BALTIMORE -- One of the Orioles' highly touted pitching prospects is set to make his Major League debut. The club has promoted right-hander Kyle Bradish to start Friday’s series opener against the Red Sox at Camden Yards, marking the first of several O's prospects expected to debut in 2022.
Right-hander Mike Baumann -- another top O's prospect -- was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk as the corresponding move, after he pitched in Thursday’s 10-5 loss to the Yankees in New York.
The club’s No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline, Bradish was the key return piece the Orioles acquired in their four-player trade with the Angels for Dylan Bundy in 2019. The 25-year-old reached Triple-A Norfolk last season and enjoyed an excellent start at the level this year, pitching to a 1.20 ERA in three starts.
Bradish will plug the hole John Means’ injury left in the Orioles’ rotation, after the ace lefty underwent Tommy John surgery this week. The O's initially pegged right-hander Chris Ellis for that slot, but they found themselves short on arms when right shoulder soreness sent Ellis to the injured list early this week. Right-hander Dean Kremer is also sidelined for Baltimore, whose rotation currently consists of veteran righty Jordan Lyles, reliever-turned-starter Tyler Wells, breakout lefty Bruce Zimmerman and swingman Spenser Watkins.
Bradish was one of several top Orioles pitching prospects excelling at Norfolk, alongside Grayson Rodriguez (No. 2) and Kevin Smith (No. 18). Rodriguez, the sport’s top pitching prospect, was never a candidate to replace Means. The Orioles want to give the 22-year-old more than four starts of seasoning in Triple-A, where he has posted a 2.45 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings. But he could reach the big leagues before season’s end.