Notes on Orioles representatives in AFL and tonight's game in Toronto

The Orioles will have seven representatives on the Scottsdale roster in the Arizona Fall League, including outfielder Heston Kjerstad and infielder César Prieto.

Also playing in the AFL are pitchers Noah Denoyer, Nolan Hoffman, Easton Lucas and Nick Richmond, and outfielder Reed Trimble.

MLB Pipeline ranks Kjerstad as the No. 10 prospect in the organization and Prieto 19^th.

These are important at-bats for Kjerstad after the late start to his professional career following a diagnosis of myocarditis in 2020 and his hamstring injury in March. The second-overall pick in the 2020 draft appeared in 22 games with Single-A Delmarva and 43 with High-A Aberdeen during the regular season.

Kjerstad batted .463/.551/.650 with nine doubles, two home runs and 17 RBIs in 98 plate appearances with Delmarva and .233/.312/.362 with eight doubles, two triples, three home runs and 20 RBIs in 186 plate appearances with the IronBirds.

Aberdeen is hosting Brooklyn tonight in the finale of their three-game series in the South Atlantic League playoffs.

Prieto, who defected from Cuba and signed with the Orioles in January for $650,000, batted .340/.381/.619 with six doubles, seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 25 games with Aberdeen, and .256/.296/.349 with 22 doubles, four home runs and 36 RBIs in 89 games with Double-A Bowie.

Denoyer, an undrafted free agent in 2019, has registered a 2.61 ERA and 0.794 WHIP in 14 games (three starts) with Bowie, and he’s averaging 1.9 walks and 12 strikeouts per nine innings. Hoffman, selected in the minor league phase of last year’s Rule 5 draft, has appeared in 17 games with the Baysox and registered a 4.43 ERA and 1.343 WHIP in 22 1/3 innings.

Lucas, acquired from the Angels in the 2019 Jonathan Villar trade, has made 31 relief appearances with Bowie and posted a 4.61 ERA and 1.335 WHIP with 64 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings. Richmond, signed as a minor league free agent in May, has a 3.54 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 16 games with Aberdeen.

The Orioles drafted Trimble in the second round in 2021 out of Southern Mississippi. He underwent labrum surgery on his right shoulder in December and slashed .291/.353/.393 with six doubles, two home runs and 18 RBIs in 31 games with Delmarva.

The AFL season begins Oct. 3. The championship game is Nov. 12 on MLB Network.

The Orioles open their three-game series in Toronto tonight with Jordan Lyles making his second start since recovering from a stomach virus. He allowed eight runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings Saturday against the Red Sox.

Lyles is 2-0 with a 4.91 ERA and 1.546 WHIP this season in two starts against the Blue Jays. He’s allowed six runs and 13 hits in 11 innings.

Matt Chapman has homered twice and Cavan Biggio once.

Bo Bichette hit three home runs against the Orioles in Game 2 of a Sept. 5 doubleheader at Camden Yards. He’s batting .339/.362/.696 with two doubles, six home runs and 14 RBIs against the Orioles in 13 games this season.

The Blue Jays haven’t announced their starter, but they’re expected to go with a bullpen game.

The Orioles are 7-6 against the Blue Jays this season and 4-3 at Rogers Centre. They begin today 4 ½ games behind the Rays for the last wild card.

Pitcher Logan Gillaspie, infielder/outfielder Tyler Nevin and catcher Cody Roberts are on the taxi squad.

The game airs exclusively on Apple TV+.

Former Orioles first base coach John Stearns passed away last night in Denver after a long battle with cancer. He was 71.