Inside The Orioles

Who is the Orioles' best prospect heading to Arizona Fall League this season?

The Baltimore Orioles are sending one of their top prospects to the Arizona Fall League this year.
Kenneth Teape|
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Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles did a wonderful job ahead of the trade deadline this year, improving the depth and talent in their farm system.

In what turned into a lost season, it made a lot of sense to move as many veterans as possible to restock the minor leagues. It wasn’t too long ago that the Orioles had the best farm system in baseball. Alas, with numerous graduations and some prospects flaming out, they have steadily dropped in the rankings.

That could very well change once the next batch of rankings is released. There is a lot of talent in the Orioles' farm system, with outfielder Dylan Beavers and catcher Samuel Basallo showcasing their talent with the major league team the last few weeks. Outfielder Nate George has also drawn a lot of attention for how well he played this year, being named their Minor League Player of the Year.

Enrique Bradfield Jr. is best Orioles prospect playing in Arizona Fall League

Enrique Bradfield Jr
Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

But there is another player fans will get a chance to see playing in more games in a few weeks. Enrique Bradfield Jr. is taking his talents to the Arizona Fall League this year, where he will be the top Orioles prospect participating, according to Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Sam Dykstra of MLB.com.

Read More: Orioles plan on sending top prospect to Arizona Fall League

The best asset Bradfield brings to the table is his speed. The 23-year-old showcased it regularly last year, when he stole 74 bases and was caught only 13 times in his first full season of professional baseball. Given his dynamic athleticism, there was plenty of excitement surrounding Bradfield heading into 2025, with some thinking there was a chance to make his major league debut as a weapon off the bench and on the bases.

Unfortunately, that never came to fruition. Just like so many of Baltimore’s major league players, injuries derailed Bradfield’s campaign; he played in only 76 games, battling hamstring injuries on multiple occasions.

Getting as many live game reps as possible is as big a reason as any that he is participating in the AFL. It makes sense for the young outfielder to make up for lost time to the hamstring injuries and try to end 2025 on a high note.

When he got healthy down the stretch, Bradfield got right back to swiping bases. In August and September, he went an impressive 20-for-22 on steal attempts. Expect more of the same during his time in Arizona whenever he can get on base.

After struggling in his first taste of Triple-A, getting more reps in the AFL will better prepare him for that level of competition in 2026.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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