Orioles to give 23-year-old right-hander Trey Gibson big league debut Sunday against Yankees

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NEW YORK (AP) — Trey Gibson, a 23-year-old right-hander ranked as the Baltimore Orioles' No. 3 prospect, will be brought up Sunday to start against the New York Yankees in his major league debut.

Gibson had a 4.66 ERA in 9 2/3 innings during three spring training appearances with the Orioles this year, then was 2-2 with a 4.01 ERA in six starts at Triple-A Norfolk, striking out 25 and walking 12 in 24 2/3 innings.

“It’s going to be a fun day for him,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said before Saturday's 9-4 loss to the Yankees. “I just want to tell him when I see him to embrace the moment, have some fun with it. He's put a lot of work in throughout his whole life to get to this point and he has great stuff. And I want him to trust his stuff and be the best version of him.”

Gibson averaged 93.6 mph with his four-season fastball and 93 mph with his sinker at Norfolk this year. He threw six different pitches: sinkers 29.5%, four-seamers and cutters 18.3% each, curveballs 18.1%, sliders 11% and sweepers 4.8%.

“You can’t be a starter in the minor leagues, never mind the big leagues, without having more than a fastball,” Albernaz said.

Gibson was bypassed in the 2023 amateur draft after attending Liberty University, where he was suspended for his junior season.

He played summer ball for the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod League, going 1-3 with a 10.24 ERA in four starts and seven relief appearances. The 6-foot-5 pitcher signed a minor league contract with the Orioles for a $150,000 bonus.

Gibson pitched in one game that year for the Florida Complex League Orioles, then split 2024 at Class A Delmarva and High A Aberdeen. He moved up to Double-A Chesapeake last June 3 and Norfolk on Aug. 12, finishing the season with 166 strikeouts and 44 walks in 120 1/3 innings at the three levels.

Baltimore will have to make a move to open a spot on its active roster but has space on its 40-man roster to select Gibson's contract from Norfolk.

Before Saturday's game against the Yankees, the Orioles activated left-hander Dietrich Enns from the 15-day injured list after he recovered from an infected left foot, recalled left-hander Nick Raquet from Triple-A Norfolk, optioned right-hander Tyler Wells to the Tides and designated right-hander Albert Suárez for assignment.

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