NORFOLK, Va. — Inside the Tides’ clubhouse, a tall, lanky Californian is regarded as the “funny guy” of the locker room. Dylan Beavers has seen the Orioles’ other recent high draft picks — Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad and Coby Mayo — graduate to the big leagues. But Beavers, the 33rd pick in the 2022 MLB draft, remains in the minors.
Even now, his roommate, Samuel Basallo, is garnering more hype amongst fans and prospect rankings. But no Orioles minor leaguer is hitting better than the 23-year-old outfielder this season.
The Orioles’ No. 5 prospect, according to Baseball America, is building his case to be the next high draft pick promoted to Baltimore. He’s crushed Triple-A pitching this season, slashing .324/.403/.618 with a 1.020 OPS in June.
“Definitely a little nervous [about being promoted to Baltimore], but more excitement than anything, I’m really looking forward to getting out there at some point,” Beavers said. “That’s always been my dream.”
Those in the Tides’ clubhouse marvel at his professional at-bats, as the leadoff hitter consistently works long counts and makes strong contact. None of Beaver’s traits stand out as exceptional, but none are weaknesses, either.
“He’s a pure hitter. He always just finds a way to have a good at bat,” Norfolk infielder Jeremiah Jackson said. “Even his outs are good outs. You don’t really see very many bad outs from him. He usually gets his ‘A’ swing off, and he is a very talented player.”
Last season, Beavers was a fine prospect, but wasn’t overly impressive in his stops at Double-A or Triple-A. He batted .242 with a mediocre .750 OPS. Beavers said he did not make any drastic changes this offseason, but instead focused on hitting fastballs.
The change has worked. Beavers is crushing heaters this season and is hitting for more power than at almost any point in his career.
“I’d say last year was the biggest adjustment for me,” Beavers said. “Just consistently seeing good arms, trying to be consistent myself.”
MLB.com projects Beavers to arrive in Baltimore this year, and if outfielder Cedric Mullins is dealt at the trade deadline, the outfielder could be a natural replacement. He’s batting .270 over his previous 10 games and hit a grand slam last Saturday against Gwinnett.
“He’s learned himself a little bit,” Norfolk manager Tim Federowicz said. “He’s established himself as a good leadoff hitter.”
Beavers said he doesn’t have many off-field interests. The outfielder plays some video games; he opts for NBA 2K, MLB The Show and Fortnite, while Basallo plays Call of Duty. Beavers wishes MLB The Show would boost his speed, and he dislikes using himself because of his low rating.
“It’s really bad,” Beavers said.
Beavers is sandwiched around several elite draft picks by Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. If the former top pick can become a contributor at the big league level, it will be another anointment of Baltimore’s talent development.
(Editor’s note: Each week, The Baltimore Sun will break down three of the top performers in the Orioles’ prospect ranks and hand out superlatives for those who didn’t make the cut.)
Cameron Weston, shown pitching for Aberdeen in 2023, has seen inconsistent results at the Triple-A level. His June starts were either fantastic or subpar. (Brian Krista/Staff file)
1. Triple-A Norfolk right-hander Cameron Weston
Weston’s week featured a pair of dramatically different outings for the right-hander. The Orioles’ No. 17 prospect pitched six innings of one-run ball last Tuesday against Gwinnett, striking out seven. He followed his strongest start of the season with one of his worst, allowing five runs against Gwinnett just five days later. That’s been the story of Weston’s June: he allowed just three earned runs in three starts and 11 runs in his other two.
2. Double-A Chesapeake right-hander Trey Gibson
The 6-foot-5 right-hander had a dominant June, finishing the month with a 2.84 ERA and 38 strikeouts. The power pitcher has a high-90s fastball and a plus-sweeper. He will have to develop his repertoire against righties, who are hitting .333 against him, while lefties are just batting .120.
3. High-A Aberdeen second baseman Aron Estrada
One of the smallest players in Baltimore’s farm system continues to produce in Aberdeen. Estrada recorded a hit in four of his past five games, raising his season slash line to .279/.360/.415. He’s also stolen 26 bases and is a strong defender.
Top prospect not featured so far
Basallo continues to rake in Norfolk, with a promotion to Baltimore appearing increasingly imminent. The catcher launched another towering home run Sunday, a 444-foot shot with an exit velocity of 113.4 mph. He’s hit seven home runs in June and 16 on the season, which is three fewer than he had all of last season.
International acquisition of the week
The Orioles signed Luis De León in 2021 out of the Dominican Republic. Since then, he’s emerged as one of the top left-handers in the organization. De León has a 3.52 ERA in Aberdeen since being promoted and has not allowed more than three runs in a start this season. Command can be an issue, as he had four walks in a recent start, but the lefty projects as a quality middle of the rotation arm.
Time to give a shoutout to …
For the second straight week, Jeremiah Jackson continues to post incredible numbers. The former Angels draft pick hit .360 over the past week, with a 1.065 OPS and two home runs. He’s a versatile defender, playing all over the diamond, and has a chance to be called up in Baltimore this season.
“I’ve been in pro ball since 2018,” Jackson said. “ I’ve had some good numbers, some good years. This obviously has been my best so far. I’m just hoping to keep it going, and if that ends up with a call-up, that’d be awesome, obviously.”
Short-season snippets
Elvin Garcia made an immediate impact after Baltimore signed him in its 2024 international class, and the shortstop has done nothing but produce since then. He’s heated up in recent weeks, batting .258 over his past 10 games. The Dominican Republic native is raw and needs time to develop, but the tools are projectable, and he continues to rise through the Orioles system.
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