The Orioles today announced the winners of their player development and scouting awards for 2026, including infielder WEHIWA ALOY (vuh-HE-vuh, uh-LOY) as the club’s top minor league player and left-handed pitcher JOSEPH DZIERWA (JER-wah) as the club’s top minor league pitcher. High-A Frederick Manager COLLIN WOODY and Area Scout TRENT FRIEDRICH were also recognized for their contributions to the organization. The award winners will be recognized in an on-field ceremony prior to tonight’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, with awards presented by Orioles Vice President, Domestic Scouting WILL ROBERTSON, Director, Player Development ANTHONY VILLA, Director, Pitching FORREST HERRMANN, and Director of Minor League Operations KENT QUALLS.

Aloy, 22, slashed .288/.358/.506 (136-for-472) with 20 doubles, four triples, 25 home runs, 84 runs, 92 RBI, 52 walks, and 20 steals in 123 games between High-A Frederick (84 G) and Double-A Chesapeake (39 G). He ranked among all Orioles minor leaguers in runs (1st), total bases (1st, 239), hits (2nd), extra-base hits (2nd, 49), RBI (2nd), home runs (T-2nd), slugging percentage (3rd), batting average (5th), OPS (6th, .864), and doubles (T-6th). Aloy was one of 18 full-season minor leaguers to record at least 20 doubles, 25 home runs, and 20 steals. 

Aloy began the season with Frederick, batting .300/.371/.503 (99-for-330) with 14 doubles, four triples, 15 home runs, 57 runs, 69 RBI, 38 walks, and 12 steals in 84 games. He was named the Orioles Minor League Player of the Month for May, batting .329 (28-for-85) with five doubles, one triple, six home runs, and 19 RBI in 22 games. Aloy earned his second organizational Player of the Month award in July, hitting .379 (33-for-87) with seven doubles, one triple, four home runs, and 18 RBI in 23 games. He was promoted to Chesapeake on July 28 and hit .261/.329/.514 (37-for-142) with six doubles, 10 home runs, 27 runs, 23 RBI, 14 walks, and eight steals over 39 games with the Baysox to close the season. From the time of his promotion through the end of the season, his 10 homers were tied for fourth most in the Eastern League. He is currently ranked as the No. 8 Orioles prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 15 by Baseball America. Aloy was drafted by the Orioles with the 31st overall pick of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arkansas.

Dzierwa, 22, went 9-2 with a 2.27 ERA (33 ER/131.0 IP) on 37 total runs, 88 hits (8 HR), 30 walks, eight hit batters, two wild pitches, and 149 strikeouts in 26 appearances (24 starts) between High-A Frederick and Double-A Chesapeake. He ranked among all full-season minor league pitchers in WHIP (1st, 0.90), opponent batting average (T-1st, .186), ERA (2nd), and winning percentage (7th, .818). His 149 strikeouts ranked second among Baltimore farmhands behind left-handed pitcher Caden Hunter (151).  

Dzierwa began his professional career in 2026 with Frederick, going 5-1 with a 2.21 ERA (10 ER/40.2 IP) and 50 strikeouts across eight starts. He was named Orioles Pitcher of the Month for April after going 3-1 with a 2.33 ERA (7 ER/27.0 IP) and 29 strikeouts over five starts with the Keys. Dzierwa was promoted to Chesepeake on May 19 and made 18 appearances (16 starts) to close the season, going 4-1 with a 2.29 ERA (23 ER/90.1 IP) and 99 strikeouts. He was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the Week of August 10-16 after throwing 6.0 scoreless innings on August 12 at Reading, allowing one hit and three walks with seven strikeouts. Dzierwa was selected to the 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Game and retired the lone batter he faced in the exhibition. He is currently ranked the No. 77 overall prospect by Baseball America and No. 88 overall by MLB Pipeline, while being tabbed the No. 3 Orioles prospect by both publications. Dzierwa was drafted by the Orioles in the second round of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft (No. 58 overall) out of Michigan State University. 

Woody was named the winner of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award, in honor of the late Orioles coach and manager who is widely regarded as the architect of “The Oriole Way.” Each year, a minor league staff member who exemplifies Ripken’s qualities as an instructor is recognized with the award. Woody completed his first season as the manager of High-A Frederick and his ninth full season with the Orioles, earning South Atlantic League Manager of the Year honors. He led the Keys to an 83-46 (.643) record, the highest winning percentage by any full-season affiliate in Minor League Baseball, while winning the most games in Frederick franchise history. Woody guided the Keys to their first playoff berth since 2017, where Frederick ultimately fell to Greensboro in Game 3 of the South Atlantic North Division Playoffs. 

“Collin did an incredible job building a strong team culture in Frederick. Winning both halves is rare in the minor leagues, but Collin and his staff consistently got the best out of each player, even through promotions including Aloy and Dzierwa. His leadership and care set high expectations while providing high support to the Keys and Orioles baseball communities,” said Villa. 

Friedrich was named the Jim Russo Scout of the Year, named in honor of the 2026 Oriole Hall of Fame inductee, who spent 33 years in various scouting capacities with the Orioles beginning with their move from St. Louis in 1954. Friedrich joined the Orioles in 2019 as an Area Scout and covers Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. 

“Trent cares deeply about his craft, and it shows in the quality and quantity of the work he produces. He consistently puts us in a great spot to make informed decisions on players in his area,” said Robertson. 

Recent signees under Frederich include Orioles 2026 seventh-round draft pick RYAN PIECH (University of Xavier, OH), 2025 second-round pick JOSEPH DZIERWA (Michigan State University), 2025 third-round pick R.J. AUSTIN (Vanderbilt University, TN), 2025 seventh-round pick HUNTER ALLEN (Ashland University, OH), and 2025 eighth-round pick KAILEN HAMSON (University of the Cumberlands, KY). 

2026 AWARD WINNERS

Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year: Wehiwa Aloy (Frederick/Chesapeake)

Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Joseph Dzierwa (Frederick/Chesapeake)

Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award: Collin Woody

Jim Russo Scout of the Year Award: Trent Friedrich