Top Early Standouts in the Baltimore Orioles Farm System
Which Orioles prospects are standing out in 2026? Here's a breakdown of the top performers across the farm system.
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The Baltimore Orioles have consistently boasted one of the top farm systems in all of baseball. But many of those stars have now graduated to the big leagues or have been traded elsewhere.
Former top prospects like Samuel Basallo, Jackson Holliday, and Gunnar Henderson are now household names in the major leagues. That means Orioles fans have a new wave of talent to get familiar with.
While the system may not have the overwhelming depth it once did, there are still plenty of prospects making a strong case for a future in Baltimore.
Let’s take a deep dive through every level of the Orioles’ farm system and look at who’s standing out.
Stats were taken prior to play on June 5.
Triple A-Norfolk
RHP Trey Gibson
Gibson, 24, is the most familiar name on this list for Orioles fans. He was named the organization’s 2025 Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year and made his major-league debut this season on May 3 against the New York Yankees.
He has made three big-league appearances in total, posting a 3.65 ERA across 12.1 innings. Gibson has walked seven and struck out five.
His latest outing was his best. Gibson earned his first major-league win against the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays. He threw 5.1 innings and allowed one run while throwing 100 pitches.
Gibson relies on a deep, five-pitch mix that he uses about as evenly as you can. He throws his sinker 28% of the time, cutter 21%, slider 19%, curveball 18%, and four-seam fastball 14%. His fastball sits around 96 mph and can reach the upper 90s.
He’s produced similar results in Triple-A this season. Gibson owns a 3.55 ERA over nine starts, spanning 38 innings with 38 strikeouts.
The biggest question surrounding Gibson is his command. He owns a 1.53 WHIP and has walked 19 batters in those 38 innings. He also isn’t a big strikeout pitcher, which can make escaping trouble difficult.
Gibson may not project as a future ace, but he has the tools to become a solid middle or back-end rotation piece.
C/1B Creed Willems
Willems was an eighth-round pick by the Orioles in 2021 out of high school. After two underwhelming seasons, he largely became an afterthought in the organization.
Things started to change once Willems reached Double-A Chesapeake at just 21 years old. He raised his slugging percentage from .395 in 2023 to .462 in 2024. While he hit the same 17 home runs back-to-back seasons, he showed much more consistency barreling the baseball.
Now, after reaching Triple-A, the 23-year-old looks like he’s putting it all together. Through 49 games, Willems is slashing .284/.372/.509 with an .881 OPS and 12 home runs.
His future behind the plate remains uncertain. Willems is viewed as a capable defender, but not one whose glove stands out. The Orioles also have two star catchers in Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo occupying the big-league roster.
If Willems continues to hit, his path to the majors could come as a first baseman or designated hitter.
Double A-Chesapeake
LHP Joseph Dzierwa
Dzierwa is arguably the most exciting pitching prospect in the Orioles’ system. The organization selected the left-hander out of Michigan State in the second round of last year’s draft.
He features a four-pitch mix consisting of a fastball, cutter, slider, and his signature changeup, which grades out as a 60-grade pitch. In his first full professional season, Dzierwa has thrived across two levels.
He opened the year at High-A Frederick but earned a promotion after just eight starts. Dzierwa went 5-1 with a 2.21 ERA over 40.2 innings, striking out 50 while posting a 0.81 WHIP.
What makes Dzierwa so intriguing is his combination of size and delivery. He stands 6-foot-8 and throws from a low three-quarters arm slot. His fastball sits in the low 90s and can reach 95 mph, while his changeup is his best secondary pitch.
Since arriving in Chesapeake, Dzierwa has continued to impress. In three starts, he owns a 3.24 ERA across 16 innings with 23 strikeouts.
He’s still a work in progress, but his frame, deception, and command give him the look of a future major-league starter.
2B/OF Aron Estrada
The Orioles signed Estrada out of Venezuela in 2022, and he has steadily climbed the organizational ladder ever since. The 5-foot-11 switch-hitter stands out for his ability to consistently put the ball in play.
Estrada opened last season at High-A Frederick, where he hit .284 with five home runs in 81 games. After earning a promotion to Chesapeake, he took another step forward by hitting .300 with five more homers. He also stole 34 bases during the season.
That success has carried over into 2026. Estrada is slashing .272/.313/.457 with eight home runs and a .770 OPS.
The Orioles have moved him all over the diamond as well. He’s appeared at every position in the minor leagues except first base and catcher.
If Estrada continues to develop at this pace, he should earn a promotion to Triple-A Norfolk and could put himself in position to reach the majors sometime in 2027.
High A-Frederick
OF Nate George
George is the organization’s top-ranked hitting prospect, and for good reason. The Orioles selected the 20-year-old in the 16th round of the 2024 MLB Draft.
In his first professional season, George slashed .337/.413/.483 with an .896 OPS, five home runs, and 50 stolen bases.
George has a strong frame and game-changing speed, with power that continues to develop. At just 20 years old, it feels like he’s only scratching the surface of his potential.
This season, George is slashing .293/.372/.366 with a .738 OPS, one home run, and 15 stolen bases. Unfortunately, he has been on the injured list since May 7 with an undisclosed illness.
He still needs to cut down on the swing-and-miss in his game, but George looks well on his way to becoming one of baseball’s top prospects.
OF/1B Ike Irish
Irish entered last year’s MLB Draft as one of the top prospects in the class out of Auburn. Many scouts viewed him as one of the most complete hitters available, making his fall to the 19th-overall pick somewhat surprising.
In his first full professional season, Irish has flashed exactly why he was so highly regarded. Through 41 games, he is slashing .253/.360/.432 with a .792 OPS, six home runs, and 10 stolen bases.
Irish spent most of his time at catcher in college, but the Orioles have split his playing time between first base and the outfield since drafting him.
He has a smooth, all-fields approach and doesn’t overswing, allowing his natural power to play. Irish looks like a fast riser through the system and could make a push for the majors as early as 2027.
SS Wehiwa Aloy
Like Irish, Aloy entered last year’s MLB Draft as one of the top prospects available. The Orioles selected him with the 31st-overall pick.
The Hawaii native has improved every season of his career. After transferring to Arkansas, he hit .270 with 14 home runs in his sophomore season. He followed that by batting .350 with 21 homers during his final year with the Razorbacks.
Now, in his first full professional season, Aloy hasn’t looked overwhelmed by tougher competition. Through 44 games, he is slashing .285/.357/.512 with an .869 OPS and 10 home runs.
Aloy can get a little chase heavy at times, as shown by his 29% strikeout rate. However, he has made progress improving his approach and has already drawn 20 walks this season. Like Irish, he has the tools to move quickly through the Orioles’ system.
Single A-Delmarva
The Orioles may not have many breakout names at Single-A Delmarva right now, but that’s not uncommon for organizations with talent concentrated at the upper levels.
After a strong 2025 draft that brought in players like Ike Irish and Wehiwa Aloy, Baltimore once again appears to have a promising group of young talent climbing through the system.
The Orioles also figure to be active buyers at this year’s trade deadline. With a young major-league core already in place and a healthy pipeline of prospects behind it, the organization has plenty of flexibility to improve the roster while still keeping an eye on the future.
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Written by
Thomas Kelson is an intern at Just Baseball and a graduating senior at Rutgers University, where he studied Journalism and Media Studies with a specialization in…