From the Shore to the Desert: Shorebirds Continue Journey to Camden Yards

The Arizona Fall League is often called baseball’s “finishing school” and for good reason. It’s where some of the game’s brightest prospects go to face elite competition and prepare for the next level.

This fall, eight former Delmarva Shorebirds will suit up for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League that runs from October 6 through November 15. For these young players, it’s more than just extra games under the Arizona sun. It’s a chance to prove themselves against top-tier talent from across the league and show they’re ready to climb even closer to the big leagues.

Enrique Bradfield Jr. headlines the group as the Orioles No. 4 prospect according to MLB Pipeline making his Arizona Fall League Debut. In 2025, the Orioles 2022 First-Round Draft pick out of Vanderbilt played 76 games reaching as high as Triple-A Norfolk. Bradfield Jr. slashed .242/.348/.348 and hit 3 home runs with 19 RBI this season while battling injuries throughout the year. However, the most electric part of Bradfield’s game is his legs where after swiping 74 bases in 2024, he swiped another 36 bags in 2025.

Luis De León, a member of the Shorebirds in 2023, 2024, and 2025, is bringing his electric stuff to the desert after an impressive climb through the O’s system where he reached Double-A Bowie by end of the year. In 2025, De León made 20 appearances (18 starts), posting a 5-3 record with a 3.30 ERA over 87.1 innings striking out 107 batters, with a WHIP of 1.21. Currently, De Leon ranks as Orioles No. 21 Prospect according to MLB Pipeline heading into the Arizona Fall League.

Orioles 2024 Second-Round Pick out of Virginia, Ethan Anderson, will bring his powerful bat and versatility to Arizona. In 2025, Anderson logged 310 At-bats, hitting .248 with 4 Home Runs, 45 RBI, and 15 Stolen bases, posting a .677 OPS. A member of the Shorebirds in 2024, Anderson plays both the catcher and first base allowing him to be versatile around the diamond.

2025 Shorebirds Lefty, Carson Dorsey, will make his way to Arizona after being selected by the Orioles in the seventh round of the 2024 MLB Draft. In 2025, Dorsey pitched the bulk of his games with the Shorebirds while only making 1 of his 12 appearances in the FCL. This season, Dorsey appeared in 12 games posting a 2-2 record, a 4.06 ERA, and a 1.22 WHIP over 44.1 Innings with 58 Strikeouts. This year was the first full season in professional baseball for Dorsey who only pitched a third of an inning in 2024 after being drafted.

2024 and 2025 Shorebirds Outfielder, Thomas Sosa, joins the AFL roster after reaching as high as Double-A Bowie this season. In 2025, Sosa played in just 68 games due to injury as he worked his way back up the farm system. Sosa totaled 243 At-bats hitting .214 with 9 Home Runs**, 42 RBI,* and an *OPS of .681**. Sosa joined the Orioles in 2022 after he signed as an international free agent ranking 23^rd in the Orioles Top Prospects per MLB Pipeline heading into the 2025 season.

Tanner Smith joins the AFL roster after being acquired from the Padres as part of the Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano trade at the end of July. In 2025, Smith appeared in 4 games for the Shorebirds after being traded before eventually moving to High-A Aberdeen. As for the season, Smith appeared in 25 games, mainly out of the bullpen, collecting 37.1 IP to the tune of a 3.38 ERA and striking out 52 hitters. Smith was drafted by the Padres in the fifteenth round of the 2024 MLB Draft.

Brandon Downer, a right-handed pitcher drafted in the thirteenth Round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Cal Baptist, will join the AFL after finishing his first full season of professional baseball. This season, Downer started in the Florida Coast League logging 16.2 innings, and posting a 4.32 ERA. Downer was later promoted to Delmarva in August to close out the season going 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA with the Shorebirds in 25 innings pitched.

Sayer Diederich, a left-handed pitcher who signed as a 2025 undrafted free agent, finished with Delmarva this season after strong performance in the FCL. To start the season in Florida, Diederich pitched 6.1 innings posting a 2.84 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP. This July, he was promoted to Delmarva where he continued to show poise on the mound throwing 21.1 innings and holding a 3.29 ERA.

For Shorebirds fans, watching these familiar faces take the field in Arizona is like seeing the next chapter of their journey unfold. The Fall League is where prospects get tested, sharpen their skills, and show just how close they are to the big leagues as this group of former and present Delmarva Shorebirds continue their journey to Camden Yards.