FREDERICK, MD – The 2025 Minor League season started last week in Triple-A and will begin across all other levels over the next week with former Frederick Keys players making their debuts.
Since the Keys moved to the Draft League in 2021, 27 players have been drafted to professional clubs and more than 40 have signed with affiliated or independent professional baseball.
Heading into the 2025 season, right-handed pitcher and Orioles prospect Evan Yates (2024) will start on the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds roster after throwing three games for the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds last summer. During his time in the Draft League, the Cal State Fullerton product finished with a 3-0 record and a 1.27 ERA across 21.1 innings.
Joining Yates in Delmarva is Ben Vespi (2023), who will make his professional debut this season in the Eastern Shore. Following his final season with UCF in 2024, Vespi aims to start his professional career strong with the Shorebirds after signing a minor league contract with the Orioles this past July.
Zach Fruit (2022) earned the call to Double-A Chesapeake for Friday’s opening day and looks to build on a solid 2024 campaign with the IronBirds a season ago. In his 25 games in 2024, Fruit threw 107 innings and aims to be a consistent arm in the starting rotation for the Baysox heading into his second summer in the Orioles organization.
The Frederick Keys begin their 2025 season against the West Virginia Black Bears on Wednesday June 4 at 7 p.m. at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium. Tickets and the promotional schedule will be released at a later date.
