![\"Shorebirds](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DM-SHOREBIRDS-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhile the 2025 MLB campaign wasn\u2019t a strong one for the Orioles, several notable prospects in their system excelled. Luis De Leon, Trey Gibson, and now-Rays prospect Michael Forret all had great years. Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers, two big pieces of the Orioles\u2019 future, also pushed their way to Baltimore.<\/p>\n
Delmarva Shorebirds<\/p>\n
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The Orioles may have found a steal in Nate George<\/a>, a 16th-round pick by the team in 2024. George signed for $455,000, an overslot deal, in July 2024, and since then, has done nothing but hit.<\/p>\n George started the year in the Florida Complex League but posted a 1.003 OPS in 23 games to force his way to the Carolina League<\/a>. With the Shorebirds, George stole 25 bases and notched 55 hits in 43 games before he jumped to High-A. He also sported one of the better Whiff% (20.6%) in the circuit, a testament to how good a contact hitter George is.<\/p>\n The 19-year-old was one of several interesting hitters featured on the team this year. Catcher Yasmil Bucce<\/a> hit eight home runs and 24 extra-base hits. Additionally, he walked 62 times over 81 games.<\/p>\n Delmarva\u2019s roster also included a lot of interesting players who made cameos throughout the year. Caden Bodine<\/a> (now a Rays<\/a> prospect), Ike Irish<\/a>, and Wehiwa Aloy<\/a> all spent the end of 2025 with the team after Baltimore signed them after the draft.<\/p>\n Aloy, despite a high Whiff% in abbreviated action, had 12 extra-base hits in 20 games.<\/p>\n Outfielder Jordan Sanchez<\/a>, who blazed through the FCL with a .950 OPS, hit two home runs in four games late in the year.<\/p>\n As for the pitching staff, their group included former UCF pitcher Ben Vespi<\/a> (34.7% Whiff%), the brother of ex-Oriole Nick Vespi<\/a>. Ben struck out 68 over 50 innings before he moved to Aberdeen, and walked only 18.<\/p>\n Former Florida State pitcher Carson Dorsey<\/a>, a seventh-round pick back in 2024, missed plenty of bats (32.8% Whiff%) this past year, as did Chase Allsup<\/a> and Evan Yates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Aberdeen Ironbirds<\/p>\n The Orioles focused heavily on college hitters early in the 2024 MLB Draft. Baltimore grabbed college standouts Vance Honeycutt<\/a> and Griff O\u2019Ferrall<\/a> in the first round, followed by Ethan Anderson<\/a> (2nd) and Austin Overn<\/a> (3rd). All four played in Aberdeen in 2025, albeit all four had varying results.<\/p>\n O\u2019Ferrall, a smooth contact hitter with a short swing but a 30 power grade, picked up a team-high 93 hits \u2014 10 more than Aron Estrada<\/a> (.798 OPS), who performed well as a 20-year-old \u2014 over 111 games and stole 42 bases. Ultimately, it will be the speed and ability to get on base that\u2019ll define O\u2019Ferrall<\/p>\n Ethan Anderson only had three home runs in 70 games but consistently worked his way on base. Anderson wound up moving to Double-A Chesapeake in the summer.<\/p>\n Overn had perhaps the loudest campaign of the four, as he hit eight home runs, 20 extra-base hits, and 43 stolen bases. Additionally, both he and Honeycutt ranked in the bottom 10 of the circuit in GB% (Overn at 30.3%).<\/p>\n Then, there\u2019s Honeycutt, who had major swing-and-miss problems in college. However, Honeycutt had elite tools, including plus power and speed, that he flashed throughout his tenure with UNC.<\/p>\n While the speed (32 SB) was evident both in the field and on the basepaths, consistent contact was not there. His 37.9% Whiff% in the South Atlantic League was among the ten worst in the circuit. And in total, Honeycutt batted .171 with 178 strikeouts over 101 games.<\/p>\n Aberdeen\u2019s pitching staff, meanwhile, was well-fortified throughout the year.<\/p>\n Trey Gibson<\/a>, a former Liberty University standout, flashed an elite slider, good fastball, and complementary stuff to strike out 67 over 38.2 IP before he moved to Double-A. Despite the few innings, he finished nine strikeouts shy of the team lead, held by now-Rays prospect Michael Forret<\/a>.<\/p>\n Forret had a fantastic 35.4% Whiff% with Aberdeen, which wasn\u2019t even good enough for the team lead. That honor went to left-hander Luis De Leon<\/a> (36% Whiff%), who struck out 69 over 60 frames.<\/p>\n Wellington Aracena<\/a>, acquired from the Mets in July, and now-Rangers pitcher Carter Baumler<\/a> were also on the team. Both pitched well, albeit in abbreviated action.<\/p>\n Chesapeake Baysox<\/p>\n Catcher\/first baseman Creed Willems<\/a> has taken time to develop. However, the 22-year-old didn\u2019t have a bad year with Chesapeake, to say the least.<\/p>\n Willems had a team-best 96 hits, as well as 16 home runs, to pace the team. The Texas-born catcher doesn\u2019t take a ton of pitches. However, he does make regular contact (27.2% Whiff%).<\/p>\n He was one of the few bright spots in the Baysox\u2019s lineup. To illustrate that fact, Austin Overn and Aron Estrada both finished sixth on the team in home runs (6), despite the two being on the team for roughly a month.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t a good year for former second-rounder Max Wagner<\/a>. Wagner slashed .218\/.301\/.339 with five home runs, 25 extra-base hits, and a 35.5% Whiff% that ranked among the bottom-20 in the league. He wasn\u2019t the only Baysox player with a high Whiff%, as Anthony Servideo<\/a> (34.5%) also struggled, batting .156 in 2025.<\/p>\n Enrique Bradfield Jr.<\/a> stole 26 bases and walked 32 times over 50 games. He\u2019s not an average power hitter, as that tool roughly grades out at 30. To be an effective Major Leaguer, the speed and on-base skills will be his meal tickets.<\/p>\n As for the pitching staff, Luis De Leon and Trey Gibson both made stops in Double-A. So did Juaron Watts-Brown<\/a>, who struck out 43 over 35.1 IP after the Orioles acquired him from Toronto<\/a> for Seranthony Dominguez<\/a>.<\/p>\n Norfolk Tides<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to put into words how good a year Samuel Basallo<\/a> had in Triple-A. So, let\u2019s just focus on the numbers.<\/p>\n Basallo missed nearly a month on the injured list in April and still managed to hit 23 home runs in only 76 games. The 21-year-old also had 17 doubles to give him 40 extra-base hits in total, as well as an eye-popping 21.3% Barrel%. He didn\u2019t have much to prove before he moved from the International League<\/a> to the Majors.<\/p>\n Aside from Basallo, there were other big performers with Norfolk this season.<\/p>\n Jeremiah Jackson<\/a> (13.3% Barrel%) slashed .377\/.400\/.673 with the Tides over 40 games with 11 home runs and 26 extra-base hits. Jackson always showed power in the Minors, whether it was in the Angels or Mets organizations. However, 2025 was the year he was able to force his way to the Majors.<\/p>\n Dylan Beavers<\/a>, meanwhile, also made it to the Majors<\/a> in August alongside Basallo. It was a complete year for Beavers, who slashed .304\/.420\/.515 with 18 home runs and 34 extra-base hits. Additionally, he posted a sub-20% Whiff% and a Chase% (20.2%) that ranked in the top-40 of Triple-A (among 339 players with 400+ swings).<\/p>\n However, it wasn\u2019t a good year for some at that level.<\/p>\n Former second-round pick Jud Fabian<\/a> posted a Whiff% north of 37% and struck out a team-most 136 times over 109 games. It marked yet another down year for Fabian, a plus power hitter but he has struggled to make consistent contact since moving to Double-A in 2023.<\/p>\n Enrique Bradfield Jr. hit just .179 (.226 OBP) in abbreviated action with the Tides.<\/p>\n As for the pitching staff, many high-end arms like Trevor Rogers<\/a>, Kyle Bradish<\/a>, and Tyler Wells<\/a> pitched for Norfolk this season. In Bradish and Wells\u2019 case, it was to get healthy. Rogers also had his injury problems. But despite a 5.46 ERA with Norfolk, Rogers proved that the process \u2014 and not necessarily the results \u2014 matters a lot.<\/p>\n Chayce McDermott<\/a> (31.1% Whiff%) missed plenty of bats in Triple-A, as he struck out 60 over 58 innings. However, he walked 42.<\/p>\n Early Top 5<\/p>\n Samuel Basallo<\/p>\n Ike Irish<\/p>\n Nate George<\/p>\n Wehiwa Aloy<\/p>\n Juaron Watts-Brown<\/p>\n Basallo is the clear #1 on this list. After that, there\u2019s room for debate.<\/p>\n There can be serious cases made for Trey Gibson and Luis De Leon to make the cut there. Both are effective starters in their own ways. However, we have Watts-Brown slightly ahead.<\/p>\n Check out more of our\u00a0MLB<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Minor League<\/a>\u00a0coverage.<\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading\u2026<\/p>\n![\"Ironbirds](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AB-IRONBBIRDS-LOGO-1.jpg\"){kind=logo}
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<\/p>\n![\"Tides](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/N-TIDES-LOGO-1.jpg\"){kind=logo}
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