This week, the Delmarva Shorebirds stayed home to face the Salem Red Sox, the Low-A affiliate for the, you guessed it, Boston Red Sox.
As said in previous Shorebirds recaps, this team would look very different after the draft. We are now seeing the production from players taken in the draft, and they are helping this Shorebirds team a lot.
Before we get into anything that happened this week, let’s take a look at the final scores.
GAME 1: DEL 2, SAL 6
GAME 2: DEL 7, SAL 3
GAME 3: DEL 2, SAL 4
GAME 4: DEL 7, SAL 1
GAME 5: DEL 10, SAL 2
GAME 6: DEL 6, SAL 8
Speaking of the draft, the Shorebirds are seeing a whole load of production from two guys in particular. Both Enrique Bradfield Jr. and Mac Horvath were selected in this year’s draft, and already they are showing out.
Bradfield Jr. was known at Vanderbilt for his incredible speed and plus defense. So far, at the Low-A level, the young center fielder has been much more than the Orioles could have hoped for.
In this series, Bradfield Jr. went 8-for-18, netting two RBIs and four walks. He hit safely in all five games he played this series, three being multi-hit games, and now has a hit streak of six games.
The most amazing part is that Bradfield Jr. stole five bases in seven attempts. That brings his Low-A total to 13 steals in 15 attempts in nine games, and actually, those two failed attempts this series were the first times he has been thrown out as a professional.
Anderson De Los Santos helped out his team offensively this series. De Los Santos hit safely in games two through six, with a multi-hit effort in game two. He finished the week with six total hits and six RBIs.
Sometimes, production comes from the places you least expect it to. This series is proof of that.
Randy Florentino, a 23-year-old catcher, sits at a .179 average in 156 at-bats this season at the Low-A level. However, if you looked at his stat line this week, you would never know.
Florentino hit safely four times this week, with two of them being part of his four home runs on the year and six RBIs, which is nearly half of his season total.
On the mound for the Shorebirds, Edgar Portes has been pitching much better as of late. In his first start this series, Portes looked more like his early season self, allowing a season-high four earned runs in three innings. However, in his second start, Portes looked much better with a scoreless four-inning outing that saw eight strikeouts. This effort put him over the century mark with 106 Ks in just 80.2 innings pitched.
Once again, Luis De León shined out of the pen. The 20 year-old left-hander saw action in one start this series, where he didn’t allow an earned run over four innings of work. That brings his season ERA to a 1.36 in 46.1 innings. He also carries a 4-0 record and 59 Ks in those 12 appearances.
Deivy Cruz was once again great on the mound, and ironically, his three runs allowed in this series were the most he’s given up since June 9. This week, Cruz tossed four innings, allowing those three runs on three hits. The 19-year-old now has 91 Ks in 84.1 innings with a 3.52 ERA.
The Shorebirds’ next action comes on the road against the Lynchburg Hillcats, the Low-A affiliate for the Cleveland Guardians. Game one is set for Tuesday night.
Who stood out to you for Delmarva this week? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Like Justin’s content? Follow him on X – @orioles4life96
THE BALTIMORE BATTERY 
Leave a comment