Chris Tillman Set To Make Orioles Debut Wednesday

The wait is almost over. Roch Kubatko of MASN reported on Saturday that the Baltimore Orioles plan on recalling a pitcher from the minor leagues to start Wednesday night's game against the Kansas City Royals.

"It should be fun," manager Dave Trembley told reporters when asked about the move.

The reason it should be fun? Chris Tillman, the team's top prospect and Baseball America's 8th best prospect in MLB, will be making his debut. 

And who will Tillman face in his first big league start?  None other than one of best pitchers in baseball, Zack Greinke, making Camden Yards the place to be this Wednesday.

Remember the buzz that surrounded the debut of catcher Matt Wieters?  One of the largest crowd's of the season at 42,704 packed the yard to witness his arrival to the Orioles.  Expect the same feeling when the 6-foot 5-inch, 195 pound right-hander makes his first start.

The Orioles acquired Tillman in the Erik Bedard trade before last season that also brought 2009 All-Star centerfielder Adam Jones and 2008 All-Star closer George Sherrill to Baltimore.

So far this season, the 21 year-old has dominated at the triple-a level by compiling an 8-6 record with 2.70 ERA, while totaling 99 strikeouts in 96.2 innings with the Norfolk Tides.

The Mariners received more bad news on there side of that trade Saturday, as team officials began to wonder if Bedard was again injured when he left his start after only pitching three innings at home against the Indians.

While Brad Bergesen, David Hernandez, and Jason Berken, three of the team's young pitching prospects have already debuted this season. Tillman marks the first of the team's elite group to make the jump. It's only a matter of time before Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta join Tillman in Baltimore, giving the Orioles their best hope for success in the past decade.

The team seemed to have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to promote their top prospect to the big leagues, and what better time than a Wednesday night in July against one of the game's best?  Get your tickets now.