This Orioles prospect will be banging down the door if the rotation can't pull it together

There were a few things we expected from the Baltimore Orioles to start the 2025 season — a strong core of position players, a team ready to contend, and if there were to be struggles, they’d likely come from the starting rotation. That expectation has held true. But what wasn't expected? A 5–6 start in their first 11 games. For a team with postseason aspirations, that's not the kind of momentum they hoped to build coming out of the gate.

To be clear, this is still a very good Orioles team. The lineup is capable of producing runs up and down the order, and while the bullpen has its own inconsistencies, it still boasts a couple of high-leverage arms. The organization’s depth — especially on the position player side — remains among the best in baseball. But the starting rotation, long seen as the team’s biggest potential weakness, is now rapidly becoming a glaring issue the front office shouldn’t ignore for long.

Veteran Charlie Morton, brought in to be a stabilizing presence in the middle of the rotation, has stumbled hard. He’s 0–2 with a 9.72 ERA, and hitters are barreling him up with consistency. Cade Povich isn’t far behind, opening his campaign 0–1 with a 6.00 ERA. Dean Kremer’s early returns? A 1–1 record with a 6.52 ERA. Not the kind performances a team can build a season on.

It unfortunately gets worse. Grayson Rodriguez and Kyle Bradish are still recovering and not yet options. And the one bright spot — ace Zach Eflin — was just pulled from his latest start with shoulder fatigue. That leaves Tomoyuki Sugano, the 35-year-old rookie right-hander from Japan, as the lone dependable arm in the current rotation. He’s done his part with a 2.89 ERA in his first two starts, but it would be unfair to ask him to carry the load alone.

The good news? There may already be a solution — and it’s brewing in Triple-A.

Should the Orioles call up Brandon Young before it's too late?

Brandon Young’s rise through the system has been one of the more underrated stories in the Orioles’ pipeline. After returning from his second Tommy John surgery in 2022, he bounced back in a big way last season. Between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk, he posted a 3.57 ERA with 132 strikeouts across 111 innings, earning the 2024 Jim Palmer Orioles Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors.

Recognizing his potential, the Orioles opted to protect Young from the Rule 5 draft by adding him to the 40-man roster this past November.

Now in Triple-A Norfolk, his first two outings of 2025 have been remarkable. Young has tossed 11.1 scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and two walks while striking out 11. His 6-foot-6 frame and demeanor scream big-league readiness, even if the Orioles have been cautious.

But given the state of the rotation, that caution may need to be thrown out the window.

If this staff continues to struggle and Brandon Young continues to perform he should be the first call. He might just be the spark this rotation needs — potentially saving them from making a trade out of desperation. For now, he’s dominating Triple-A lineups, and the O’s should think about how long they want to keep him down there.