The Baltimore Orioles are no strangers to navigating a patchwork rotation. In 2025, much of their starting staff has been held together by veteran stopgaps, a temporary bridge to the wave of homegrown arms waiting in the wings. But that bridge became even shakier when the team lost its potential ace, Grayson Rodriguez, early in the season to an injury that will keep him sidelined until 2026. Add in the fact that Kyle Braddish has spent the year recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the O’s have been leaning heavily on depth and patience.

While the long-term outlook features the return of Rodriguez and Braddish, and continued progress from arms like Cade Povich and Brandon Young, another name, Trey Gibson, has been rapidly forcing his way into the conversation, and he may be much closer to Camden Yards than anyone anticipated.

Trey Gibson’s dominant Double-A run is putting the Orioles on notice

The Orioles’ No. 19 prospect has been nothing short of electric since his promotion to Double-A Chesapeake in June. Over 10 starts, Gibson owns a 1.55 ERA, including a recent gem against the Akron RubberDucks in which he fired six scoreless innings and racked up nine strikeouts. Across two minor league levels this year, the 23-year-old right-hander is 4-4 with a 3.07 ERA, striking out 135 batters in 91 innings, a staggering 13.35 K/9.

At 6-foot-5, Gibson brings the kind of physical presence you’d expect from a power pitcher. His fastball sits in the mid-90s, touching the upper 90s late in outings, and pairs with a mid-80s sweeping slider that’s already a legitimate swing-and-miss weapon. He mixes in a sharp low-80s curve, a high-80s cutter, and a developing changeup, giving him a deep arsenal that can attack hitters in multiple ways.

Simply put, Gibson is checking every box the Orioles could hope for in a fast-rising pitching prospect. His performance has him knocking on the door of Triple-A Norfolk, and if he keeps this pace, there’s a realistic scenario where he finishes the season there, and enters spring training with a legitimate shot to crack the Opening Day roster in 2026.

For an Orioles team looking to marry their powerful lineup with a sustainable, homegrown rotation, Gibson might just be the next piece to fit the puzzle. And given the way he’s throwing right now, it’s hard to imagine the organization keeping him in the minors much longer.