Orioles top prospect pitcher undergoes Tommy John surgery

Bragg, 24, was placed on the 7-day injured list on July 5 due to recurrent right forearm discomfort. He had previously missed 10 days in mid-June with the same injury before returning to make two starts, allowing four earned runs in eight innings.

Prior to the injury, the 2023 eighth-round draft pick was having a standout season in the minor leagues. Bragg posted a 0.00 ERA in three starts with High-A Aberdeen before earning a promotion to Double-A Chesapeake, where he had a 2.32 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 12.4 K/9 rate over 42.2 innings.

The 6-foot-2 right-hander showcased the ability to command all four of his pitches for strikes at the upper level, missing bats at a high rate while keeping walks to a minimum. His fastball averaged around 95 mph, complemented by three secondary pitches: a low-80s slider, a mid-80s changeup, and an upper-80s cutter.

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MLB Pipeline had given Bragg a major league ETA of 2026 before the injury, but his debut will now be delayed until 2027 at the earliest. His Double-A sample size (nine games, eight starts) is still relatively small, and he has yet to appear in Triple-A, so the Orioles may opt to take it slow with the right-hander following a lengthy rehab process.

Baltimore also dealt with its share of season-ending elbow injuries last summer, losing major league starters John Means, Kyle Bradish, and Tyler Wells to Tommy John surgery.

Means is now working his way back to the mound as a member of the Cleveland Guardians. Bradish and Wells recently began rehab assignments with Baltimore’s minor league affiliates and, if all goes well, could rejoin the Orioles’ staff by the end of next month.