Triple-A Norfolk
The top hitting prospects on the Tides are both going through a minor power drought. First baseman Trey Mancini, who entered Friday batting .269 with a .782 OPS and six home runs for Norfolk, hadn't homered since June 3. Left fielder Christian Walker, who went into the weekend batting .240 with nine homers and a .715 OPS, hadn't homered since May 31. The two accounted for more than a third of Norfolk's 42 home runs through 67 games.
Double-A Bowie
Right-hander Jason Garcia lowered his ERA below 5.00 for the first time since mid-April after spinning six scoreless innings against Portland Thursday night. Garcia, a Rule 5 draft pick who spent last year in the Orioles bullpen, returned to starting this year and has only recently found his stride. Two of his past three starts have been of the six scoreless inning variety. Garcia is 3-6 with a 4.95 ERA, with 32 strikeouts and 32 walks.
High-A Frederick
Outfielder Conor Bierfeldt, 25, is back to his slugging ways this month with the Keys. Bierfeldt entered Saturday's action batting .283 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in June, bringing his season mark to .280 with seven home runs. His seven home runs were second most on the team behind infielder Anderlin Rodriguez, who has 10. The 2013 29th-round draft pick hit a dozen home runs in each of his first three professional seasons.
Low-A Delmarva
Orioles manager Buck Showalter singled out 19-year-old right-hander Ofelky Peralta for praise this week, on the heels of a crackling performance when he struck out seven and allowed just a run on three hits in five innings Tuesday. The hard-throwing Peralta allowed more than two earned runs in just two of his first 12 starts this season, and entered the weekend with a 2.89 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 56 innings.