The first month of the minor-league season is in the books, and several Baltimore Orioles prospects wasted no time making their presence felt.
From top-30 prospects delivering standout performances to under-the-radar names forcing their way into the conversation, Baltimore’s farm system showed plenty of early promise in April.
With that being said, here are the Orioles’ top prospect performers from each affiliate to open the 2026 season.
Triple-A Norfolk: José Barrero – INF
Jud Fabian leads Norfolk with six home runs, and Creed Willems has been productive at the plate to begin the season. But no hitter has been more complete for the Tides than José Barrero.
In 26 games, Barrero is slashing .247/.387/.438 with an .825 OPS. He leads Norfolk with 22 hits while adding three doubles, four home runs and 17 walks against 21 strikeouts.
After signing in July 2025 and struggling during the second half of last season, Barrero has bounced back in a meaningful way. If injuries or roster needs arise in Baltimore, he could position himself as a late-season call-up option.
Double-A Chesapeake: Micah Ashman – RHP
Double-A Chesapeake featured several worthy candidates for April honors. Anderson De Los Santos has been dominant offensively with a 1.085 OPS, while Ethan Anderson is hitting .317, and Tavian Josenberger has driven in 13 runs.
Still, no player has been more impactful than right-hander Micah Ashman.
Ashman has made seven appearances, including one start, posting a 1.32 ERA across 13.2 innings. He has allowed just two earned runs while striking out 26 batters, good for second-most on the team.
High-A Frederick: Joseph Dzierwa – LHP
Frederick may have presented the toughest decision of any affiliate. Ike Irish owns a 1.032 OPS while batting .338, Nate George is hitting .304 and recently recorded a five-hit game and J.T. Quinn has posted a 2.70 ERA with 33 strikeouts in five starts.
However, left-hander Joseph Dzierwa has been the most impressive arm in the O’s system.
Across five starts, Dzierwa owns a 2.33 ERA in a team-high 27 innings. He has surrendered just 15 hits, walked seven, struck out 29 and is holding opponents to a .160 batting average — the lowest among Orioles minor-league starters with at least four starts.
Low-A Delmarva: DJ Layton – OF
While Joshua Liranzo and Jordan Sanchez are tied for the team lead with two home runs and Edwin Amparo owns a strong .386 on-base percentage, DJ Layton has been Delmarva’s most valuable player through the first month of the season.
Layton leads the club with 19 hits and is slashing .284/.448/.448 with an .896 OPS. He has collected four doubles, two triples and nine RBIs while also showing advanced plate discipline with 20 walks.
The 19-year-old has also added eight stolen bases, making him one of the more well-rounded performers in the lower levels of the O’s system.
Overall Prospect of the Month: Victor Figueroa – 1B
Several prospects made strong cases, but no player had a better April than Victor Figueroa.
In 18 games with High-A Frederick, Figueroa is slashing .357/.438/.700 with a 1.138 OPS. He has totaled 25 hits, four doubles, six home runs and 15 RBIs while carrying a 19-game on-base streak into May.
Simply put, Figueroa, who was acquired in the deal that sent Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano to San Diego, has been the most dangerous hitter in Baltimore’s farm system to start the season.
What do you think of our selections? 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!
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 Zack’s content? Follow him on X – @Zackattack8211 and @OsMilbUpdates for all the latest news and updates on the O’s farm system!
THE BALTIMORE BATTERY 
Leave a comment