Irish, Dzierwa headed to Futures Game; latest on Mejia, Gongora, Draft

BALTIMORE -- July is an exciting month on the Minor League Baseball calendar.

Top prospects are putting themselves in position for potential promotions. The 2026 MLB Draft is quickly approaching (July 11 and 12). And the All-Star Futures Game is right around the corner as well (July 12).

With that in mind, here’s some recent news and notes from around the Orioles’ farm system.

Pair of 2025 Draft picks picked for Futures Game
Both of Baltimore’s representatives in this year’s Futures Game were members of the organization’s 2025 Draft class. And they’re each off to strong starts to their pro careers.

Outfielder/first baseman Ike Irish (the O’s No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 84 overall) and left-hander Joseph Dzierwa (O’s No. 12) will be participating in the prospect showcase at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Irish was the Orioles’ first-round Draft pick last year (No. 19 overall), while Dzierwa was selected in the second round (No. 58).

Through 64 games for High-A Frederick, Irish is hitting .265 with 14 doubles, one triple, 10 homers, 43 RBIs and an .846 OPS. The 22-year-old Auburn product was drafted as a catcher, but he’s no longer playing behind the plate, instead splitting his time between the corner outfield (33 starts) and first base (19).

Dzierwa has been a breakout star in Baltimore’s system. The 22-year-old southpaw began the season in High-A, where he recorded a 2.21 ERA in eight starts. The Michigan State product then got promoted to Double-A Chesapeake and has since posted a 2.78 ERA in seven games (five starts) for the Baysox.

Mejia moved to development list
Esteban Mejia (O’s No. 6) is a hard-throwing right-hander who rapidly ascended prospect rankings in 2025. But the 19-year-old Dominican righty has had a difficult ‘26, recording an 8.08 ERA in 15 starts for Single-A Delmarva with 47 strikeouts and 57 walks in 42 1/3 innings.

On Tuesday, Mejia was moved to the development list. That means he’ll remain with the Shorebirds, but he won’t be pitching in games, instead working on a specialized throwing program as he tries to get back on track.

Mejia’s 70-grade fastball can hit 100-plus mph, which is a big reason why he got noticed upon making his stateside debut last year. But until he can show better control and cut down walks, it will be difficult for him to produce positive results.

Unranked prospect to watch: LHP Sebastian Gongora
There are quite a few pitchers impressing throughout the Orioles’ system at the moment, and Gongora is near the top of the list. The 24-year-old southpaw threw five scoreless innings and didn’t give up a hit during his most recent Double-A start vs. Harrisburg this past Saturday.

It was the second straight start in which Gongora tossed five scoreless frames, as he also did so on June 21 vs. Richmond. The 2024 11th-round Draft pick has a 3.19 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) this season, his first taste of pitching at the Double-A level.

“I feel like it’s been going pretty good so far. I’m just trying to have fun,” Gongora said earlier this season. “I think that’s the biggest thing. I’ve tried really hard to be devoted to the process and not the outcome. But yeah, I feel good. Stuff’s in a good spot, body’s in a good spot, so just trying to take it day by day.”

Who could O’s take at No. 7 in Draft?
The beginning of the 2026 MLB Draft is only nine days away, and Baltimore is set to have its highest pick since taking Jackson Holliday at No. 1 overall in 2022.

So, who will the Orioles take? The most recent mock from MLB Pipeline projected them to select Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress, with Jonathan Mayo writing the following:

“The Orioles like their bats and tend to like the college ones when picking in the first round. Burress, unlike some of the other ones that they've drafted, does not have holes in his swing. Maybe he's not as explosive, but I think there's a better certainty that he's going to hit."

Baltimore has used its first-round pick on a position player in each of the previous seven Drafts since Mike Elias took over the club’s baseball operations department in November 2018. Six of those players came from the college ranks, with Holliday being the only exception.