This week marked the beginning of a new month and the celebration of America’s 250th birthday.
Across the Baltimore Orioles farm system, several prospects celebrated with fireworks of their own, turning in standout performances at the plate and on the mound.
Let’s take a look at this week’s O’s Prospects of the Week.
Triple-A Norfolk: Heston Kjerstad – OF / Nestor German – RHP
It is a name Orioles fans have been waiting to hear again. Injuries have repeatedly interrupted Heston Kjerstad’s path to Baltimore, but after a slow start to the season, the former first-round pick is beginning to remind everyone why he remains one of the organization’s most talented hitters.
For the third consecutive month, Kjerstad has improved his slash line, and his latest performance only strengthened his case for another opportunity. In a shortened series, he went 6-for-14 with two home runs, four RBIs and two runs scored.
Kjerstad is now slashing .284/.311/.432 across 43 games, collecting 48 hits, including 10 doubles and five home runs. He has driven in 21 runs, scored 21 times and owns a .368 BABIP.
The shortened series also provided Norfolk’s pitching staff with additional rest, and Nestor German took full advantage. Although he did not factor into the decision, German tossed five scoreless innings in Norfolk’s series finale, allowing four hits while striking out four and walking none.
For the season, German has appeared in 17 games, including 15 starts, posting a 3-3 record with a 4.48 ERA over 78.1 innings. He has struck out 88 batters while issuing just 31 walks, surrendered only seven home runs and limited opponents to a .249 batting average.
The Baltimore Battery’s No. 14 prospect has shown flashes throughout the season, and if he continues refining his command and consistency, he has the potential to become a reliable starting option for Norfolk while keeping himself firmly in the conversation for a future opportunity in Baltimore.
Double-A Chesapeake: Aron Estrada – 2B/OF / Luis De León – LHP
The Baysox once again showcased the depth of the Orioles’ farm system during the holiday week, turning in impressive performances on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, this week’s honors belong to The Baltimore Battery’s No. 2 prospect, Aron Estrada.
Estrada put together a monster week, collecting nine hits in five games. He provided the biggest fireworks of the week with two extra-base hits, including a go-ahead grand slam on Thursday that proved to be the game-winning hit for Chesapeake.
On the mound, it was encouraging to see Luis De León bounce back after a few inconsistent outings.
The Baltimore Battery’s No. 11 prospect made two appearances during the week, beginning with a one-inning opener on Tuesday in which he allowed two hits and one earned run. He responded in a big way on Sunday, tossing 5.2 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out a season-high nine batters to earn his sixth victory of the year.
The outing was exactly the type of response the Orioles were hoping to see from one of its top pitching prospects and served as another reminder of the upside De León possesses when he is at his best.
High-A Frederick: Wehiwa Aloy – INF / Caden Hunter – LHP
With the 2026 MLB Draft set for this weekend, it is encouraging to see last year’s first-round selections continuing to make an impact.
Wehiwa Aloy put together another outstanding week, slashing .350/.409/.500 with a .909 OPS. The Baltimore Battery’s No. 1 prospect collected seven hits, including a double and a triple, while driving in four runs.
The 2025 Golden Spikes Award winner has been one of the Orioles’ most consistent prospect performers this season. Through 69 games with Frederick, Aloy is slashing .271/.341/.451 with a .792 OPS. He has totaled 74 hits, eight doubles, four triples, 11 home runs, 55 RBIs and is 9-for-10 on stolen base attempts.
Caden Hunter continues to emerge as one of the biggest steals from the Orioles’ 2025 draft class. The former sixth-round pick made two starts during the week, allowing just one earned run over 11 innings, surrendering 10 hits, walking two and striking out 11.
The 22-year-old has quietly developed into one of the organization’s most intriguing pitching prospects. Through 13 appearances, including 12 starts, Hunter owns a 1.46 ERA with 82 strikeouts over 55.1 innings. He has allowed just nine earned runs all season, limited opposing hitters to a .171 batting average and has walked only 28 batters.
If he continues on this trajectory, The Baltimore Battery’s No. 18 prospect has a legitimate chance to earn Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors.
Low-A Delmarva: Braylon Whitaker – OF / Christian Rodriguez – RHP
Speaking of diamonds in the rough, few players fit that description better than 20-year-old Braylon Whitaker.
The 2024 19th-round selection appeared in all six games this week for Delmarva, slashing .318/.423/.591 with a 1.014 OPS. He recorded a team-high seven hits, including a double, a triple and a home run, while driving in a run and drawing four walks.
Whitaker has been one of Delmarva’s most productive offensive players this season. Through 70 games, he is slashing .284/.401/.362 with a .763 OPS. He has collected 84 hits, 13 extra-base hits, 25 RBIs and 43 walks while striking out only 40 times, stealing 19 bases in 29 attempts.
Christian Rodriguez also turned in an impressive week on the mound. The 2024 10th-round pick made two starts, allowing just one earned run across 10.2 innings and gave up six hits, walked two and struck out 13.
In his first full professional season, Rodriguez has pitched in 16 games, including 15 starts, and owns a 3.01 ERA across 80.2 innings. He has struck out 89 batters while walking just 25 and allowing 27 earned runs.
The one area that remains a work in progress is limiting contact, as opponents are batting .261 against the 24-year-old and averaging roughly one hit per inning. Even so, Rodriguez continues to establish himself as another promising arm in the Orioles’ pitching pipeline.
What are your thoughts on this week’s 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!
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