The Orioles battle the Cubs on Aug 1, 2025. While Henderson & Holliday fight at Wrigley, the real story is the future being built by prospects like Samuel Basallo.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
As the Orioles roll into historic Wrigley Field for a weekend series against the contending Cubs, it's easy to focus on the present struggles. A 50-59 record, a 13.5-game deficit in the AL East, and a slew of key injuries paint a challenging picture. But look just beneath the surface of the 2025 season, and you'll find the real story: the future of the Baltimore Orioles is being forged right now, and it's looking brighter than ever.
Despite missing time with an injury, top prospect Samuel Basallo posted a jaw-dropping .313/.370/.729 line in July and leads all Orioles full-season players with a 156 wRC+.
Tonight's series opener against the 63-45 Cubs is a microcosm of the O's season: a tough test against a top-tier opponent. With Trevor Rogers on the mound, Baltimore will need its core, including Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday, to step up. The challenge is magnified by a depleted roster, with key contributors like Ryan Mountcastle and Jorge Mateo still on the 60-day IL. These absences have tested the team's depth all year, forcing them to fight for every win in a season that has become more about development than pennant races.
While the big league club grinds it out, the front office was busy executing a clear long-term strategy at the trade deadline. Instead of a splashy acquisition for the current roster, the Orioles opted for volume and potential, acquiring nearly a dozen pitchers to restock the farm system. The crown jewel of this haul is a prospect named Bateman, who instantly becomes one of the top arms in the organization. This move signals a deliberate effort to build the next wave of sustainable pitching depth from the ground up.
The influx of new arms is just part of the good news from the minors. The entire system is on the rise, jumping from a lowly No. 29 to a respectable No. 18 in Bleacher Report's rankings after a stellar 2025 draft. That class brought in four of the team's new top 10 prospects, led by first-rounder Ike Irish. Meanwhile, the system's top prospect, 20-year-old Samuel Basallo, is putting on a show in Triple-A. After returning from an oblique injury, he tore through July pitching and is proving why he's considered one of the best young hitters in baseball. His power is the stuff of legend, and he's knocking on the door of Camden Yards.
So while the results at Wrigley Field this weekend might be tough, remember the bigger picture. The 2025 season is a bridge. It's about the grit of Henderson and Holliday today, and the promise of Basallo, Bateman, and Irish tomorrow. The wins may not be piling up right now, but the Orioles are busy building the foundation for the next championship window, one pitching prospect and one monster Basallo home run at a time.
