Orioles Prospects Take Center Stage One Week After Being Acquired

Which Baltimore Orioles prospect has stood out the most since being picked up in the trade deadline?

Jun 22, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; LSU Tigers starting pitcher Anthony Eyanson (24) meets with the press after the game against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Major League Baseball’s trade deadline occurred on Aug. 3 and the Baltimore Orioles acquired four prospects that each entered the team’s top-10 list. 

The Orioles acquired prospects Kyson Witherspoon, Anthony Eyanson and outfielder Enddy Azocar from the Boston Red Sox when they dealt catcher Adley Rutschman. Right-handed pitcher Eyanson became Baltimore’s top prospect, while fellow righty starter Witherspoon (no. 7) and outfielder Azocar (no. 8) joined him. Baltimore additionally re-acquired Michael Forret (no. 6) from the Tampa Bay Rays for reliever Tyler Wells. 

Eyanson (Double-A Chesapeake) made his Orioles system debut last Saturday against the Harrisburg Senators, pitching five innings, allowing two runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk on nine strikeouts. He also earned the win. Eyanson, who is 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds, has had a strong 2026 campaign between High-A and Double-A with a 5-0 record, 1.47 earned run averages and 103 strikeouts in 73.1 innings and is listed as the No. 49 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. 

The former LSU pitcher joins Frederick Keys outfielder Nate George (no. 55) and outfielder/first baseman Ike Irish (no. 77) and left-handed starting pitcher Joseph Dzierwa (no. 96) as top-100 prospects.

Witherspoon (High-A Frederick) additionally made his organizational debut on Saturday. He pitched 4.1 innings, allowing one run on five hits and five walks on three strikeouts. Witherspoon, a 6-foot-2, 206-pound starter, has 3-5 with a 4.52 ERA through 79.2 innings pitched with 124 strikeouts.

Forret (Triple-A) pitched 4.2 innings, allowing two runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts against the Buffalo Bisons. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Forret was drafted by the Orioles in 14th round of the 2023 MLB Draft and was traded to Tampa prior to the season for Baltimore to acquire starting pitcher Shane Baz. Forret has been solid with a 7-2 record, 3.32 ERA and 107 strikeouts through 97.2 innings in 2026. 

While it’s been a small sample size for the pitchers, Baltimore’s outfield prospect has immediately made his presence felt in High-A ball through six games.

Azocar (High-A Frederick) has had four multi-hit games in six starts for the Keys. He debuted with a 3-for-6 night with three runs batted in on Aug. 4. He followed up the next day by going 2-for-5 and two runs scored. Azocar went 1-for-4 on Aug. 6 and hitless on Aug. 8, but had his best night on Aug. 9 with a 3-for-5 game with a home run, a double, a walk and three runs scored. He went 0-for-4 on Aug. 11. He’s gone 10-for-24 with four doubles, a triple, a home run, eight RBI, two walks with three strikeouts and a slash line of .417/.444/.792 during that span.

The 19-year-old Azocar, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 168 pounds, has played in both Low-A and High-A this season. He’s slashed .294/.347/.555 with a .902 on-base plus slugging percentage, hit 19 home runs, drove in 71 runs, has stolen 11 bases and has walked 30 times in 426 plate appearances.

While Baltimore’s present isn’t in the best of shape – standing 2.5 games outside of the final American League Wild Card spot and a 58-62 record, their future could be one of prominence if their prospects pan out. 

That’s a big if, especially considering the player that the team acquired to net three of the four prospects that they picked up, was supposed to be the team’s headliner in Rutschman.

Jackson Holliday, the no. 1 overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft, has dealt with a wrist injury at the beginning of the season and has a .737 OPS. Gunnar Henderson, a 2019 first-round selection, has a .688 OPS. His classmate, Jordan Westburg, has been sidelined for the entire season after receiving Tommy John surgery to repair his ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow. Colton Cowser, a 2021 first-round pick, has a .655 OPS.

Henderson did show signs of life against the Minnesota Twins in Tuesday’s 5-2 victory. He had three hits, two runs batted in and two runs in five at-bats. Maybe, just maybe, could this be the beginning of a turnaround for Baltimore – for the past and present.