Orioles left-handed pitching prospect Joseph Dzierwa sits at 117 innings on the season after throwing five innings of one-run ball for Double-A Chesapeake on Aug. 19, well more than the 91.2 he threw for Michigan State a year ago.
The Baysox have three-plus weeks remaining in the regular season, leaving Dzierwa time to make three or four starts. He will leave any decisions about an innings limit up to the Orioles, but he feels good 23 appearances into his season.
“Honestly, I feel better now than I did at the end of my college season,” Dzierwa said after his Aug. 19 start against Richmond. “I don’t know if it’s from no school. I think it’s the resources and honestly just devoting everything you have into the game.”
The 6-foot-8, 200-pound left-hander faced a Flying Squirrels lineup featuring five left-handed hitters, giving Dzierwa an opportunity to lean on his slider and sweeper, which have come a long way since college. He tried a gyro slider earlier this season, but he ditched that since it was getting hit hard by right-handed hitters.
Dzierwa, 22, understands he has to develop his entire arsenal to prepare for the big leagues even though he could likely cut through most minor league lineups with his fastball-changeup combo.
“The way I look at it, each day [is] a process,” he said. “Just buying into not looking long term but knowing there’s a reason and a why for it. Just kind of trusting that and trusting what they do and what they give me.”
Dzierwa won Big Ten Pitcher of the Year with the Spartans in 2025, posting a 2.36 ERA, striking out 104 and walking just 22 in 15 starts. He was selected by the Orioles in the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft and this year has been even better than he was as a junior at Michigan State. He has a 2.00 ERA with 135 strikeouts and 28 walks between High-A Frederick and Chesapeake this season.
Despite his 6-foot-8 frame, Dzierwa has a smooth, athletic delivery that he repeats, allowing him to fill up the strike zone at will. He says his time in the Big Ten helped prepare him for pro ball.
“I think especially with the West Coast teams getting added, I think the competition is getting [better],” Dzierwa said. “My coach at Michigan State, [Jake Boss Jr.], has been huge. I kind of carried the same thing I do here — just execute pitches, control what I can and not focus so much on the pitch call or anything. I rarely shake. That’s something I think he’s taught me a lot.
Also helpful: Dzierwa’s time playing football at Otsego High School in Ohio. He played quarterback in a spread system operating out of shotgun and got more involved in the run game later in his career once he put on more weight. He drew interest from MAC and Ivy League schools before ultimately choosing baseball.
Dzierwa’s father Matt, a punter at Northwestern in the late ’80s and early ’90s, was his football coach at Otsego.
“The [college] recruiting was similar, so he knew kind of what I was going through,” Dzierwa said. “That helped, too. He was my coach. I think football has helped me a lot in baseball, especially in high school, having the same mentality. If you throw a perfect pass but it gets dropped, it’s the same thing as a perfect pitch gets hit.”
DEFENSE A PRIORITY FOR ALOY
Orioles shortstop prospect Wehiwa Aloy is another 2025 draftee making waves. The No. 31 overall pick is hitting .288/.360/.491 in 458 plate appearances between High-A Frederick and Double-A Chesapeake as the Baysox head into play on Aug. 21.
Aloy stood out on Aug. 19 for his defense, creating velocity from odd arm angles to throw out runners at first and home.
Aloy, 22, credits his pregame work with Orioles infield coordinator Tim DeJohn for his development on the dirt.
“Getting better at defense is one of my top priorities coming into the season,” Aloy said. “We do a lot of early work with our infield coordinator, DJ. It’s a lot of awkward throws and all of that stuff, so just being an athlete out there and getting outs for my pitchers.”
Aloy has hit 19 home runs on the season, perhaps none more impressive than this recent blast. There’s plenty of pop in his 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame.
“Trying to do better at the plate, being more disciplined and hitting more line drives and hard contact instead of ground balls,” he said.
Photo Credit: Joe Noyes/Chesapeake Baysox