The final week of the first half of Minor League Baseball has concluded, and we didn’t see as much chaos as we have in recent weeks down on the Orioles farm.
We saw prospects return from injury and some big wins as the first half ended on a positive note.
Let’s discuss which players made the cut on our final O’s Prospects of the Week for the first half of the 2025 season.
Triple-A Norfolk: Samuel Basallo – C/1B / Chayce McDermott – RHP
The most recent talk of the weekend after fellow backstop Maverick Handley went down, Samuel Basallo is proving that at 20 years old, he is a footstep’s away from the big leagues.
This past week against Memphis, Basallo would go 6-for-20 (.333) with a home run, driving in four and scoring four runs while walking three times and striking out just twice during the series.
Basallo’s series improved his season slash line to .271/.378/.590/.968 with 15 home runs and 34 RBIs. The organization’s No. 1 prospect has scored 33 runs and has tallied 45 hits in 48 total games while walking 28 times.
Chayce McDermott has had an unsteady season coming into this week, something that was certainly not envisioned as he was expected to take the next step in his development.
Coming into the Tides’ series against the Memphis Redbirds, McDermott was riding a six-game losing streak, including a loss in one of his two starts in the big leagues. The O’s No. 3 prospect was determined to change that, and he showed up in a strong way this week, as he helped lead Norfolk to a 7-3 victory in his lone outing.
In the game, McDermott pitched five innings for the first time this season, allowing just one earned run, only the fifth time this year in which he has allowed less than four runs in a game. McDermott’s line included four strikeouts, four hits allowed and, what has been his downfall most of the season, he walked four batters.
For the season, McDermott is 1-5 in eight games (all starts) while posting a 7.85 ERA and 1.92 WHIP across 28.2 innings of work. He has struck out 31 but unfortunately has walked 28 as well. Opponents are slashing .260/.428/.404/.832 against McDermott and hold a .324 BABIP.
Double-A Chesapeake: Enrique Bradfield Jr. – OF / Braxton Bragg – RHP
After being on the IL for almost a month with left hamstring tightness, Enrique Bradfield Jr. has been trying to get back into a rhythm.
This week, Bradfield Jr. slashed .238/.360/.381 with a. 741 OPS. He collected five hits, including three doubles, and knocked in two RBIs. Unfortunately, on Sunday, Bradfield Jr. was taken out of the game with hamstring tightness, this time on his right side.
EBJ’s season has consisted of just 40 games, and while he has a .714 OPS, he still is the same EBJ we love to watch when he’s on the field. He is still making highlight catches, has 25 walks to 25 strikeouts and is 15-for-17 in steals on the year.
As for the pitching side of things, Braxton Bragg had his first start back off the IL, and he showed up once again, tossing 4.1 innings of five-hit, one-run baseball while walking a batter and striking out five.
Bragg’s season has certainly been something to brag about. He has a 1.30 ERA in 55.1 innings pitched, including 72 strikeouts to 17 walks, holding batters to a .177 batting average and giving up just eight earned runs.
Bragg has obviously been the top pitcher in the O’s farm system this season.
High-A Aberdeen: Anderson De Los Santos – INF / Michael Forret – RHP
Offensively, it was again less of a fire show. Over at third base, right-handed 21-year-old prospect Anderson De Los Santos did have a nice week.
At the plate, De Los Santos went 4-for-12, netting seven total bases. Saturday’s victory featured a multi-hit effort from De Los Santos, including a home run.
He also walked three times to three strikeouts this week and flashed some leather at the hot corner.
Michael Forret is an easy choice for the Pitcher of the Week for the Aberdeen IronBirds.
The 21-year-old right-hander is continuing a fantastic season, picking up right where he left off last year as well. These two outings this week were the eighth and ninth of the season for Forret.
Combined, he tossed eight innings this week: a three-inning, two-hit and one-run effort on Tuesday, followed by a five-inning, one-hit and scoreless appearance on Sunday.
Forret totaled six strikeouts in these two outings, bringing his season total to 43 to go along with a whopping 1.34 ERA in just 33.2 innings. You can expect to see Forret slinging the ball for Double-A Chesapeake very soon.
Low-A Delmarva: Nate George – OF / Jacob Cravey – RHP
Nate George has just taken over offensively, and it came out of nowhere.
George slashed .333/.364/.571 this week and posted a .935 OPS. The 19-year-old outfielder had a four-RBI week on seven hits, leading the team, and hit his first Single-A home run.
George has posted a .364 batting average on the season with an OPS of .935. The Joliet, IL native has 44 hits, including three triples and four home runs, while knocking in 19 RBIs. George has also been a speedster, stealing 20 bases in 29 attempts.
Pitching-wise, Jacob Cravey was incredible on the mound, tossing five innings of one-hit, one-run baseball while striking out seven batters and picking up a win.
Cravey has looked solid this season in the 13 games he has pitched. The 23-year-old has posted a 3.75 ERA, pitched 57.2 innings, has given up 24 earned runs and is holding batters to a .227 average. He also has walked 23 batters and has struck out 43.
What do you think of our selections this week? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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