While Triple-A Norfolk has been playing for a week, Friday marks the beginning of the season for the Orioles’ other three minor league affiliates: Double-A Chesapeake, High-A Aberdeen and Single-A Delmarva.
The renamed Double-A Baysox will still play at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, and they’ll open at Altoona with Alex Pham, the Orioles’ 29th prospect, according to MLB Pipeline starting.
Chesapeake will feature the Orioles No. 3 prospect, outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr., the top pick in the 2023 draft.
Starters Patrick Reilly (No. 10), Juan Nuñez (No. 20) and Trace Bright (No. 25) are also on the roster.
Nuñez was returned from the San Diego Padres, who drafted him in last December’s Rule 5.
Catcher Creed Willems (No. 12) was also often invited to play in major league spring games.
One player with major league experience, reliever Dylan Coleman, who was invited to major league camp with the Orioles, will be on the Baysox opening night roster.
Many of this year’s Baysox players pitched in Grapefruit League games. Two who were especially impressive were right-handers Zach Fruit and Levi Wells.
All 16 pitchers on the Chesapeake roster are right-handers. Others who were also called on to pitch in Grapefruit League games are Keagan Gillies, Dylan Heid, Preston Johnson Gerald Ogando and Yaqui Rivera.
Other pitchers are Ryan Long, Edgar Portes and Peter Van Loon
Catcher Silas Ardoin was invited to major league camp. The other Baysox catcher is Adam Retzbach.
Infielder Jeremiah Jackson was also invited to major league camp. The other Baysox infielders — Frederick Bencosme, Anthony Servideo, Max Wagner and Carter Young — also played in major league spring games. Wagner, a second-round pick in 2022, was limited to 25 games because of injuries in 2024.
Outfielders Douglas Hodo III, Tavian Josenberger and Reed Trimble complete the 28-man Chesapeake roster.
The Baysox will be managed for the second year by Roberto Mercado.
Aberdeen begins its season at Ripken Stadium against Hub City. Last year’s top Orioles draft choice, outfielder Vance Honeycutt, is the fifth-ranked prospect in the system.
Other ranked prospects on the team are infielder Griff O’Ferrall (7th); catcher Ethan Anderson (18th), who were selected just behind Honeycutt in last July’s draft; right-handed pitchers Michael Forret (8th), Nestor German (11th) and Trey Gibson (15th); infielders Aron Estrada (16th) and Leandro Arias (21st); outfielders Thomas Sosa (23rd) and Austin Overn (30th).
Braxton Bragg will be the opening night pitcher for the IronBirds. Other pitchers on the staff are Zane Barnhart; 7-footer Jared Beck; Wyatt Cheney; left-hander Riley Cooper, who pitched the ninth inning of the Orioles’ spring training no-hitter on March 22nd; Juan De Los Santos; Daniel Federman; Dominic Freeburger; Blake Money; Hayden Nierman; Juan Rojas; Teddy Sharkey; and Ty Weatherly.
Aberdeen’s other catchers are Aneudis Mordan and Ryan Stafford. Its infielders are Anderson De Los Santos and Jalen Vasquez. Outfielder Jake Cunningham, who played in the Arizona Fall League, completes the roster.
The IronBirds’ manager is Ryan Goll.
Delmarva begins its season at Salem. Its only top 30 prospect is right-hander Keeler Morfe, who started the Spring Breakout game and is the Orioles’ 9th-rated prospect.
The Shorebirds have 15 right-handers. Besides Morfe, they’re Chase Allsup, the Orioles’ fourth-round draft pick and opening night pitcher; Cohen Achen; Bryan Bautista; Yeiber Cartaya; Eccel Correa; Jacob Cravey; Joe Glassey; Christian Herberholz; Alberto Leandro; Kenny Leiner; Carter Rustad; Trent Turzenski; Ben Vespi; and Evan Yates.
Vespi is the young brother of former Orioles reliever Nick Vespi.
The only left-hander is Sebastian Gongora, the Orioles’ 11th-round draft pick.
Catchers are Yasmil Bucce, Andrés Nolaya, Miguel Rodriguez. The infielders are Edwin Amparo, Edrei Campos, Maikol Hernández, Steven Ondina, Fernando Peguero, Alfredo Velásquez, and the outfielders are Kevin Guerrero, Raylin Ramos and Braylin Tavera.
Delmarva’s second year manager is Collin Woody.
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