The Chesapeake Baysox left-handed starter Caden Hunter was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for July 28 through Aug. 2, 2026, after striking out 10 batters across seven shutout innings in his Double-A debut against the Altoona Curve.
Minor League Baseball announced the honor Aug. 3. Hunter allowed one hit, walked two and threw 89 pitches, including 61 strikes, in Wednesday afternoons outing in Altoona against the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Caden Hunter Shines in Double-A Debut
Hunter carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Altoonas Lonnie White Jr. broke it up with a two-out single. The outing matched Hunters professional career high with 10 strikeouts.
He was perfect through his first four innings and struck out five batters during that stretch, including the side in the third inning. He opened the fifth by issuing consecutive four-pitch walks, then retired nine of the final 10 batters he faced. Whites single was the only hit Hunter allowed as he completed the seven-inning outing without surrendering a run.
Hunter Earns Eastern League Recognition
Hunter tied for the joint-longest start among Eastern League pitchers during the award period and recorded the most strikeouts in a start by an Eastern League pitcher during the week. The honor followed his promotion to Double-A Chesapeake after he began the season with Single-A Delmarva and pitched for High-A Frederick.
Across three levels in 2026, Hunter has a 4-1 record, a 1.32 ERA, 112 strikeouts and 33 walks in 75 innings. Opponents are batting .149 against him, and he ranks second among Orioles minor leaguers in strikeouts.
MLB.com ranks Hunter as the Orioles No. 11 prospect. The Orioles drafted him in the sixth round of the previous years MLB Draft out of the University of Southern California. Hunter began his college career with two seasons at Sierra Junior College before transferring to USC.
Third Chesapeake Baysox Player to Win Award in 2026
Hunter is the third Chesapeake Baysox player to win Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors in 2026. Left-hander Luis De León received the award July 13, while right-hander Trace Bright won it April 27. Both have since been promoted to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides.
Hunter Set for Prince Georges Stadium Debut
Hunter is the probable Chesapeake starter for the series opener against the Harrisburg Senators at Prince Georges Stadium. Chesapeake and Harrisburg begin a seven-game series Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. in Bowie, Maryland.
The Harrisburg Senators are the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Single-game tickets, ticket plans and group offers for the 2026 season are on sale through the Chesapeake Baysox.
Maryland Sports Blog Analysis
Hunters award recognizes a strong first appearance at the Double-A level. His seven shutout innings, one hit allowed and 10 strikeouts came after he moved through Delmarva and Frederick earlier in the season. His upcoming start at Prince Georges Stadium will provide his first opportunity to pitch at the Chesapeake Baysox home venue. The 1.32 ERA and .149 opponents batting average he has produced across three levels offer context for his promotion and Eastern League recognition.
Source: MiLB.com report on Caden Hunter
