Cowser and Ortiz heading to Norfolk, Rodriguez beginning rehab at Aberdeen

The Orioles launched a few more significant minor league promotions this afternoon, including a first-round draft pick’s ascension to Triple-A. To be determined is whether the ripple effect touches the major league roster.

Outfielder Colton Cowser and shortstop Joey Ortiz are moving from Double-A Bowie to the Norfolk Tides. Infielder Darrel Hernaiz is going from High-A Aberdeen to the Baysox.

Grayson Rodriguez, the No. 1 pitching prospect in baseball, is starting for Aberdeen on Thursday night after recovering from a Grade 2 strain in his right lat.

Mondays are rarely dull in the minors, even with the lack of games.

Cowser, the fifth overall selection in the 2021 draft out of Sam Houston State, is speeding through the system. He began the year with Aberdeen and is reporting to his third affiliate with a combined .294/.422/.479 slash line in 502 plate appearances, 29 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs and 55 RBIs.

Over 25 games this month, the 22-year-old Cowser is batting .340/.448/.468.

The Orioles expected Cowser to move quickly after they selected him. He could make his major league debut in 2023.

Ortiz, 24, has appeared in 111 games with Bowie and batted .269/.337/.455 with 28 doubles, four triples, 15 home runs and 71 RBIs 485 plate appearances. The fourth-round pick in 2019 out of New Mexico State has slashed 355/.425/.634 with 11 home runs in his last 47 games.

The glove always has been advanced, but the bat caught fire after Ortiz hit .204/.239/.287 in June.

Hernaiz, 21, was chosen in the fifth round in 2019 out of Americas High School in El Paso, Texas. He’s slashed .298/.364/.476 with 20 doubles, five triples, 11 home runs, 54 RBIs, and 31 stolen base in 34 attempts between Aberdeen and Single-A Delmarva.

The latest bump came after Hernaiz hit .305/.377/.456 in 60 games with the IronBirds.

MLBPipeline.com ranks Cowser as the No. 4 prospect in the system, Hernaiz No. 18 and Ortiz No. 19.

Rodriguez is No. 2 in the organization behind infielder Gunnar Henderson and fourth overall. He was on the verge of a promotion to the Orioles, posting a 2.09 ERA and 0.839 WHIP in 11 starts with Norfolk, with 14 walks and 80 strikeouts in 56 innings, before coming out of June 1 start with the lat injury.

Exactly three months later, he's ready to pitch again.

The goal is to get Rodriguez back to the Tides. The Orioles haven’t stated whether he could join their expanded roster in September.

Rodriguez threw a bullpen session last week, followed by live batting practice and a simulated game.

Also unknown is whether Ortiz’s arrival with Norfolk, which hosts Lehigh Valley on Tuesday night, is a hint that Henderson is close to having his contract selected. It’s been rumored for more than a week.

Players must be on the 40-man roster by Thursday to be eligible for the postseason unless replacing someone on the injured list. The replacement has to be in the organization by Thursday.

Outfielder Jud Fabian, the 67^th overall pick this year out of the University of Florida, is advancing from Delmarva to Aberdeen after going 17-for-44 (.386) with seven doubles, two triples, three home runs, nine RBIs and eight walks in 10 games with the Shorebirds.