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By The Orioles today announced the winners of their player development and scouting awards for 2025, including outfielder NATE GEORGE as the club’s top minor league player and right-handed pitcher TREY GIBSON as the club’s top minor league pitcher. FCL Orioles Manager CHRISTIAN FRIAS and Area Scout RICH AMARAL 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 Tampa Bay Rays, with awards presented by Orioles Vice President of Player Development and Domestic Scouting MATT BLOOD and Orioles Director of Minor League Operations KENT QUALLS.
George, 19, slashed .337/.413/.483 (109-for-323) with 14 doubles, nine triples, five home runs, 66 runs scored, 42 RBI, 38 walks, and 50 stolen bases in 87 regular season games between the FCL Orioles, Single-A Delmarva, and High-A Aberdeen. He opened the season with the FCL Orioles where he hit .383 (31-for-81) with one double, two triples, and three home runs in his first taste of professional action. George earned FCL Player of the Week honors for the week of May 19-25 when he went 11-for-22 (.500) at the plate with one home run, eight runs scored, seven RBI, one walk, one hit-by-pitch, and five stolen bases. In the 23 games that he played with the FCL Orioles from May 3-June 7, he paced all FCL hitters in batting average and hits while ranking in the top five in stolen bases (2nd, 13), total bases (3rd, 45), OPS (4th, 1.007), runs (T-4th, 20), on-base percentage (5th, .451), and slugging percentage (5th, .556). In 43 games with the Shorebirds from June 10-August 9, he led all Carolina League hitters in hits (55), batting average (.337), slugging percentage (.491), OPS (.901), triples (7), and total bases (80) while ranking tied for first in stolen bases (25). George’s .337 batting average was third highest among all minor league players with at least 300 at-bats, trailing Colorado’s Roldy Brito (.371) and San Diego’s Luis Campusano (.338). He is currently ranked as the No. 2 Orioles prospect by Baseball America and No. 8 by MLB Pipeline, while being ranked as the No. 78 overall prospect in Baseball America’s Top 100. George was drafted by the Orioles in the 16th round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of Minooka Community High School (IL).
Gibson, 23, posted a 5-8 record with a 4.26 ERA (57 ER/120.1 IP), allowing 102 hits, 67 total runs, 13 home runs, nine hit batters, 44 walks, and 166 strikeouts in 26 games (25 starts) between High-A Aberdeen, Double-A Chesapeake, and Triple-A Norfolk. Gibson began the year with the IronBirds, going 1-2 with a 5.12 ERA (22 ER/38.2 IP) on 32 hits (7 HR), 14 walks, and three hit batters with 67 strikeouts in nine games (8 GS). Following his final outing with the IronBirds on June 1, his 67 strikeouts were tied for first among all South Atlantic League pitchers along with Wilmington’s Alex Clemmey. Gibson was promoted to Chesapeake on June 3, and went 3-2 with a 1.55 ERA (9 ER/52.1 IP) on 29 hits (1 HR), 18 walks, and four hit batters with 68 strikeouts in 10 starts with the Baysox. Gibson was twice named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week (7/6 & 7/27) and during his 10-outing stint with Chesapeake from June 7-August 7, ranked among all Eastern League pitchers in games started (T-1st, 10), strikeouts (2nd, 68), opponent batting average (2nd, .157), ERA (3rd, 1.55), WHIP (3rd, 0.90), and innings pitched (4th, 52.1 IP). Gibson was promoted to Triple-A Norfolk on August 12, and went 1-4 with a 7.98 ERA (26 ER/29.1 IP) in seven starts with the Tides. He was named the International League Pitcher of the Week on August 17, after completing 5.0 scoreless innings on one hit with six strikeouts and earning the win on August 13 at Jacksonville. Gibson finished the year tied for fourth among all MiLB pitchers with 166 strikeouts, the most by an Orioles farmhand since Cade Povich (171) in 2023. He was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Orioles on August 9, 2023, out of Liberty University (VA). Gibson is currently ranked as the No. 8 O’s prospect by Baseball America and No. 12 Orioles prospect by MLB Pipeline.
Frias 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. Frias, the Salinas, Puerto Rico native, completed his fourth season as manager of the FCL Orioles and his sixth overall in the Orioles organization. He served as Fundamentals Coach for the Rookie-level Florida Complex League in 2021 after joining the Orioles organization in the same role in 2020 with the Gulf Coast League Orioles. This past season, he led the FCL Orioles to a 35-24 record and played an integral role in the development of several top prospects, including George and right-handed pitcher ESTEBAN MEJIA. On August 28, he was named the FCL Manager of the Year. Under Frias' instruction, several FCL Orioles earned league-wide accolades, including outfielder JORDAN SANCHEZ, who was named the FCL Most Valuable Player and selected as an FCL All-Star along with Mejia and catcher ANDREW TESS.
“Frias has been a living example of dedication, hard work, and humility since he arrived,” said Blood.
Amaral was named the Jim Russo Scout of the Year, named in honor of the man who spent 33 years in various scouting capacities with the Orioles beginning with their move from St. Louis in 1954. Amaral joined the Orioles in 2018 as a scout living in Southern California and extended his coverage into the state of Arizona this year. Before scouting, he played 10 Major League seasons with the Seattle Mariners (1991–1998) and Orioles (1999–2000).
“Rich has been a dedicated scout who has shown the willingness to collaborate, learn, and voice his opinion in an impactful way,” said Blood.
Recent signees under Amaral include Orioles 2025 fourth-round draft pick COLIN YEAMAN (University of California, Irvine) and Orioles 2025 fifth-round pick JAIDEN LO RE (Corona Del Sol High School, AZ).
2025 AWARD WINNERS
Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year: Nate George (FCL Orioles/Delmarva/Aberdeen)
Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Trey Gibson (Aberdeen/Chesapeake/Norfolk)
Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award: Christian Frias
Jim Russo Scout of the Year Award: Rich Amaral
