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Two Prospects the Orioles Should Add to Their Roster in September

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With the season quickly coming to a close, the Baltimore Orioles’ chances of going to the postseason have evaporated. The team ranks in the bottom half of the league in batting average, OBP, and runs scored. The team’s pitching has fared worse, with the fourth-worst ERA, third-worst opposing batting average, and fourth-worst WHIP.

The last major date for the MLB regular season before the playoffs is September 1, when the roster expands to 28 players. While the event is inconsequential for the most part, it could be a good time to call up the two best players in the farm system to get some big-league reps. There are two players the Orioles could call up and finally give them some chances in the show this September.

Two Prospects the Orioles Should Promote in September

Samuel Basallo – Catcher

2025 Stats (Triple-A): 266 ABs; .274/.380/.978; 17 doubles; 23 HRs; 67 RBI; 43 BB to 76 K

Samuel Basallo not getting any starts on a big league level roster before this date is nothing short of a disgrace. After a down 2024 season, the 20-year-old catching prospect not only rebounded but also set career bests in home runs, slugging, and OPS. He is on track to set his best walk-to-strikeout ratio, and that’s in an injury-shortened season.

Orioles prospects Samuel Basallo (pictured) and Creed Willems are both flourishing in the minor leagues.
Shorebirds’ Samuel Basallo (21) swings in the game against the Cannon Ballers Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland. The Shorebirds defeated the Cannon Ballers 7-2.
Bbm Delmarva Shorebirds Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

When Basallo hits the ball, he hits it hard, ranking in the 95th percentile or above in almost all swing metrics. He has an excellent read on almost all pitches, holding an expected batting average over .250 on all types except for curveballs and splitters. His heatmap also shows an excellent contact rate across the entire zone, but he needs to work on his inside hitting.

The downside for him is that he has a bit of an issue with a heightened chase rate and whiff rate. While his strikeout rate is still a healthy 24%, it could increase when he gets to the big leagues. Using September as a way to work on adjusting to MLB would be excellent for his development.

Trey Gibson – Right-Handed Pitcher

2025 Stats (Three Levels): 20 games (19 starts); 96 innings pitched; 62 H and 32 BB (0.979 WHIP); 8 HRs; 141 K; .178 OBA

Trey Gibson‘s 2025 season was very weird, starting at Single-A with little recognition, to now being one of the team’s next MLB-ready pitching prospects. The 2025 scouting report on the 23-year-old found a five-pitch arsenal with a plus-graded fastball and slider with average control. He has a speedy fastball with decent offspeed pitches that have enough curve to miss bats, but too much spin to cause command issues.

Starting in High-A, Gibson had a 5.12 ERA with seven home runs over 38 2/3 innings. However, his deeper numbers suggested a lot of promise with a low walk rate and a strikeout rate of nearly 16 per nine. When he got to Double-A, he only surrendered one home run in 52 innings. His strikeout rate decreased, but so did his walk rate. Before he was promoted to Triple-A, Gibson held a .157 opposing batting average with a 0.898 WHIP.

The MLB roster might be the next stop for Gibson before the end of the season as his numbers continue to improve. It might be a far-fetched suggestion, given that he only has one start at Triple-A. However, given the Orioles’ pitching issues that heavily plagued the 2025 season, it could be wise to give this potential starter a taste of the big leagues from the bullpen this September.

 

Main Photo Credit: © Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

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