Minor league notes on Triple-A Norfolk outfielders and more

Without outfielders on their active roster that can be optioned, the Orioles have not yet called up an outfielder from Triple-A Norfolk.

But they are certainly presenting themselves as options to help the big club, as manager Buck Showalter might say.

Nolan Reimold has hit safely in eight of his last 12 Tides games, batting .421 (16-for-38) with four doubles and four RBIs. Reimold has raised his average 42 points over that 12-game stretch (from .238 to .280), a span that has included five multi-hit games. His .421 average since May 22 is the second-best in the International League.

Henry Urrutia has been batting leadoff the last 12 games for the Tides and is batting .362 (17-for-47) with two homers, 10 RBIs and a .423 OBP since moving atop the order. Urrutia, who had never batted leadoff prior to this season, has hit .362 over his last 10 games.

Tides center fielder Julio Borbon has hit safely in 13 of his last 16 games with an at-bat, during which he's hit .353 (18-for-51) with eight runs scored. Borbon has also hit .500 (6-for-12) with seven RBIs with runners in scoring position.

Dariel Alvarez, ranked as the Orioles' No. 5 prospect according to Baseball America, has hit safely in four straight and seven of his last eight games, batting .407 (11-for-27) with two home runs and seven RBIs to raise his average by 25 points (from .223 to .248). Alvarez has appeared in all 53 of Norfolk's games.

Chris Parmelee, who has played first base and corner outfield for the Tides, is batting .316 with four homers and 29 RBIs. He leads all O's minor leaguers in batting average and is hitting .352 against right-hander pitching.

O's minor league pitcher Zeke McGranahan announced via his Twitter page that he had Tommy John surgery on Wednesday. The 24-year-old right-hander was the Orioles' 23rd round draft pick in 2014 out of Georgia Gwinnett College.

This year, pitching out of the bullpen for Single-A Delmarva, he was 0-3 with an ERA of 2.53. Over 21 1/3 innings, he allowed 14 hits and 20 walks and struck out 28.

Surgery was a smashing success! Road to recovery starts now #DontCallItAComeback

-- Zeke McGranahan (@Zekers44) June 4, 2015

Right-hander Kevin Gausman will pitch for Single-A Frederick at Wilmington on Saturday night on a major league rehab assignment. Gausman has been on the Orioles' disabled list, retroactive to May 7, with right shoulder tendinitis.

This is expected to be a three-inning outing for Gausman. Late in the 2012 season, Gausman made three starts of three innings each for Frederick, going 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA and eight strikeouts over nine innings. He last pitched for the Keys on Aug. 30, 2012.

Norfolk has won seven of its last nine games and is 30-23. That is the best record on the O's farm right now, and the Tides could tie their season-high of eight games over .500 with a win at Charlotte tonight. Double-A Bowie is 28-25, Frederick is 27-26 while Delmarva is 24-28.

O's minor league team ERA leaders:
2.81 - Norfolk
3.38 - Bowie
3.77 - Delmarva
4.73 - Frederick

O's minor league team homer leaders:
27 - Bowie and Frederick
23 - Norfolk
22 - Delmarva