The final full month of Minor League Baseball has come to an end, which means it’s time for a new edition of Orioles Prospects of the Month.
This month was a little more difficult to narrow down, as many prospects had fantastic months down on the farm. But, without further ado, here are the selections we chose for the month of August.
Low-A Delmarva: Matthew Etzel – OF
We start out with a 2023 draft pick and one who went under the radar. Selected out of Southern Mississippi in the 10th round, Matthew Etzel’s start in the minors has been one to remember.
His month consisted of 17 games, where he slashed .304/.423/.446 with a .869 OPS. He collected 17 total hits, two doubles, two home runs and 14 RBIs. Etzel also had 10 walks and stole 14 bases in 16 attempts.
Etzel has a .954 OPS in his short pro career with a .328 average, 22 hits and 18 RBIs. Etzel is still just 21 years old and has a bright future ahead of him if he continues to be a strong presence in a lineup.
Honorable Mention: Luis De León LHP
High-A Aberdeen: Logan Rinehart – RHP
First off, where did Logan Rinehart come from? Well, on August 1, the Orioles traded right-hander Eduardo Bazardo to the Seattle Mariners for Rinehart, and honestly, it worked out well.
Rinehart pitched in six games for Aberdeen in the month and went 12.1 innings without giving up a single run. He also picked up one win, a hold, a save and struck out 15 batters.
Rinehart has had a good minor league season as a whole, pitching in 37 games and compiling a 2.15 ERA in 50.1 innings pitched. The 25-year-old righty also has 66 strikeouts, has held batters to a .187 average and is 11-for-11 in save opportunities.
Honorable Mention: Elio Prado OF
Double-A Bowie: Dylan Beavers – OF
There were many directions we could have gone with the Bowie prospect of the month, but we think the pick was Dylan Beavers, who put together an unreal month of August in his first taste of Double-A ball.
Beavers played in 22 games and slashed .337/.443/.449 with a .892 OPS, collecting 30 hits, eight doubles, one triple and four RBIs. He also walked 15 times and stole two bases.
Beavers this season has really shown his true potential and why he’s a top 10 O’s prospect. He has a .845 OPS in 107 games and is batting .288, with 115 total hits, 34 doubles, four triples and nine home runs. The University of California product also has 52 RBIs, 65 walks and 24 stolen bases.
Honorable Mentions: John Rhodes OF, Nolan Hoffman RHP
Triple-A Norfolk: Morgan McSweeney – RHP
We feel like Morgan McSweeney should be given more love from Orioles fans. The 25-year-old from Wake Forest appeared in nine games this month and only allowed three runs in 12.2 innings pitched. He also gave up just eight hits, walked five and struck out 15 and held batters to a .174 batting average with a 1.03 WHIP.
McSweeney got a late start to the season, but in his time back, he’s gone through ups and downs. He has 31 games under his belt and has a 5.89 ERA this season, but recently has been a straight lights out reliever and someone that could be used next season as a bullpen arm or possible spot starter for the big league club.
Honorable Mention: Joey Ortiz INF
Overall Prospect of the Month: Enrique Bradfield Jr. – OF
So, there was a big chance that Jackson Holliday could have gotten this again, as he put up a great August. But, we need to spread some love around, and EBJ had a phenomenal month to begin his pro career.
Bradfield Jr. played in 15 games and slashed .311/.522/.356 with a .878 OPS. He tallied 14 hits, two doubles and four RBIs, but the most impressive part was that he had eight strikeouts to 18 walks. Even crazier, he stole 18 bases in 20 attempts in those 15 games.
When the draft was around, I put it out there that EBJ could be a steal at the 17th overall pick, and oh my, has he been one. He is batting .352 so far, has 19 steals, 19 hits, 21 walks and has an on-base percentage of .544.
Honorable Mention: Jackson Holliday
Who was the best prospect performer for the month of August, in your opinion? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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