The first month of Minor League Baseball is complete, and it’s time to talk about the Orioles prospects that shined in the month of April.
There were many candidates for each O’s affiliate, and selecting them is anything but easy. However, after careful consideration and research, these are our selections for the five prospects of the month in the organization.
Without further ado, let’s dive in to it.
Delmarva Shorebirds: Luis De León – LHP
No player has put together a better showing to start the season in Delmarva than left-handed pitcher Luis De León, who was already highly-rated prior to the start of the season, as he was ranked 18th on the Orioles’ top 30 prospects list.
In four starts, De León has pitched 16.1 innings and has an ERA of 1.65. Despite the 1-2 record, De León has only given up nine hits, three earned runs, walked five batters and struck out 23. He also continues his streak of 29 straight minor league games without giving up a home run.
The 21-year-old has been the biggest star on a Delmarva team that has really struggled so far this year. Don’t be surprised if you hear more of his name this season as he works his way up the ladder.
Aberdeen IronBirds: Matthew Etzel – OF
The more in-depth we look at the 2023 MLB Draft, the more we realize that the Orioles drafted some very impactful players later in the draft.
Matthew Etzel had been a player that we’ve had our eye on heading into that draft, and when the Orioles drafted him, we expected great things. However, we weren’t expecting him to be this good this quickly.
In 20 games and 75 at-bats in April, Etzel posted a slash line of .343/.422/.557 with a .979 OPS. He collected 24 hits, five doubles, two triples, two home runs and 12 RBIs and also walked 10 times and stole nine bases in 12 attempts. The University of Southern Mississippi product even had a career-high five-hit night against the Wilmington Blue Rocks.
Bowie Baysox: Dylan Beavers – OF
We go from a underrated pick in the 2023 draft, to a top pick of the 2022 draft. Dylan Beavers came into the season ranked in the top 10 of the Orioles’ top 30 prospects, and he has shown every day that he deserves to have that spot with authority.
In 19 games, Beavers slashed .329/.415/471 with a .886 OPS in 70 at-bats. The former California Golden Bear collected 23 hits, four doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs on the month. He has also stole six bases in seven attempts and walked 11 times.
Beavers has been so fun to watch, whether you are at the stadium or watching from home. He really knows how to chip away at the score when Bowie needs a run, as the prospect compared to Kyle Tucker continues to impress every game on both sides of the game.
Norfolk Tides: Cade Povich – LHP
Do you remember the Jorge Lopez trade that gifted the Orioles Yennier Cano? Yeah, well, the O’s also received left-hander Cade Povich in that trade, and he is going to be a big piece for the Birds’ pitching staff very soon.
In five starts, Povich had a miniscule 1.03 ERA in 26.1 innings pitched and gave up just three earned runs and 10 total hits while striking out 40 batters. He held batters to a .116 batting average throughout the entire month of April.
We might be seeing a possible ace-in-the-making for the Orioles, as the 24-year-old has gotten comparisons to one of the league’s most crafty left-handed pitchers, Max Fried. Povich earned himself International League Pitcher of the Month honors for April as well.
Overall Top Performer: Heston Kjerstad – OF
While Povich’s month was insane, you can’t deny that the best O’s prospect in April was Heston Kjerstad. In fact, he won International League Player of the Month honors for April.
Before Kjerstad was called up to the big league club, he was absolutely killing it in Norfolk, to the point where he was arguably the best player in all of Triple-A.
In 86 at-bats, Kjerstad slashed .349/.431/.744 with a 1.175 OPS. He posted 30 hits, four doubles, 10 home runs and 30 RBIs. For context, 33% of his hits were home runs, as he also collected 12 walks and stole a base.
Which O’s prospect stood out to you the most in April?
Like Zack’s content? Follow him on X – @Zackattack8211 and @OsMilbUpdates for all the latest news and updates on the O’s farm system! Also, check out the latest episodes of The First Flight podcast!
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