Norfolk, Play Ball!
- Grant DeVivo
- Mar 27
- 3 min read
Norfolk Tides set to open the 2025 season tomorrow at home against a familir foe
*Cover Photo Credit: Kate Kirsch, Norfolk Tides
The Baltimore Orioles are not the only team beginning their season this week. Their Triple-A affiliate, the Norfolk Tides, also begin this week.
For the Tides, the 2025 campaign starts with a three-game weekend homestand against their International League rivals, the Durham Bulls (Rays AAA).
It is an all too familiar matchup, as this matchup has produced Tides history in recent years. The Tides beat out the Bulls for the 2023 International League crown en route to the 2023 Triple-A championship. When 2024 came around, the two teams met again for Opening weekend at the same exact stadium in Harbor Park.
They'll do it all again tomorrow night.
It is a clean slate for the Tides, who had somewhat of a disappointing season last year with a 69-81 record and far out from playoff contention. They'll take they field this year with some new faces in the organization and some talented prospect depth.
For starters, former Minor League Manager of the Year Buck Britton has departed the Tides after taking a promotion as a Major League coach for the Baltimore Orioles. Taking over the reigns in Norfolk is big league catcher Tim Federowicz, who has spent the last two seasons managing Triple-A ball for the Tigers and Mariners organizatons.
The Tides will have an entertaining lineup full of highly-touted big bat prospects. Top catching prospect Samuel Basallo had a powerful showing for the Orioles in Spring Training and will begin the season with the Tides in hopes of getting promoted sometime this summer. Power-hitting corner infield Coby Mayo (Orioles No. 2) returns to the Tides as he looks to use his demotion as fuel towards making it back to the Majors. He slugged .562 with the Tides last season.
Top prospect outfielders Dylan Beavers (Orioles No. 6) and Jud Fabian (Orioles No. 24) serve as power-speed threats in the outfield. Former big leaguers Daz Cameron and Dylan Carlson will join them out there. Cameron drove in 67 runs and posted a .798 OPS last year for the Tides, while Carlson is a former top prospect out of the Cardinals organization looking to revive his career.
The pitching will seek some reinforcements and a better performance to wash away a rough 2024 campaign. They posted a team 1.50 WHIP and a team 5.10 ERA, neither of which will help a winning cause. The most notable addition to their pitching rotation is 24-year-old Cameron Weston. The righty spun a 2.97 ERA in 109 innings for both Aberdeen and Bowie/Chesapeake, dominating hitters with strikeout material thanks to a sharp fastball/changeup combo. He made the Orioles' prospect rankings (No. 17) for the firrst time in his career this year and is deservably so going to get a chance in the Tides' rotation this year.
Kyle Brnovich (1.120 WHIP last year) will be another new addition to the Tides' rotation this season, while Luis Gonzalez and Brandon Young (Orioles No. 19) return on the cusp of a promotion to the show.
The Orioles may no longer have the throne to themselves as the top Minor League organization in baseball, but they still have one of the best out there. It is deep with plnty of surprises, and the Tides currenlty host a great deal of that sneaky good prospect depth. This should be an exciting roster that they will field to start the season, and it gives Tides fans all the reason to pack Harbor Park and support their hometown Minor League team consisting of future big leaguers.
If you are in the Norfolk area this weekend, purchase tickets to all three Opening Weekend games here. First pitch on Friday night is 6:35 pm EST. The Tides will have a slew of promotions occuring on Opening Night including a magnet schedule giveaway, a pregame party, and Free Car Wash Friday. After the game on Saturday, there will be a fireworks show for all fans in attendance.
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