Bowens & Estrada receive promotions, Costes & Loeprich released
*Cover Photo: Grant DeVivo (player: TT Bowens)
It has been a while since there has been a transactions update on Learning To Fly but with the flurry of moves occuring in the Orioles' Minor Leagues, it is an appropriate time to run through some transactions that have occured in the past two weeks. Here is a look at what is happening and who is on the move in the Orioles' farm system. This does not include trade deadline moves. Click here for a look at who went on the move prior to the deadline.
Promotions
The following players have received promotions to the next respective level of Minor League Baseball.
IF TT Bowens: promoted from AA Bowie Baysox to AAA Norfolk Tides
IF Aron Estrada: promoted from A- Delmarva Shorebirds to A+ Aberdee Ironbirds
Bowens, 26, has spent all of this season and parts of last season with the Double-A Bowie Baysox. Primarily a first baseman, the right-handed hitter is having one of the team's most consisten seasons with a .728 OPS in 81 games. The power is there, as he has hit 12 home runs with 52 RBI and a .430 slugging percentage, and he had a 2-homer game on Wednesday that included a grand slam. He now joins a Tides team that has seen some losses in the infield with Billy Cook, the beloved utlity man with first base experience, traded, and Coby Mayo, who also has first base experience, big league bound.

Estrada, 19, is a special player having a special year. The Venezuelan-born infielder is batting .296 with a .795 OPS this season. The young infielder has swiped 31 bags while hitting 8 home runs and driving in 43 runs. He won the June Carolina League Player of the Month after he hit .356, slugged .589, and posted a 1.005 OPS. He could have won Player of the Motnh again in July, as he hit .346 in 21 games with a solid .882 OPS. There is something special brewing with this young, athletic, and entertaining prospect in Estrada. It is pleasing to see that he will get a chance at the next level, and hopefully he can break through into the Orioles' Top 30 prospects rankings on MLB Pipeline.
Released
The following players have recently been released from the Orioles organization.

It is sad to see Costes go. Many fans were rooting for 25-year-old corner infield success, and a success story it would have been. Costes is a hometown native of Baltimore, Maryland, and he is an alumni from the University of Maryland. Signed as an undrafted free agent during the 2022 season, Costes hit 10 home runsand put up a .765 OPS in his first full season in 2023. However, injuries and a lack of performance with High-A Aberdeen in 2024 have sent Costes down in the Minor League depth charts and have now ultimately led to his release from his hometown team. He is just a .211 hitter this year with a .592 OPS and a .277 slugging percentage. Costes will look to catch on elsewhere and find a new opportunity in a new uniform, and we all hope it will happen for a great guy and a player with still lots to give.
Loeprich, who turns 27 in September, has spent all year on the Baysox' 60-day IL. He was initially sent to Sarasota to attempt a rehab assignment, but the Baysox cut him loose midway through his recovery. Formerly a 20th rounder of the Pirates in 2018, Leoprich came to Birdland in a player-cash swap in 2020 and spent the next three seasons pitching for Aberdeen, Bowie, and Norfolk. A hard thrower out of the bullpen who averaged a mid-90s fastball, Loeprich had strikeout stuff as his K/9 averaged around 9.6-9.8. However, he often got hit hard during his time in the Orioles' organization and he never had an ERA under 4.50, which is elavated for a reliever. The right-hander, who was recognized at one point for having the best mustache on the 2022 Baysox team, will now hit the open market and seek a new opportunity elsewhere all while getting healthy.
Nothing but best wishes to these guys in their next chapters in the game and in life. These are two great dudes who are in situations where it just did not work in Baltimore, but are deserving of chances elsewhere.
Injury Update

The injury bug continues to plague infielder and Orioles No. 10 prospect Max Wagner, as the Baysox have transferred him from the 7-day IL to the 60-day IL. The 60-day minimum that is now enforced on Wagner runs through the rest of Bowie's regular season, so this most likely indicates that his 2024 season is done.
Wagner, 22, started the season on the IL for Bowie as he was still recovering from offseason surgery to repair a fractured hammate bone in his left hand. That, of course, is thelead hand in his right-handed swing, After a rehab assignment with Aberdeen, he got into 19 games with Bowie, hitting just .151 with 2 home runs, 5 RBI, and a 40.3 strikeout rate before going back on the IL with back issues.
It is an unfortunate development for the top prospect infielder. The 2022 second rounder from Clemson was praised for his right-handed power stick and his durable defense. The Orioles obviously were in awe of his .704 slugging percentage at Clemson, which paired with 29 home runs in 93 NCAA games. That power is still looking to transfer over to his professional baseball career, as he sports just a .380 slugging percentage in the Minor Leagues and 16 home runs in 151 career Minor League games. The power began coming around in late-2023, and the hope was that it would blossom fully in 2024. However, that question will now have to be answered next season as Wagner's season concludes with fans wondering what could have been this year had injuries not gotten in the way.
Feel better, Max, and wishing for a safe and speedy recovery.
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