Orioles giving top prospect a chance with Sept. roster move backfired immediately

With a playoff spot well within their grasp, the Baltimore Orioles are currently in "all hands on deck" mode. That means the team will need to gain any advantage they can get as they are set to begin their most grueling stretch of the season. According to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner before Tuesday's game against the Colorado Rockies, that includes calling up Luis De León to make his Major League Baseball debut.    

Unfortunately, the move blew up in the O's face in what ended up being a 4-2 loss. De León surrendered the two-run homer that decided the game. TJ Rumfield took him deep in the bottom of the seventh inning and that was the last word.

Despite struggling to keep runners off of the base paths in 2026, De León got a chance from the Orioles to show what he’s got when it matters the most. With five minor league seasons already under his belt, De León has continued to develop into a formidable pitcher in the Orioles system. The only question will be if he can work on his command at the big league level. But for better or worse, the Orioles are rolling the dice on the lefty, and it already proved to be a gamble.

Since De León is not currently on the 40-man roster, the team had to make a slew of roster moves for the accommodation.

Luis De León could be a dangerous weapon for the Orioles down the stretch despite poor start

At just 23 years old, De León wasn’t always regarded as an elite prospect. Since signing with the team out of the Dominican Republic in 2021, he has shown flashes of brilliance and high-end talent. But his lack of command has always been the biggest thorn in his side. With a career walks per nine rate of 4.7 in the minors, De León has never done himself any favors with putting men on for free. 

However, he may be able to intimidate opposing batters with his lanky 6-3 frame, especially as other teams get their first look at the lefty. With a sinker that runs from the mid to upper-90s and a devastating slider to pair with it, De León could also be able to cruise by with his nasty stuff alone. That can come in handy when facing tough left-handed hitters like Roman Anthony and Chase DeLauter. 

With his recent transition to the bullpen at Triple-A Norfolk, De León could even see a slight uptick in velocity with more freedom to empty the tank. However, that might also lead to an increase in his erratic nature as well. De León recorded at least one walk in three of his four relief appearances, notching a total of six free passes in just 3 2/3 innings pitched. 

The Orioles won’t need De León to become a lights-out reliever for them. They just need the young arm to get outs without clogging up the basepaths. With every upcoming game having tremendous playoff implications behind them, De León will likely have a short leash out of the 'pen. 

The Orioles will soon face a number of teams vying to bump them out of the AL Wild Card race. Of their remaining schedule, more than a third of their games will be against the Cleveland Guardians and Toronto Blue Jays. While Guardians’ hitters currently rank as the sixth-best in all of baseball at drawing walks, the Blue Jays are the second-worst.   

De León will certainly be put to the test after his Major League debut, but top prospects have come through in the clutch for their contending ball clubs in the past. David Price helped the Tampa Bay Rays make a deep postseason run in 2008 despite only throwing 14 regular season innings in his career up to that point.  

This isn't to say that De León will be able to do the same, but he is more than capable of giving the Orioles a formidable lefty weapon out of the bullpen — something they will certainly need over the next four weeks.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow