Orioles plan on sending top prospect to Arizona Fall League

Eight Orioles prospects, including 2023 first-rounder Enrique Bradfield Jr., are set to play in the Arizona Fall League.

Vanderbilt s Enrique Bradfield Jr. (51) celebrates after hitting a double to right field against Eastern Illinois in the third inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament regional game Friday, June 2, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. | Mark Zaleski/ The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Though the Baltimore Orioles and all of their full-season affiliates sit below .500 with only a few weeks left, prospect watchers still have baseball to follow through mid-November.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Arizona Fall League announced which players from each MLB team will be joining AFL rosters this year. Eight Orioles prospects were assigned to the Peoria Javelinas, including outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. (No. 4) and left-handed pitcher Luis De León (No. 21).

2025 Arizona Fall League rosters were announced today.

Here are the #Orioles prospects going:

OF Enrique Bradfield Jr. (O’s No. 4 per @MLBPipeline)
LHP Luis De Léon (O’s No. 21)
LHP Carson Dorsey
LHP Andy Fabian
RHP Zach Fruit
RHP Tanner Smith
C Ethan Anderson
OF Thomas Sosa

— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) September 10, 2025

Bradfield, 23, was drafted 17th overall and signed for a full-slot bonus of $4.17 million in 2023. The lefty-hitting outfielder established himself as one of the best defenders and most dynamic leadoff hitters in college baseball over his three seasons at Vanderbilt. He posted a .425 on-base percentage and stole a program-record 130 bases at a 91% success rate.

During his first full professional season, Bradfield hit .272/.358/.371 (.729 OPS) with four home runs and 35 RBIs, showcasing his 80-grade speed with 74 stolen bases over 108 games split between High-A and Double-A. He also earned a minor league Gold Glove award.

The 2025 season has not fully gone his way, however. Bradfield has hit a combined .252/.363/.357 (.720 OPS) with two home runs, 15 RBIs, and 34 stolen bases in 68 games — a year impacted by injuries.

Here’s our play of the week presented by Checkered Flag Auto!

Outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr., made an incredible diving play in Sunday’s game vs. Nashville! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/rJhsL5wwsm

— Norfolk Tides (@NorfolkTides) September 9, 2025

On April 11, Bradfield was placed on the seven-day injured list by Double-A Chesapeake due to a hamstring strain. He was sidelined for a month before beginning a rehab assignment and then re-aggravated the same hamstring during the All-Star Futures Game in July.

Bradfield is currently finishing the regular season with Triple-A Norfolk. The highly ranked prospect is 6-for-30 (.200) with the Tides since being promoted on Sept. 2. He will likely face lesser competition in the AFL but will get much-needed reps to make up for lost time.

Read More: Orioles determine next course of action for star outfielder

De León, 22, is in a similar spot, having missed the first month of the season. The 6-foot-3 southpaw has posted a 3.28 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 10.8 K/9 rate over 19 outings (17 starts) in 2025. He recently earned a promotion to Double-A and will look to build up his innings this fall with an eye on joining the big league staff in the next couple of seasons.

The 2025 AFL season begins on Oct. 6 and ends on Nov. 15, giving both upper-level prospects a decent sample size to showcase their development. Baltimore has lacked a true center fielder since trading Cedric Mullins to the New York Mets at the deadline, and with Bradfield just one step away from the big leagues, his performance will be especially worth monitoring.