Competitors are competitors, no matter the arena. 

Wehiwa Aloy, the Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year, is looking forward to heading back home to Hawaii this offseason. But even there, the laid-back shortstop that many reference as “being on island time” won’t stop competing. 

“No matter what it is,” Aloy said, looking forward to his upcoming plans with his brother and sister. “Golf, baseball.” 

He’s done just fine for himself on the ping pong table, too. 

“I still haven’t beat the guy to the right of me,” Joseph Dzierwa said with a laugh. “He’s pretty good too. I haven’t played him in a series, but he’s beaten me every time.” 

“I’m more of a backspin kind of player,” Aloy had to say in response. “Kind of waiting for them to mess up … They’re trying to slam the backspin, but it usually doesn’t work.” 

Dzierwa, the Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year, had better luck elsewhere. The big lefty had a 90-game competition with Bobby Barrett, a Baysox clubhouse manager, which spanned Dzierwa’s time with the Double-A club. The pitcher came out on top 46 to 44 in the elongated series, one that came down to a three-game set on the final home game of the season.

Dzierwa and Aloy would, no doubt, be a fun sight to behold squaring off with a golf club or a ping pong paddle. But Orioles fans may be more interested in a bat and ball matchup. 

“I think I got him once in spring training with a fastball up, so I’d probably try to go to that again,” Dzierwa joked. 

That kind of success was a common trend for the Michigan State product in 2026. In his first professional season, 26 games in all, Dzierwa posted a 2.27 ERA between High-A in Double-A. Impressively, his ERA increased just 0.08 runs with the jump in level, and his trademark command didn’t waiver. 

“I hate giving up freebies, even hit by pitches,” Dzierwa said. “Strikeouts are cool, obviously, everyone likes them … The leadoff walk, I hate. That’s what my college coach always told us, and I can see why now. When I walk a guy leading off, he usually scores.” 

The former Spartan found much of that success with his go-to fastball and changeup combination, two pitches that have clearly gotten the best of minor league hitters thus far. But the lefty knows that his arsenal will have to expand as he continues to rise up the ranks. 

“Obviously the breaking balls need to get better, that’s probably something that I need to work on this offseason,” Dzierwa said. “Maybe get a different fastball shape, maybe a two-seam or something else, kind of play off my heater. And obviously everyone wants to throw harder, so get in the weight room, hopefully gain some more weight and throw harder.” 

The breaking balls that Dzierwa is referencing are a sweeper and a slider, two pitches that he worked to add heading into 2026. He noted that the different shapes have helped that fastball/changeup combination thrive, and a potential sinker would give him a pitch that moves arm-side. 

After 18 games in Chesapeake, it’s feasible to believe that an impressive spring training could propel the 22-year-old up to Triple-A to begin 2027. At 6 ‘8 with a funky three-quarters arm slot, elite extension and excellent command and overall production, it’s no surprise that Dzierwa has been a fast riser. Perhaps he could rise all the way to the big leagues next season, too. 

As for Aloy, the former Golden Spikes Award winner made the transition to pro ball look seamless. In his debut season, the shortstop hit 25 home runs, drove in 92, and posted an .865 OPS. When looking for areas of growth, Aloy could be considered a bit of a free-swinger. That’s something he wants to hone in on before 2027. 

“This offseason, we kind of have a target to go off of, unlike last offseason,” Aloy said. “Being better at swing decisions and just getting stronger and faster.” 

Though I’m not a scout, my personal comparison for Aloy has been Jordan Westburg, due to their bigger, athletic frames for the position, power potential, and ability to use the opposite field. Both were drafted as shortstops, but much like Westy, Aloy got some work at third base this season, too. That’s a position he maybe played once or twice in high school, he thinks, but not much since. 

With 39 Double-A games under his belt, Aloy will likely start next year at that level. But much like Dzierwa, elite production could continue to push him far. 

After a few seasons towards the middle of the pack, Baltimore’s farm system is back to being one of the very best in baseball. And recent draft picks and award winners in Dzierwa and Aloy are helping to lead the surge. 

To hear more from the dynamic duo, check out their appearance on the Bird’s Nest here: https://masn.me/ddiqcvpb