For eight players from the Orioles organization, the 2024 Arizona Fall League provided some nice high-level additional experience. Not only did they play on a Surprise Saguaros team that had the best record in the six-team league at 18-10, they played in the AFL championship game.

Salt River beat Surprise 3-2, but players got in extra work the last few weeks that could benefit them down the road.

The Fall League experience was also nice for Surprise manager Roberto Mercado, who managed the Orioles High-A Aberdeen teams in 2022 and 2023 and was skipper this past season at Double-A Bowie.

The Baysox were 62-75 this season. Aberdeen went 147-120 in his two seasons there, advancing to the playoffs in a 2022 season which ended with Mercado being named the O’s Cal Ripken Sr. Player Development Award winner.

A former head coach at New Britian High School in Connecticut, who has several years' experience also coaching in the Cape Cod League, Mercado managed an AFL team featuring prospects from the Orioles, Astros, Guardians, Royals and Rangers.

For former Oriole Al Bumbry, the 1973 American League Rookie of the Year, it was a wonderfully deserved honor.

At their 34^th annual banquet last Saturday, the Middle Atlantic Scouts Association honored Bumbry, now 77, with their “A Life in Baseball” award.

The man known as “the Bee” has had quite a life in the sport indeed. A ROY award, a 14-year career (13 as an Oriole), an O’s World Series title in 1983 and named an Orioles Hall of Famer in 1987. He was also a MLB coach for three teams, including the 1995 Orioles.

His 252 stolen bases rank third most in O’s history behind only Brady Anderson and Brian Roberts. He is third on the club’s all time triples list (holding the team record once hitting three in one game), ranks eight in runs scored and 10^th in games played.

A great Oriole we know now.

With eight players, a manager and a strength coach from the Orioles organization, the Surprise Saguaros are chasing an Arizona Fall League championship.

The six-team AFL will see its regular season end tomorrow. On Friday, the second and third place teams meet in a playoff semi-final game. The winner will advance to meet the No. 1 seed on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET.

After a loss yesterday, Surprise remains in first place at 16-10 (.615) by one game over Glendale and Salt River (both 16-12, .571) with two to play. These are the likely playoff teams.

Surprise is managed by Roberto Mercado, who managed the O's Double-A Bowie team this year. 

A look at the eight O’s organization players on the Surprise roster:

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