As we get ready for trade deadline season, there is a chance this could be the final Prospects of the Week featuring some of these players in the Baltimore Orioles organization.
With the deadline looming, several top prospects could find themselves on the move, especially if the Orioles decide to be buyers. If this was their final audition, they certainly made it count.
Let’s take a look at this week’s top performers around the Orioles farm system.
Triple-A Norfolk: Heston Kjerstad – OF / Cade Povich – LHP
The former No. 2 overall pick is beginning to look like himself again, potentially boosting both his trade value and his chances of returning to the big leagues.
Heston Kjerstad continued his scorching July by reaching base in all six games last week. He recorded multiple hits in three contests and reached base multiple times in four.
Silent J finished the week 10-for-23 (.435) with one double, three home runs, three runs scored and nine RBIs.
For the month of July, Kjerstad is slashing .355/.382/.645 with 22 hits in 17 games. He has added three doubles, five home runs, 16 RBIs, seven runs scored and six walks. His batting average has climbed 18 points during the month, while his on-base percentage has increased 20 points and his slugging percentage has jumped 51 points.
It was a difficult series for Norfolk’s pitching staff, but Cade Povich provided one of the bright spots by earning the Tides’ lone victory of the week.
The left-hander tossed five innings, allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out five.
The win was Povich’s first at the minor-league level this season, improving him to 1-4 with a 5.53 ERA across 40.2 innings. He has struck out 44 while walking 14, holding opposing hitters to a .247 batting average with a .264 BABIP.
Double-A Chesapeake: Tavian Josenberger – OF / Luis De León – LHP
Tavian Josenberger put together one of the best offensive weeks of any Orioles prospect, slashing .308/.550/1.000 for an eye-popping 1.550 OPS.
The 24-year-old outfielder collected four hits, including three home runs, drove in four RBIs, drew seven walks and stole three bases.
After an injury-plagued 2025 campaign that marked the lowest point of his professional career, Josenberger has shown encouraging signs of progress this season.
Through 82 games with Chesapeake, he is batting .207 with a .715 OPS and has recorded 54 hits, 11 doubles, two triples and nine home runs, tying a career-high. His improved plate discipline has been especially noteworthy, as his 55 walks have already marked a new career-best.
Luis De León turned in one of his strongest starts of the season, tossing 6.1 innings while allowing four hits and one earned run.
The 23-year-old left-hander struck out nine and walked just one in an impressive outing that earned him a promotion to Triple-A Norfolk.
While De León has not matched the success of his breakout 2025 season, he continues to miss bats at an elite rate.
Through 19 starts and 81 innings, The Baltimore Battery’s No. 11 prospect owns a 4.33 ERA with 100 strikeouts this season. He also became the first Baysox pitcher to reach the 100-strikeout mark since 2024, when three Chesapeake pitchers accomplished the feat.
High-A Frederick: Wehiwa Aloy – INF / Caden Hunter – LHP
The 2025 Golden Spikes Award winner put together another outstanding week.
Wehiwa Aloy slashed .391/.440/.739 with a 1.179 OPS, collecting a team-high nine hits, two doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs.
His season with the Keys has been nothing short of impressive. The Baltimore Battery’s No. 1 prospect is batting .300 with an .874 OPS while leading the club with 99 hits. He has added 14 doubles, four triples, 15 home runs and ranks second on the team with 69 RBIs.
However, Aloy’s time in Frederick has officially come to an end, as he earned a promotion to Double-A Chesapeake and is expected to make his Baysox debut on Tuesday.
On the mound, The Baltimore Battery’s No. 18 prospect continued his breakout campaign with another dominant outing.
Caden Hunter tossed 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight.
Through 68 innings, Hunter owns a 1.46 ERA and a 3-1 record. He has surrendered just 37 hits while striking out 102 and walking 31, holding opponents to a remarkable .159 batting average.
At this point in the season, Hunter has emerged as the frontrunner for the Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award. Like Aloy, he was also promoted to Chesapeake on Sunday.
Low-A Delmarva: DJ Layton – INF / Christian Rodriguez – RHP
DJ Layton continued his impressive season by slashing .286/.400/.476 with an .876 OPS this past week.
The Baltimore Battery’s No. 19 prospect tied for the team-lead with six hits while adding two doubles, one triple, five RBIs and two stolen bases in as many attempts.
Layton has quietly been one of Delmarva’s most productive players this season. He owns a .254 batting average and a .788 OPS while ranking second on the club with 72 hits. He also leads the Shorebirds with 16 doubles, 38 RBIs, 30 stolen bases and 62 walks, while adding four triples and five home runs.
His stock continues to rise with every passing week.
Christian Rodriguez turned in another excellent performance for the Shorebirds, tossing five scoreless innings in his lone outing.
He allowed three hits, walked two and struck out five. That performance was good enough to earn the 24-year-old a promotion to High-A Frederick.
The right-hander has been a steady presence in his first season with the Orioles organization. Through 94.2 innings, Rodriguez owns a 2.57 ERA and a 6-4 record.
While he has allowed 91 hits, he has limited damage by walking just 28 batters while striking out 100.
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