th overall pick in the 2025 draft by the Boston Red Sox, was in for a surprise.

“There was some anticipation that I could be part of a trade,” he said on Thursday. “You can’t expect the feelings you get along with the call.”

Witherspoon, 19-year-old outfielder Enddy Azocar, 21-year-old right-handed starter Anthony Eyanson and major league catcher Carlos Narváez were sent to the Orioles for three-time All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman and another catcher, Jake Rogers.

On Wednesday, 18-year-old outfielder Harold Rivas was added to the deal as the player to be named later.

Witherspoon is one of four top 30 prospects acquired in the deal. With the addition of the Orioles top draft pick, Eric Boot Jr. as the top prospect, Witherspoon is the No. 12 prospect, Eyanson, No. 2, Azocar No. 9 and Rivas No. 25.

“I’m happy with it so far. I’m liking this organization,” Witherspoon said. “The staff is a bit more personable, kind of a younger staff, more relatable, but it’s baseball at the end of the day. It’s new faces, new people to work with and players to get familiar with.”

Witherspoon pitched for the first time for High-A Frederick, which also has Azocar, last Saturday at Jersey Shore. He allowed a run on five hits in 4 1/3 innings, walking five and striking out three.

He’ll pitch Friday night at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium for the Keys against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. Because he pitched on the road in his first game, he didn’t feel like he was part of the Orioles’ organization until he arrived in Frederick.

“My first week with them, it felt kind of surreal,” he said. “Even throwing that week, it didn’t feel very real. Being here, being in this facility, it’s all settling in now.”

Keys pitching coach Jordie Henry, who’s worked with nearly all of the top prospects in the Orioles’ minor league system, is just going to watch Witherspoon for the time being.

“When you get a guy from a trade, you try to gather all the context you can,” Henry said. “And we have a lot of objective data, too that helps us out, but the first few weeks here for Kyson are to help him get acclimated to a new org, help him get comfortable in the clubhouse, help him get comfortable executing his daily routine that he feels works for him, and on my end and the pitching department’s end, learning about him a little bit more.

“And not try and tweak a whole bunch of things and take him away from his identity.”

Henry won’t have long to coach Witherspoon this season. Minor league pitchers generally work on five days’ rest, and Frederick’s regular season ends on September 6^th, though there could be additional work in the postseason.

“For him, a period of getting comfortable, and for us, learn about him for a little while, maybe start to turn some dials in the future,” Henry said.

Overall, Witherspoon, who’s in his first season in pro ball, is 3-5 with a 4.72 ERA in 18 starts with 81 strikeouts and 39 walks in 79 2/3 innings. He tries to ignore the notoriety that comes with being a first-round draft pick.

“I think the pressure is really a privilege,” he said. “I’m kind of held [in] high regard. I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all. I think it’s trying to keep me to my own standards and my standards have got me to where I’m at right now, so I’m kind of sticking to my own process and going day-by-day.”

Witherspoon was drafted out of Oklahoma and he’s learned a lot in his year in the pros.

“You have to be more of a complete pitcher here,” he said. “You need three pitchers to be able to attack hitters. You can’t really get by with one or two anymore to overpower guys. These guys have seen some of the best already come up through the system.

“It’s being a bit more polished, learning the zone, getting ahead early. You’ve got to attack guys here.”

Witherspoon has shown poise and said he knows what can make him successful. His best pitches are the splitter and cutter.

“I’ll go out there, give my best, even if I don’t have my A-stuff,” Witherspoon said. “Whatever I’ve got that day, I’m going to go after it, keep competing, put my team in the best position to win.”

He has plenty of potential and ambition and with Camden Yards just an hour away, lots of incentive.

“I think I’m just a couple of adjustments away, just getting back to my best,” Witherspoon said. “I can’t really put a time limit on it, but hopefully it’s here very soon.”

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