3 O's prospects who could make their MLB debuts in '26

This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles’ top two prospects made their MLB debuts this past summer, on consecutive days no less. Outfielder Dylan Beavers (No. 2, MLB Pipeline’s No. 83 overall) arrived in the big leagues on Aug. 16, then catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo (No. 1, No. 7 overall) played his first game on Aug. 17.

Both Basallo and Beavers should open the 2026 season in the Majors, with each expected to serve in sizable roles next year in Baltimore. However, they could soon be joined by more O’s prospects, with several more on the brink of the big leagues.

Here are three near-MLB-ready prospects to keep an eye on in 2026.

OF Enrique Bradfield Jr. (O’s No. 4)
The Orioles’ 2023 first-round Draft pick had two stints on the injured list this past season due to hamstring injuries. That delayed Bradfield’s promotion to Triple-A Norfolk, though the 23-year-old still reached the level in early September and played 15 games there.

Baltimore sent Bradfield to the Arizona Fall League to get the speedy center fielder extra at-bats, so he’s currently playing for the Peoria Javelinas in the desert alongside several other O’s prospects. It’s also a sign that Bradfield, who has 80-grade speed and 70-grade defense, is nearing his first call-up to the big leagues.

Bradfield has the potential to eventually fill the Orioles’ hole in center field, which was created when Cedric Mullins was dealt to the Mets ahead of the Trade Deadline on July 31. Although Bradfield is unlikely to reach the Majors until next summer, he’ll be ready to battle during his second appearance in big league camp this upcoming spring.

“I have high expectations to be able to at least go in there and compete,” Bradfield said. “Whether I make the roster out of spring, whether I start in Triple-A, it does no different for me. I’m just going to show up every day, work, learn as much as I can and continue to do what I’ve been doing.”

RHP Trey Gibson (O’s No. 12)
Gibson climbed three levels of Baltimore’s farm system in 2025, a performance that earned him the organization’s Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award. The 23-year-old went from High-A Aberdeen to Triple-A Norfolk, with his best results coming at Double-A Chesapeake, where he posted a 1.55 ERA in 10 starts.

“I’m really confident in my abilities as a pitcher,” Gibson said. “I’m just going out there every time trying to do the best I can do. I’m glad the Orioles took notice of that.”

After getting to Triple-A, Gibson saw how much tougher the top level of the Minors can be, as he recorded a 7.98 ERA in seven starts. So it’s clear he’ll need a bit more time there before becoming an option for the big leagues sometime in 2026.

But Gibson has learned a lot over the past year, and he has an impressive five-pitch mix featuring a fastball (55 grade), slider (55), curveball (50), cutter (50) and changeup (40). So he should fare better with more Triple-A experience and begin knocking on the big league door.

RHP Nestor German (O’s No. 14)
Like Gibson, German climbed three levels this past season and finished the year at Triple-A, where he had a 7.04 ERA over two starts. The 23-year-old thrived during his time in Double-A, recording a 3.76 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) for Chesapeake.

An 11th-round pick in the 2023 Draft, German’s 55-grade curveball is his best offering in a four-pitch mix also featuring a fastball (50), slider (50) and splitter (45). The right-hander has long had swing-and-miss stuff, which he used to rack up 96 strikeouts in 91 Double-A innings.

It feels like Gibson may be a step ahead of German at this point, considering the former has logged more Triple-A innings. But both of these righties could reach the big leagues in 2026, especially if the Orioles need to tap into their pitching depth at any point during the season.