BALTIMORE -- Another Orioles pitching prospect is on the cusp of making his MLB debut.
Baltimore recalled right-hander Cameron Weston from Triple-A Norfolk ahead of Thursday night's series opener vs. Toronto at Camden Yards, adding the 25-year-old to the bullpen. Righty Trey Gibson (the O's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline) was optioned to Triple-A after tossing 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball and earning his first big league win in Tuesday's 11-2 victory over the Rays.
Last year, Weston had a solid season for Norfolk, recording a 4.59 ERA over 29 games (26 starts). This season, the results haven't been quite as great for the 2022 eighth-round Draft pick -- a 6.26 ERA in 11 games (seven starts) -- but his strikeout rate is up, as he's fanned 40 batters over 27 1/3 innings.
Weston (who was the Orioles' No. 17 prospect entering the 2025 season) has a deep arsenal of pitches. His two primary offerings are a sinker and a sweeper, but he also has thrown a slider, a splitter and a changeup at Triple-A in 2026.
O's manager Craig Albernaz became familiar with Weston in Spring Training, as the righty was a non-roster invitee to big league camp. Weston threw five scoreless innings over two Grapefruit League outings this spring, giving up only two hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.
"I enjoyed watching him pitch," Albernaz said. "Kind of a funky look from the right, a little lower slot. He can spin it really well. The track record, not this year but previously, was a little erratic, not in the strike zone. But the strike quality has been better, and he's been tough on righties, just because of his arm slot. ... I'm just pumped that he's here and excited for him."
If Weston gets into a game, he will become the second pitcher drafted by Baltimore since Mike Elias took over the baseball operations department in November 2018 to make it to the big leagues for the club, joining right-hander Kade Strowd last year. (Brandon Young and Gibson were prospects developed by the O's, but they both signed as undrafted free agents.)
The Orioles (who are 5-1 so far on their season-long 10-game homestand) needed a fresh arm ahead of their four-game set vs. the American League East rival Blue Jays, and Weston is capable of providing length.
Gibson is returning to Norfolk looking to build upon the first taste of the big leagues he got this month. The 24-year-old right-hander had a 3.65 ERA in three games (two starts) for the O's in May, giving the organization reason to be encouraged that he could become an integral part of the club's pitching staff down the line.
"Gibby gets it, and he handled [getting optioned] like a pro," Albernaz said. "He understands this is part of it, and we have a great plan in place for him. He's very diligent with his work. So we know when he goes down to Norfolk, it's not out of sight, out of mind. He's going to get his work in, and he'll be ready for the next time his name is called."