In its first season back as a Baltimore Orioles affiliate, the Frederick Keys have firmly put themselves back on the map, capturing the South Atlantic League Northern Division First-Half Championship.
Let’s break down the game that sealed the title and the remarkable first half that led them there.
The Keys’ first-half performance was nothing short of historic. Frederick finished the half with a 41-23 record, the organization’s highest win total in a division-winning half since the second half of the 2005 season when the club went 44-26. To clinch the title, the Keys closed the half with a crucial three-game winning streak.
Frederick’s success was fueled by a mix of recent draft picks and prospects acquired through trades.
Victory Figueroa, who joined the organization from the San Diego Padres at last year’s trade deadline and is The Baltimore Battery’s No. 20 prospect, led both the Keys and the South Atlantic League with 19 home runs.
Meanwhile, 2025 first-round pick and former Golden Spikes Award winner and our No. 1 overall prospect Wehiwa Aloy paced the club with 62 hits, ranking ninth in the league.
The Keys officially clinched the first-half title on June 18 with a 6-5 victory over the Hub City Spartanburgers. Frederick received steady offensive production and timely bullpen work to secure the win.
Right-hander JT Quinn, The Battery’s No. 12 prospect, surrendered a leadoff home run to Yeison Morrobel, the first of Morrobel’s two long balls on the night, but quickly settled in. Quinn completed five innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out six.
The offense was led by 2025 first-round pick and our No. 4 prospect Ike Irish, who collected two hits, drew a walk and drove in a run. Aloy and Leandro Arias each recorded two RBIs, while Elis Cuevas added another. Cuevas joined Irish and Ryan Stafford as the Keys’ multi-hit performers.
Out of the bullpen, Todd Kniebbe tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. Chandler Marsh followed with an inning of relief, and Joe Glassey earned the save despite allowing two unearned runs on three hits.
On the pitching side, Quinn was Frederick’s only qualified starter during the first half, posting a 3.30 ERA across 13 starts and leading the club with 65 strikeouts. Braeden Sloan emerged as a key bullpen piece, posting a 0.89 ERA and holding opponents to a .076 batting average across 14 appearances.
The staff also received strong contributions from The Battery’s No. 24 prospect, right-hander Yeiber Cartaya, who posted a 2.23 ERA, and our No. 5 prospect, left-hander Boston Bateman, who struck out 59 batters.
The championship marks the third time an Orioles affiliate has reached the postseason since 2021. The Chesapeake Baysox reached the playoffs in 2021 by a half-game margin before being swept in their postseason series. In 2023, the Norfolk Tides advanced to the Triple-A National Championship Game and captured the title.
The last time Frederick reached the postseason was in 2017. That season, Frederick went 37-33 in the second half to sneak its way in but ultimately lost its series 2-1 with three rainouts against Lynchburg.
It has been an incredible first half for the Keys in their return as an Orioles affiliate. While an official playoff date has not yet been announced, Frederick has already secured its place in the postseason.
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