Orioles MiLB Weekly Recap: April 8-13
- Grant DeVivo
- Apr 16
- 7 min read
Checking in on how each Baltimore Orioles affiliate performed last week
*Cover Photo Credit: Grant DeVivo
It wa busy times in the Orioles' farm system last week. Let's take a look at how each affiliate did last week and where they stand heading into the heart of April.
AAA Norfolk Tides
The Tides hosted the Gwinnett Stripers (Braves AAA) for the first time this season. Needless to say, it was not their strongest showing as they dropped the six-game set 4-2.
The team made headlines on Thursday, for good and for bad, as the pitching matchups featured a battle of the big leaguers. Kyle Gibson, who was brought back to Birdland during Spring Training, went for the Tides as he began the process of working back to the Orioles' starting rotation. He debuted by going 3.1 innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out four. Rehabbing Braves ace, Spencer Strider, went for the Stripers and cavred up the Tides, going 5.1 innings while striking out a whopping 13 batters. This pitching patchup, but more so Strider's outing, went viral instantly.
The momentum shifted the Tides' way in Game 1 after they posted 10 hits, walked six times, and went 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Maverick Handley drove in the walk-off run in the 10th inning while Jud Fabian went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI and a long ball. Over the next three games, however, the offense slowed down again after posting just four runs despite 19 hits and 14 walks. They stranded 23 base runners during that stretch. In the series finale, even amidst a 12-8 loss, the bats had a much better day with a 12-hit effort that saw five RBI in two out situations. Vimael Machin went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI while Fabian and Coby Mayo launched home runs. Former Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson scored two runs.
Even through those midweek struggles, the offense has had a fairly strong showing in the first few weeks of the season. As of today, their .730 is seventh best in the International League and they have the second most home runs in the league with 17.
The Tides fall to 6-10 overall 16 games into the season. Here are three standout performers from the series loss against Gwinnett.
IF Coby Mayo: the top prospect infielder broke out with a hit in each game that he appeared in. He went 7-for-16 (.438) overall with a 1.421 OPS, a pair of massive home runs, and five walks.
C Maverick Handley: the former sixth rounder swung the bat well in three games played, going 5-for-10 (.500) with two doubles and three RBI. His walk-off single on Tuesday capped off an 8-7 win for the Tides.
RHP Nick Richmond: the right-hander had two solid relief outings against the Stripers. He went a total of three innings without allowing a hit while striking out three and walking just two.
Norfolk is on the road this week with a six-game set at the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals AAA).
AA Chesapeake Baysox
A new era of Baysox baseball began at Prince George's Stadium last week. Fans poured out to welcome not the Bowie Baysox, but the Chesapeake Baysox. They were rewarded with good baseball all week and a Baysox series split with the Erie Seawolves (Tigers AA).
On a brisk and chilly Tuesday night, the Baysox welcomed 2,573 fans for the home opener and treated them with a 5-4 victory in their new threads featuring the Chesapeake rebrand. Orioles No. 10 prospect Pat Reilly hurled 4.1 innings of one run baseball with a four-seamer sitting at 95 MPH. Dylan Heid and Keagan Gillies threw scoreless eighth and ninth innings with Gillies collecting the save. No. 3 prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. used his 80-Grade speed to steal his first base of the season and eventually score the game-winning run on an Erie wild pitch late in the game.
Throughout the rest of the series, the Baysox had the strikeout pitch working as some arms put up some serious strikeout numbers. Reilly K'd eight in two starts. Ryan Long K'd eight batters in 3.2 innings of a start while No. 29 prospect Alex Pham K'd nine in 5.1 innings on Thursday. Preston Johnson K'd four batters in 1.2 relief innings on Saturday.
No. 25 prospect Trace Bright had a day to remember on Saturday, going 5.2 innings of without allowing either an earned run or a hit. He was rewarded the win, thus breaking a streak of 28 straight starts without a win. Before this start, his last win came on September 13, 2023 against the Harrisburg Senators.
As of Tuesday, the Baysox sit at 5-4 in the regular season. Here are three standout performers from the series split with Erie.
RHP Pat Reilly: the former Vanderbilt product had two solid starts last week. With a mid-90s fastball and an 89 MPH cutter, he allowed just two earned runs all week with eight strikeouts. He did not allow a hit during his start on Sunday.
RHP Trace Bright: despite four walks, Bright still went a solid 5.2 innings with three strikeouts and just one run that was not earned. He received the win and ended his 28-start winless streak.
IF Anthony Servideo: the former University of Mississippi product did it all last week. Not only did he do well with the bat (3-for-10, 3 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB), but he pitched two scoreless innings in emergency relief on Saturday as well! Might I dare say we have a Shohei in Double-A right now???
Chesapeake is currently paying a visit to the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants AA) for a six-game roadtrip.
A+ Aberdeen Ironbirds
The Ironbirds went on the road last week to visit the Jersey Shore Blue Claws (Phillies A+) and came away with their first series win of the season.
There was some massive offense all week, as two games were won with double-digit runs and most of the series was won by high scoring efforts. The Ironbirds outscored the Blue Claws 47-28 while out-hitting them 60-32. They had clutch hitting all week as they collected 13 two-out RBI and went 24-for-69 (.347) with runners in scoring position, including 5-for-9 in the series finale on Sunday. They continued their raging running game with 25 stolen bases. No. 16 prospect Aron Estrada had five of them while No. 5 prospect Vance Honeycutt had four. In the series finale, an 11-7 win, the team had a total of 18 total bases, and each Ironbird reached base at least once. No. 18 prospect Ethan Anderson collected five total bases while driving in four runners and smashing his first home run of the season. Honeycutt also had five total bases and he, like Anderson, got his first homer of the season.
On the pitching side, Nestor German had a solid season debut in the series opener with 4 scoreless innings and five strikeouts. He allowed just two hits and two walks. Trey Gibson whiffed Blue Claws batters on Wednesday with seven strikeouts in 3.2 innings in his first start of the season. Braxton Bragg went 5.1 innings on Thursday without allowing a run. He struck out eight batters and yielded just one hit on 74 pitches (52 strikes).
Aberdeen ended the weekend sitting at 5-4 after a well-played road trip. Here are three standout performers from the road trip.
OF Vance Honeycutt: the 2024 first rounder was an on-base machine last week. He worked seven walks, which contributed to a .577 OBP, and went 7-for-18 (.389) with six runs, three RBI, and his first home run of 2025.
IF Aron Estrada: the 20-year-old infielder played all six games last week and picked up at least one hit in all six of those games. He went 9-for-25 (.360) overall with five runs, and he went 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts.
C Ethan Anderson: like Estrada, Anderson had at least one hit in each game that he appeared in. He went 8-for-21 (.381) with a ridiculous 11 RBI and four extra-base hits including his first homer of the season.
Aberdeen is home this week with a six-game set against the Brookyln Cyclones (Mets A+).
A- Delmarva Shorebirds
The Shorebirds hosted the Fayetville Woodpeckers (Astros A-) for a six-game homestand. After a solid start claiming the first three games, the Shroebirds dropped the final three games and left with a 3-3 series split.
The Shroebirds pitching took it upon themselves to show out and hold down the fort, as they kept the Fayetville bats quiet for the most part. This was particularly true for Thursday's doubleheader as each game ended with a Shorebirds combined one-hitter. Chase Allsup cotnributed to Game 2's one-hitter with five innings of one-hit ball alongside no runs allowed and 10 K's. This earned him Carolina League Pitcher of the Week. In Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader, the Shorebirds' seventh-inning rally fell just short as they scored two runs to close the gap to 8-6 but stranded the tying run at second base to end the game. Fernando Peguero had a solid game, goig 3-for-3 with two runs scored. In the final two games of the series, the Birds' offense was silenced as they were shut out in both games, collected just 10 hits total (five each game), and could not collect a hit with runners in scoring position.
The Birds left the series sitting at 3-6. Here are three standout peformers from the homestand.
RHP Chase Allsup: the righty picked up the league's Pitcher of the Week award after a solid start on Thursday. He went 5 innings without allowing a run. he allowed just one hit and collected 10 strikeouts as well.
IF Fernando Peguero: the 20-year-old utility man went 5-for-12 (.417) with three runs scored. He was an on-base machine as his five walks contributed to a .632 OBP last week.
RHP Evan Yates: the righty had a solid start on Tuesday. He went four innings allowing just four hits and nothing else. No runs, no walks, but eight strikeouts.
Delmarva hits the road this week for a six-game set at the Augusta Green Jackets (Braves A-).
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