Triple-A Norfolk
First baseman Christian Walker has cooled off since a scalding June, finishing with seven home runs in July but hitting just .234. He has added two more home runs in August, but is batting .204 in his first 13 games this month to see his average fall to .257 on the season. Walker entered Friday with a .733 OPS in 112 games this season.
Double-A Bowie
Since he was acquired from the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Alejandro De Aza in June, right-hander Joe Gunkel is 7-2 with a 2.54 ERA in 13 starts, with 54 strikeouts and 11 walks in 78 innings. He allowed one run on four hits with a walk and six strikeouts Thursday, earning a win while outdueling 2014 first-round draft pick Tyler Beede.
High-A Frederick
Catcher Chance Sisco, who entered the season as the Orioles’ second-best position prospect, is hitting his stride in a big way. Sisco had 10 multi-hit games in his 21 contests before Friday, a stretch that saw him hit .346 with a .923 OPS to raise his season average to .308. He went into the weekend with 12 doubles, three triples and four homers in 75 games.
Low-A Delmarva
With Garrett Cortright and Stefan Crichton promoted to Frederick, reliever Mike Burke leads the Shorebirds with 22 relief appearances. He seems to be on a pretty set schedule, giving manager Ryan Minor between two and three innings every four or five days, and entered Friday with a 3.73 ERA, a 1.026 WHIP, 38 strikeouts and five walks in 50 2/3 innings.
Short-A Aberdeen
First-round pick DJ Stewart hit .211 in 25 July games, but batted .288 with four extra-base hits and five RBIs in his first 11 games this month.
Rookie-level GCL
Right-hander Gray Fenter, who signed for $1 million as a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft, went into the weekend with a 1.67 ERA, 15 strikeouts and a 1.14 WHIP in seven appearances.