The first sign of progress in the Mike Elias era came with a small consequence. The Orioles finally fell out of the top 10 in the 2023 MLB draft. The Orioles selected Enrique Bradfield Jr. with the 17th overall pick that year.
At the time, Bradfield was billed as a plus defender with elite speed. The Vanderbilt product was never expected to develop into a power threat, but he boasted plenty of potential as a table-setter. The question was simple. Would his bat develop to a point that allowed him to utilize
his other tools at the Major League level?
It’s been four seasons, and we’re still asking the same question. Bradfield played 15 games at Triple-A in 2025. He entered the 2026 season hoping to make his major league debut, but the call never came.
Bradfield faced some adversity early in the year. He missed seven weeks after a collision in the outfield and a painful swing led to an injury with his left hand. Eventually, he returned and slashed .263/.344/.363 over 88 games with the Tides.
To the surprise of no one, Bradfield made the most impact with his speed. The 24-year-old set a single-season Norfolk record with 36 stolen bases. He tallied 12 doubles, four triples, and four home runs, but several of his 63 runs scored came after a single/walk and an extra base.
The Orioles entered 2026 hoping to compete in the AL East. Even with a light bat, there’s a place for guys like Bradfield on a contender. Many envisioned the prospect using his speed and defense to help in late-game situations down the stretch. With Jorge Mateo and Cedric Mullins long gone, that role appeared to be available.
Unfortunately, the Orioles failed to play like contenders. The American League allowed Baltimore to hang around in the wild card chase, but the team still sold at the trade deadline. Baltimore opted to deploy midseason acquisitions like Christian Franklin and Rece Hinds over Bradfield. Even Heston Kjerstad, another first-rounder under Elias, got some late season action. But Bradfield remained at Triple-A.
With the way the season played out, Bradfield needed to beat down the door to get the call to the bigs. The former first-round pick heated up with a .300/.356/.375 line in the month of June, but his numbers cooled a bit during the hottest months of the year.
Many have wondered if Bradfield would get a late-season cup of coffee, but the league’s unclear future may have spoiled the opportunity. As of now, the MLB owners and players appear incredibly far apart on a new labor agreement. With the CBA set to expire shortly after the World Series, there’s a legitimate chance that games are missed next season.
Minor league baseball could still continue as planned, but players on team’s 40-man roster would not participate. As of now, Bradfield is not on Baltimore’s 40-man roster. Bradfield will eventually need protected from the Rule-5 draft, but the timing of the draft appears dependent on a new CBA.
Only the Orioles know if this actually impacted the way they handled Bradfield in September. Either way, Bradfield should debut in 2027 (if the season takes place).
What type of role can we expect for Bradfield when he finally reaches the show? The speed and defense present a solid floor as a fourth outfielder. He’ll likely need to prove he can hit major league pitching if he hopes to grow into an everyday player.
The Orioles have struggled to get the most out of young players with above average hit tools. Gunnar Henderson has disappointed over the last two seasons. Colton Cowser hit a wall after an impressive rookie campaign, and Jackson Holliday has yet to meet the expectations that come with going 1/1 in the draft. The organization appears to be shaking things up with the departure of Matt Blood and reassignment of Sig Mejdal, but it’s clear that somethings need to change.
One thing we know about the Orioles is that they are going to hide young left-handers against left-handed pitching. Bradfield slashed .272/.355/.374 against righties this year compared to a .231/.340/.330 against southpaws. Cowser, another glove-first center fielder, hit an abysmal .164/.242/.218 against lefties in 2026, so it’s not as if there is a natural platoon spot available.
I’ve always felt that Bradfield passes the eye test when watching him play in the minors. He carries himself like a big fielder, and he would likely represent an immediate improvement over guys like Dylan Beavers in the outfield. He demonstrated his potential with team Panama at the World Baseball Classic back in March.
Leody Taveras and Luis Robert Jr. will probably play somewhere else next season. Beavers, Cowser, and Tyler O’Neill will all return, but it’s unclear whether Franklin, Hinds or Kjerstad will carve out any type of role with the team. Bradfield has yet to answer the questions about his bat, but these things take time. He’ll enter 2027 with the same potential as he did in years past.
