Bowie sends two arms to Norfolk, Stallings departs via trade
*Cover Photo Credit: Grant DeVivo
Players have constantly been on the move in the Orioles organization, and especially in th farm system. Here is a breakdown of the transactions completed by the Orioles and their affiliates down on the farm.
Promotion
The Bowie Baysox have sent the following pitchers to Triple-A Norfolk.
LHP Trey McGough
RHP Brandon Young
It was only a matter of time before McGough got the promotion. Armed with a mid-90s fastball and a wipe out slider, the 26-year-old southpaw was absolutely dealing out of the Baysox bullpen. In 12 relief appearances (19.2 IP), he spun a 1.85 ERA with 24 strikeouts and just 6 walks. Lefties hit just .212 against him, while righties hit at an even worse mark at .091. McGough had an 0.814 WHIP. This is a big step forward as the southpaw attempts to join the Orioles bullpen in the near future. All signs point towards the possibility that he could do so. He looked absolutely excellent in Bowie and he has great career Minor League numbers (3.10 ERA, 1.084 WHIP). Keep your eyes on this talented lefty moving forward.
Young, 25, was having a feel-good comeback season while in Bowie. In his first full season back from Tommy John surgery which took out the majority of his 2022 and 2023 seasons, the right-hander spun a 4.15 ERA in 8 games (7 starts) for Bowie. He posted a 1.19 WHIP while in Double-A and struck out a ridiculous 42 batters in 26 Double-A innings, which calculates to a 14.5 K/9. This is yet another intriguing pitching option in the farm system. The Texas native has never been highly regarded in the Orioles' prospect charts, yet he has posted respectable Minor League numbers to this point (163.2 IP, 3.74 ERA, 1.23 WHIP). It is exciting to see so many pitchers knocking on the doors of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Young is for sure one of them, and he will look to build upon his current success at the final level of Minor League Baseball: Triple-A.
Demotion
In the last week, the following teams have sent the following players down a level in the system.
Norfolk Tides: sent C Connor Pavolony and RHPs Morgan McSweeney and Ryan Watson to Double-A Bowie Baysox
Bowie Baysox: sent RHP Kyle Virbitsky to High-A Aberdeen Ironbirds
Watson has been up and down the entire week. He was originally sent back down to Bowie prior to the May 22 homestand against the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Just days later, Noroflk recalled him but has since then returned him to Bowie. Once ranked in the Orioles' Top 30 prospect charts and once named the 2022 Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Watson has struggled at Triple-A with a 5.61 ERA in 100 Triple-A innings. He had a 5.95 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP for the Tides last season and has spent much of this season on the development list. Only recenty has he begun seeing game action, where the results have been much better (2.70 ERA in 6.2 IP). Watson is certainly no lost cause, as his overall successful MiLB career indicates that he has strikeout stuff, he limits baserunners, and he can eat innings. Perhaps his development will take a little bit longer than originally projected.
McSweeney, a Wake Forest College alumn, returns to Bowie for the first time since 2022 when he posted a 3.86 ERA. Like Watson, the 26-year-old has spent much of this season on the developmental list. His Triple-A numbers aren't necessarily pretty; 4.99 ERA in 67 games with a 1.45 WHIP and 44 walks, and heallowed 2 runs in his lone appearance for the Tides this season. Many struggling pitchers need a bump down to a lower level in order to address problems and recollect themselves, and many come back stronger afterwards. McSweeney will now head back to Bowie as he tries to fix his craft and eventually find his way back to the Tides this summer.
Pavolony, 24, had a very brief gameless stint with Norfolk as the Tides scrambled to figure out their catching situation. He now returns to Bowie to assist the already imposing catching squad there, one that consists of the Orioles' No. 2 prospect Samuel Basallo and Longhorns alumn Silas Ardoin. Pavolony was off to a hot start with the bat, batting .300 with 2 HR and 7 RBI in his first 9 games. Since then, he has cooled off and is just 6-for-38 (.158) with 2 RBI. If his bat can catch up to his already stellar defense behind the dish, then there is an intriguing catching prospect in the works here with Pavolony. He is already a solid catching prospect as is thanks to his defense that includes a canon for an arm and above average pitch framing.
Virbitsky, 25, was given an Opening Day roster spot with Bowie after having a solid season for Aberdeen the year prior. In 2023, he posted a 3.83 ERA and a great 2.27 WHIP in 103.1 IP. Batters hit just .215 against him. 2024 was a struggle for Virbitsky at the Double-A level, as batters managed to hit .270 against him while he posted a 6.19 ERA in 12 relief appearances (16 IP). Virbitsky, who has a great arsenal and great potential on the mound, will now head back to Aberdeen to get a confidence boost before he tries it again at Double-A.
Trade
The Orioles recently acquired right-handed reliever Thyago Vieira and Minor League pitching prospect Aneuris Rodriguez from the Milwaukee Brewers. Garrett Stallings, a member of the Orioles organization for three and a half years, was sent the other way.
Stallings, 26, was originally acquired by the Orioles in the 2021 Jose Iglesias trade. That same year with Aberdeen and Bowie, he posted solid numbers in his Birdland debut, spinning a 4.67 ERA with a 1.236 WHIP and just 20 walks in 106 innings. Since then, he had progressed as an innings eater, working out of either starter or middle-relief role thatbwas asked of him. Stallings was surrounded by some of the Orioles' top pitching prospects throughout his time in Birdland and with a slim road to the show here, he now finds a new opportunity to potentially break through with the Milwaukee Brewers. Those fans up there should anticipate Stallings, an innings eater who may not overhwelm with strikeouts and velocity, but will hit his spots and enduce outs via contact. In addition, he will take time to mingle and give back to the fans just like he did here in Birdland. He made many friends in the bleachers while he was in the Orioles organization.
Best wishes, Garrett!
Claimed
The Houston Astros have claimed RHP Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Orioles. Ort, 32, had been on the Orioles' 40-man roster via a cash trade that occured in the early weeks of Spring Training. He had been at Triple-A Norfolk in hopes of being added to the Orioles bullpen, but his struggles there (14 G, 12.08 ERA, 10 BB, 21 instead led to him being bumped off the roster and now out of the organization. Ort has a new opportunity in the Astros' organization and will look to crack their Major League bullpen.
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