SAN FRANCISCO — When the Orioles drafted Enrique Bradfield Jr. in the first round of the 2023 draft, he was tabbed as being the ballclub’s future center fielder.
A little more than two years later, he’s only one call away.
The Orioles are promoting Bradfield, the club’s No. 4 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, to Triple-A Norfolk, a source with direct knowledge of the move confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Sunday night.
The 2025 season has been a frustrating one for Bradfield, who has missed time with two hamstring injuries. When he’s been on the field, though, he’s put up the best offensive performance of his professional career.
In 50 games for Double-A Chesapeake, the 23-year-old speedster hit .269 with an impressive .393 on-base percentage and a solid .779 OPS. Bradfield stole 26 bases and was caught only three times. He showed off his excellent bat-to-ball skills and batting eye, nearly walking as often (32) as he struck out (37).
The promotion, which was first reported by MASNSports.com, puts Bradfield in position to earn his way to Baltimore next season.
Center field remains an unanswered question for the Orioles are they traded Cedric Mullins to the New York Mets at the deadline. Colton Cowser has taken over as the club’s everyday center fielder and largely played well, but he’s a much better left fielder and that spot could help him avoid the injured list after an injury-filled season.
Bradfield’s defense and base running have long been expected to carry him through the minor leagues, but Triple-A will be the most difficult test yet for the lefty contact hitter. Earning a spot on Baltimore’s 2026 opening day roster is a long shot, but if Bradfield impresses next spring and gets off to a hot start for the Tides, a midseason promotion to the big leagues is possible.
The Orioles, the source confirmed, are also set to promote outfielder Reed Trimble to Triple-A; infielder Griff O’Ferrall and outfielder Thomas Sosa to Double-A; and outfielder Jordan Sanchez to Low-A Delmarva.
Trimble, a 2021 second-round pick, hit .257 with an .855 OPS in 53 games for the Baysox this season. O’Ferrall, the No. 32 overall draft pick in 2023, struggled to begin his season with High-A Aberdeen and ended his time with the IronBirds hitting .226 with a .617 OPS. But the University of Virginia standout reached base in all but four of his past 36 games.
Sosa and Sanchez are promising members of the Orioles’ international pipeline. The level will be the third for Sosa, who opened the year with Delmarva. The 20-year-old Dominican Republic native hit .222 with a .716 OPS and six homers in 47 games for the IronBirds — solid numbers at a level (and in a stadium) that many Orioles prospects have struggled at. Sanchez is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Orioles’ No. 27 prospect. The 19-year-old from Cuba impressed in the Florida Complex League with a .293 average and a .950 OPS.
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