The Baltimore Orioles have been busy this offseason, reshaping their lineup with major offensive additions. The front office traded for outfielder Taylor Ward and signed right-handed slugging first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year contract, moves that immediately solidify the middle of the order with proven power. Those acquisitions signal Baltimore’s intent to return to playoff contention in 2026 after falling short last season.
But while the Orioles have added established veterans, one of the most intriguing pieces for the upcoming campaign could come from within. Enrique Bradfield Jr., the club’s No. 4 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, could be making his MLB debut in 2026.
Advertisement
Bradfield, a 24-year-old left-handed outfielder selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft, finished the 2025 season at Triple-A Norfolk before heading to the Arizona Fall League. He is now set to enter spring training for the second straight year, this time with more experience and a chance to force Baltimore’s hand.
“That would be terrific to see,” Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias recently said about Bradfield’s potential promotion to the active roster (h/t Jake Rill of MLB.com). “We’re going to bring him to camp, and we’ll kind of take it from there. Just looking at his Baseball Reference page so to speak, he hasn’t exhausted the Minor Leagues. So we’ll see where it goes. But he’s going to be in camp, it’s going to be a real important camp for him, and we look forward to seeing him there.”
Bradfield’s path is not without hurdles. He has only 15 games of Triple-A experience and was limited to 96 games in 2025 due to hamstring injuries. Still, his elite speed and defense make him a unique weapon. He stole 36 bases in the minors last year and added 17 more in the AFL.
Baltimore’s current plans feature Colton Cowser in center and veteran Leody Taveras as depth, but Bradfield’s skill set could eventually push him into that role. If he proves he can hit consistently, the Orioles may have found their center fielder of the future.
Advertisement
“That’s definitely the goal,” Bradfield said at the end of the season in mid-September when asked about becoming the everyday center fielder, via Rill. “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 in this org for about two years now.”
That mindset reflects the determination Baltimore values in its young core. With elite speed, strong defense and a willingness to keep improving, Bradfield is positioning himself to be more than just a prospect. He could become a difference maker for the Orioles as soon as 2026.