The Minor League Baseball season is back in full swing across all four Baltimore Orioles affiliates.
With that, our weekly Prospects of the Week articles return — highlighting the players who made the biggest impact over the past week. Each edition will spotlight one position player and one pitcher from every affiliate who stood out above the rest.
This season’s coverage team is set: Stephen Heckman will handle the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, Justin Sutphin takes over the Double-A Chesapeake Baysox and Zack Bucklew will cover both the High-A Frederick Keys and Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds.
With the framework in place, it is time to take a look at the names that opened the 2026 season on a high note.
Triple-A Norfolk: Creed Willems – C / Levi Wells – RHP
It has been a slow start for the Norfolk Tides, a talented roster still searching for consistency. At 5–9, the club’s offensive struggles have been evident, but one bright spot has emerged in Orioles No. 17 prospect Creed Willems.
The 22-year-old catcher/first baseman has provided much-needed production from the outset. Willems has launched four home runs and driven in 10 runs, with 60% of his hits going for extra bases (four homers, two doubles). Perhaps more impressive is his plate discipline — just eight strikeouts over 12 games.
Defensively, Willems has been equally steady. He has committed just one error and one passed ball behind the plate and has thrown out 40% of would-be base stealers.
On the mound, Levi Wells has been Norfolk’s standout arm. The Orioles’ No. 13 prospect has appeared in three games, logging 14.1 innings with a 1.26 ERA.
After a solid first outing (four innings, one run, six strikeouts), Wells has taken another step forward in April, allowing just one earned run across 10.1 innings (0.87 ERA) with nine strikeouts and a 0.87 WHIP.
For the season, Wells owns a 1–1 record with 15 strikeouts to four walks, holding opponents to a .173/.246/.212 slash line. He is also posting career-best marks in K/BB ratio (3.75), H/9 (5.65), OPS against (.458) and BABIP (.243).
Double-A Chesapeake: Ethan Anderson – C / Sebastian Gongora – LHP
The Chesapeake Baysox turned in a dominant week, going 5–1 against the Erie SeaWolves behind a well-rounded performance on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, much of that success was driven by catcher Ethan Anderson. Appearing in five games, Anderson recorded a hit in each contest, including a pair of three-hit performances. He finished the week with nine hits, highlighted by a home run, while driving in four runs.
Anderson also drew two walks and added a stolen base, continuing to serve as a consistent catalyst in the Baysox lineup to start the season.
On the mound, left-hander Sebastian Gongora anchored a strong pitching effort.
Making two starts during the series, Gongora worked 3.2 innings in his first outing and followed it up with 5.2 innings in his second. He allowed just one run in each appearance, combining for 9.1 innings with 13 strikeouts.
High-A Frederick: Victor Figueroa – 1B / Joseph Dzierwa – LHP
Victor Figueroa has been electric through five games early in the season, slashing .421/.450/.895 with a 1.345 OPS.
He has already collected eight hits, including three home runs, and has driven in five. After hitting 12 homers in 89 games last season, Figueroa has already reached 25% of that total in just five games.
On the pitching side, left-hander Joseph Dzierwa has been nothing short of dominant. The Orioles’ No. 12 prospect has made two starts — his first in professional baseball — and has posted a 1.38 ERA across 13 innings.
He has allowed just seven hits and two earned runs, walked one and struck out 12 in his first week of pro ball. Opponents are hitting .156 against him, and he carries a 0.62 WHIP to start the 2026 campaign.
Low-A Delmarva: Joshua Liranzo – INF / Braeden Sloane – LHP
Joshua Liranzo looks poised for a breakout season in Delmarva. Through eight games, he is slashing .280/.471/.480 with a .951 OPS.
The 19-year-old recorded seven hits this past week, including two doubles and a home run, while driving in seven runs. He has also drawn nine walks and stolen three bases without being caught.
On the mound, left-hander Braeden Sloane has been nearly untouchable out of the bullpen.
A 17th-round pick in 2025 out of TCU, Sloane has yet to allow an earned run across three appearances. In four innings, he has surrendered no hits and just one walk, striking out 10. Opponents have yet to record a hit against him, as he owns a 0.25 WHIP.
That wraps up the first edition of Prospects of the Week for 2026. As the season unfolds, this series will continue to spotlight the rising talent making noise throughout the Orioles’ farm system. We hope you look forward to this series every Monday.
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