While the Baltimore Orioles are busy winning games with walk-off home runs, their top prospects are blowing Triple-A teams out of the water.
In their April 3 game against the Charlotte Knights, Triple-A affiliate for the Chicago White Sox, the Norfolk Tides put up 26 runs behind performances from a handful of Baltimore’s top prospects.
That’s a franchise record for the Tides, and the most runs scored by a minor league team since the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts scored 29 in July of 2023 per Ben Weinrib of MiLB.com.
Other franchise records set include hits (29), home runs (eight), and career home runs for an Orioles affiliate.
The last one goes to Kyle Stowers, who hit three home runs, bringing his career total to 43.
It was a dominant performance, and each of Baltimore’s three top-35 prospects showed they’re ready for the majors.
Kjerstad, Holliday, Mayo Show Out
This won’t surprise Orioles fans, but the MLB’s top farm system looks the part through and through. Norfolk’s box score alone caught the attention of the MiLB Twitter account.
New score unlocked! 🤯
The 26-11 final between the Tides and the Knights has never happened before in AL/NL history: t.co/nZpIMTKMrv
Heston Kjerstad, ranked the 31st prospect in the league, finished the game with 10 RBIs.
Literally can’t keep up with the highlights.
@hestonkjerstad crushes his second home run of the game, a grand slam to put the Tides up 25-11. His 10 RBI sets the franchise record!
The 25 runs also sets a team single game record!
It’s the most RBIs for an affiliate player in franchise history. Kjerstad, who played 13 games with Baltimore last season, faces a long shot at rejoining the team anytime soon.
He split his reps between left and right field with the team at the end of 2023. Those positions are topped off with depth for the Orioles, with all of Anthony Santander, Austin Hays, and Colton Cowser getting reps.
Baltimore’s 29th-ranked prospect, Coby Mayo, had five hits in the blowout win.
The Tides knock in their 20th run of the game on @cobymayox‘s fourth hit of the night!
M7 | Norfolk 20, Charlotte 8
Mayo, regarded as the home run favorite for all Orioles’ rookies, has 10 hits through five games. He’s batting .385.
And then there’s Jackson Holliday, both Baltimore and the MLB’s top prospect. He finished the night batting .400 in six at-bats. Holliday recorded four hits and two RBIs.
.@J_Holliday7‘s RBI double was the 25th hit of the game for Norfolk, setting the team franchise record!
The most anticipated prospect in all of baseball, Holliday is expected to get a call-up at some point this season.
A column from the Baltimore Sun broke down five timelines for his inevitable MLB debut.
Holliday Could Join O’s in April
Jacob Calvin Meyer cited April 13 as the first, likely date for Holliday’s MLB call-up in his April 2 column.
Baltimore could hang onto the 20-year-old for an extra season if they keep him in the minors for two weeks or more, thanks to the MLB’s service time policy.
“That date this season is April 13, meaning if the Orioles bring up Holliday on or after that date, they would likely get him for a seventh season — the 2030 campaign — before he hits free agency,” Meyer added. “The only way Holliday can combat this is by finishing in the top two of American League Rookie of the Year voting, gaining a full year of service for 2024, as Rutschman did in 2022.”
Baltimore has been very calculated in managing their young talent. So this clause being a consideration shouldn’t surprise fans.
But after missing the Opening Day roster, Holliday joining the team just weeks into the season could certainly wash the water under the bridge with Orioles fans.
Until then, fans will have to settle for larger-than-life highlights and nights from him and the entire Triple-A roster.
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