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 -- During his first Spring Training as a professional baseball player, Vance Honeycutt tried to keep a simple approach. The Orioles¡¯ No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, soaked in his surroundings -- especially when he was brought over to big league camp to serve as an extra player for Grapefruit League games -- and aimed for all-around improvement.
¡°Trying to just stay really focused in the game,¡± the 21-year-old Honeycutt said in March. ¡°I¡¯m just really trying to be selective and just have fun, work hard and just try to get better.¡±
Honeycutt, a first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, has kept the fun going since beginning the ¡®25 season with a return to High-A Aberdeen.
On Sunday, Honeycutt collected his first professional home run, swatting a sixth-inning solo shot in Aberdeen¡¯s 11-7 win at Jersey Shore. He went 2-for-3 and reached base four times, improving his slash line to .310/.487/.517 through nine games.
It has been a much better showing than Honeycutt¡¯s first stint at High-A last year, when he went 2-for-20 (.100) over 20 plate appearances for the IronBirds.
Aberdeen¡¯s latest victory also featured a grand slam by Ethan Anderson (Baltimore¡¯s No. 18 prospect), a second-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. It was the first High-A home run for the 21-year-old, who is slashing .375/.474/.563 through eight games.
Honeycutt, Anderson and infielder Griff O¡¯Ferrall -- the O¡¯s No. 7 prospect who was the No. 32 overall pick in the 2024 Draft -- are likely to get extended runs at High-A Aberdeen after short stints at the level late last season. They could all be candidates to be promoted to Double-A Chesapeake later this summer.
Here¡¯s a roundup of other top prospects off to strong starts in 2025.
Triple-A Norfolk
Coby Mayo (O¡¯s No. 2, MLB Pipeline¡¯s No. 13 overall) had a huge weekend, reaching base in all eight of his plate appearances across Saturday and Sunday. The 23-year-old corner infielder went deep both days, his second and third home runs of the season.
After a bit of a slow start, Mayo is hitting .360 (9-for-25) over his past seven games.
Jud Fabian (O¡¯s No. 24) has slugged five home runs over his first 14 games. The 24-year-old outfielder has an .827 OPS despite hitting only .216.
Double-A Chesapeake
Patrick Reilly (O¡¯s No. 10) has a 2.08 ERA in 8 2/3 innings over his first two starts. The 23-year-old right-hander has allowed one run in 4 1/3 innings in each of those outings.
Alex Pham (O¡¯s No. 29) recorded nine strikeouts while tossing 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball vs. Erie last Thursday. The 25-year-old right-hander has a 2.89 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings over two starts.
High-A Aberdeen
Aron Estrada (O¡¯s No. 16) is hitting .353 (12-for-34) with one double, one triple and one RBI through nine games. The 20-year-old infielder played 26 games at High-A last year and could be an early candidate for a promotion to Double-A.
Michael Forret (O¡¯s No. 8) and Braxton Bragg (2023 eighth-round Draft pick) each has a 0.00 ERA after two starts. Forret has racked up 10 strikeouts over 9 2/3 innings, while Bragg has 11 in 9 1/3 frames.
Single-A Delmarva
Chase Allsup (2024 fourth-round Draft pick) was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week after collecting 10 strikeouts and giving up only one hit over five scoreless innings against Fayetteville last Thursday. The 21-year-old right-hander has a 1.93 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings over his first two professional outings.