The final full month of Minor League Baseball has come to an end, and it was a crazy month, to say the least.
We saw rehab assignments, new faces make their debuts, familiar faces leave and then play against us and so much more.
Now, it is time to highlight the Orioles Prospects of the Month for August.
Triple-A Norfolk: Heston Kjerstad – OF
While he is not considered a prospect in the eyes of Major League Baseball any longer, Heston Kjerstad undeniably had the best performance with the Norfolk Tides in August.
Kjerstad slashed .311/.400/.527 with a team-high .927 OPS for the month. He also led the team with 23 hits, five doubles, a triple, three home runs and 11 RBIs.
Kjerstad might have only played 81 games this season, but it has been his best minor-league season since his shortened 2024 campaign. He is hitting .287/.334/.456 with a .790 OPS, collecting 88 hits, 17 doubles, one triple and 11 home runs while driving in 44 runs.
Kjerstad could make his season debut with the Orioles as a September call-up. If his bat stays hot, watch out.
Double-A Chesapeake: Anthony Eyanson – RHP
The Baysox pitching staff has been stellar recently, with names like Caden Hunter, Joseph Dzierwa, Sebastian Gongora and August’s Player of the Month, Anthony Eyanson.
Eyanson made four starts in August and posted a 2.14 ERA over 21 innings. He allowed 16 hits and five earned runs, walked eight and struck out 32.
Including his time in Boston’s farm system, Eyanson owns a 1.51 ERA across 20 games, including 19 starts. His 2.14 ERA with the Baysox is technically his highest with any team this season, which is still an incredible mark over four starts.
The Battery’s No. 3 prospect also has 126 strikeouts on the season while opposing hitters are batting just .166 against him. He is looking like a future ace, and the Orioles are building a beautiful pitching staff for the future.
High-A Frederick: Enddy Azocar – OF
Speaking of former Boston prospects, Enddy Azocar decided to be an offensive beast in his first month as an Orioles prospect.
Azocar did not just lead the team in hits. He led the entire South Atlantic League with 35. This is the second consecutive month an Orioles prospect has accomplished the feat, with Wehiwa Aloy collecting 30 hits in July.
The Battery’s fifth-ranked prospect also slashed .365/.404/.656 with a 1.060 OPS, posting nine doubles, two triples, five home runs and 23 RBIs during the month. Taking away the two games Azocar played in the Boston system in August, he is still hitting .353 with a .986 OPS in his first 21 games with the Keys.
Azocar has shattered career-highs throughout the year in hits (135), doubles (34), triples (8), home runs (21) and RBIs (82), just to name a few. He also has a career-high .299 batting average and .901 OPS this season.
Low-A Delmarva: Stiven Martinez – OF
The power in Delmarva’s lineup has been highlighted by Stiven Martinez, and he showed exactly why during August.
In 25 games, Martinez led the team with five home runs, which also ranked second in the Carolina League. He slashed .280/.410/.500 for a .910 OPS while leading the team with 23 hits, collecting one double, one triple and 19 RBIs.
Martinez showed fantastic plate discipline by drawing 16 walks while also displaying his speed with six stolen bases.
Martinez is another player blowing career-highs out of the water, as he already has career-bests in hits (83), home runs (13), RBIs (52) and stolen bases (14).
Martinez is also putting together a strong comeback season after a rough 2025 campaign, as his OPS has increased to .698 after posting a .635 mark last season.
Overall Prospect: Boston Bateman – LHP
After an injury scare on July 17 and a short start on July 26, things did not look good for Boston Bateman. Thankfully, Bateman avoided the IL and wasted no time showing that he is healthy.
Bateman, The Battery’s No. 16 prospect, made five starts in August and did not allow a single run. He pitched 15 scoreless innings, allowing nine hits and eight walks while striking out 25.
After some small concerns in Aberdeen last year, when he posted a 5.56 ERA across three starts, Bateman has looked solid this season with the Keys.
In 23 games, including 20 starts, Bateman has posted a 3.46 ERA over 83.1 innings. He has allowed 67 hits, 32 earned runs and 45 walks while striking out 114 batters, which is tied for third in the South Atlantic League this season.
Bateman likely has one more start left in the regular season, and it would not be surprising if he received the ball in Game 1 of the SAL playoffs, especially with Kyson Witherspoon sidelined for the rest of the season.
What are your thoughts on our Prospects of the Month for August? 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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