Orioles call up elite prospect OF Colton Cowser

Colton Cowser, the No. 2 prospect in the Baltimore Orioles' farm system, is headed to New York to join the team at Yankee Stadium.

The Orioles promoted Cowser from Triple-A Norfolk among a number of moves Wednesday. They also selected the contract of right-hander Eduard Bazardo from Norfolk and designated catcher Anthony Bemboom and right-hander Chris Vallimont for assignment.

Cowser, ranked 14th among all minor-league prospects by MLB Pipeline, played 56 games at Norfolk this season. He slashed .330/.459/.537 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs.

Cowser, 23, missed two weeks with a left quad injury.

The fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Cowser played at Sam Houston and has a .305 average in 227 minor-league games.

Baltimore shortstop Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 pick in the draft last year, ranks first the MLB Pipeline Top 100.

Bazardo, 27, recorded a 1-0 mark with a 2.33 ERA in 14 relief appearances with the Boston Red Sox from 2021-22. He is 4-1 with two saves and a 3.54 ERA in 24 appearances (one start) this season with Norfolk.

Bemboom, 33, is 2-for-11 with two strikeouts in six games this season.

Vallimont, 26, allowed one hit in two-thirds of a scoreless inning in his MLB debut Monday against the Yankees.