We break down which positions have the best depth to withstand the coming trades.
It’s July 1st, which means we’re now 30 days from this season’s ultimate day of reckoning: the 2025 MLB trade deadline. The Orioles are in a bit of a limbo in that there are reasons to be both buyers and sellers. Depending how Baltimore plays over the next month, 2025 may prove to be a lost cause. However, that doesn’t change the expectation that the Orioles will try to be contenders once again in 2026.
Before the actual trades start popping off like Fourth of July fireworks, it’s important to understand how potential trades this month could impact the foundation this O’s organization will use to return to contender status next season.
By now, I’m sure most of you are aware that players like Cedric Mullins, Ryan O’Hearn and Zach Eflin are all free agents after this season. What may be less clear is how well prepared the Orioles are to replace those guys with internal prospects, and what positions they’ll need to target as trade compensation should they decide to sell.
With an eye toward later this month as well as next season, let’s break down which O’s are guaranteed to survive the deadline, which could be on the move this month and who might step up once they’re gone.
Catcher
Under team control for 2026: Adley Rutschman, Maverick Handley, Chadwick Tromp
Expiring contract(s): Gary Sánchez
Top prospect(s): Samuel Basallo (Orioles No. 1, MLB No. 14)
The plan at catcher going forward seems pretty simple. Adley (once healthy) and El Gary will remain the preferred tandem, with Handley and Tromp ready to step up as needed. Then, after the benefit of a full season in Triple-A, the 21-year-old Basallo will assume a hybrid backup catcher/DH role in 2026.
The only complicating factor here is the scorching hot play of Sánchez. The Kraken is hitting .327 with an OPS over 1.000 in his last 15 games, potentially positioning himself as the top available catcher at the deadline. Given Adley and Handley’s injury woes, Mike Elias would probably prefer holding onto Sánchez, but he may receive an offer too good to refuse.
Corner infielders
Under team control for 2026: Ryan Mountcastle, Ramón Urías, Emmanuel Rivera, Coby Mayo
Expiring contract(s): Ryan O’Hearn
Top prospect(s): Creed Willems (Orioles No. 11)
With Mayo starting to acclimate to the big leagues and Urías providing quality production offensively and defensively, the O’s have survived the loss of Mountcastle. What’s less clear is how they’ll survive a potential trade of O’Hearn.
Turn and Burn O’Hearn seems like the player most likely to be traded and the one the Orioles are least prepared to replace. When it comes to left-handed hitting 1B prospects, the only one of note is Willems—who has excellent power, but is only hitting .229 with the Baysox this season.
Basallo also has experience playing first base and certainly fits the bill of a player who can replace O’Hearn’s power in the lineup. However, asking the O’s top prospect to replace both Sánchez and O’Hearn’s production is too lofty of an expectation. If they trade ROH, in a separate deal, they’ll need to add a major league-ready or near-ready lefty bat.
Middle infielders
Under team control for 2026: Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg
Expiring contract(s): Jorge Mateo (team option)
Top prospect(s): Griff O’Ferrall (Orioles No. 7)
The Orioles’ starting infield should be solid for the next 5+ years. Henderson, Westburg and now Holliday have proven themselves as everyday players who will continue to hit in the top half of the O’s lineup in perpetuity.
Baltimore does have a sneaky need when it comes to replenishing their infield depth. Jorge Mateo has a $5.5M team option for 2026, which I can’t imagine the O’s picking up given his injury history and age.
Top prospect O’Ferrall, the 32nd pick in the 2024 draft, is still finding his footing at High-A and probably won’t be ready for the majors until at least 2027. If/when the O’s send out O’Hearn, Mullins and/or one of their starting pitchers, don’t be surprised if they take back a major-league-ready infielder to replenish their depth.
Outfielders
Under team control for 2026: Colton Cowser, Ramón Laureano (team option), Tyler O’Neill (opt-out), Dylan Carlson, Heston Kjerstad
Expiring contract(s): Cedric Mullins
Top prospect(s): Enrique Bradfield Jr. (Orioles No. 2), Dylan Beavers (Orioles No. 5)
With each passing day, it seems more and more likely that Laureano-LF, Cowser-CF, O’Neill-RF will be the O’s Opening Day outfield in 2026. Laureano has a $6.5M team option that the Orioles would be foolish not to pick up, while O’Neill has an opt-out he’d be foolish to use given his injury-riddled 2025.
Before the 2025 season began, it appeared Mike Elias & Co. were prepared to let Mullins play out his contract before letting him walk and replacing him with EBJ. However, the O’s top pick from the 2023 draft is only hitting .240 at Chesapeake this year and now seems more like a late 2026/early 2027 call-up. Beavers, on the other hand, is slashing .309/.402/.477 at Norfolk and seems ready to step into the fourth outfielder role next season.
Unless the perfect opportunity arises, adding outfielders at the deadline shouldn’t be a priority. Depending on what Heston Kjerstad does the rest of the year at Norfolk, look for the front office to try and find the next Laureano this offseason in free agency.
Starting pitchers
Under team control for 2026: Dean Kremer, Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Tyler Wells, Cade Povich
Expiring contract(s): Zach Eflin, Tomoyuki Sugano, Charlie Morton
Top prospect(s): Chayce McDermott (Orioles No. 3)
How the front office addresses the starting rotation is the biggest conundrum the Orioles face, and there are no straightforward answers. Given how in-demand pitching always is at the deadline, it’d be malpractice by Elias to not move on from Eflin, Sugano and Morton if he’s not going to offer them extensions.
But then what? Bradish, Wells and Povich could all be back by late July/early August. However, putting yourself in a position where 60% of your rotation relies on two guys coming off UCL injuries and the shaky Cade Povich is a frightening plan—whether the O’s are still pushing for a Wild Card or not.
Elias will undoubtedly be targeting more Rogers-like moves, going after undervalued starters with multiple years of team control that can replenish this organization’s starting pitching depth. However, a secondary objective for this trade deadline should be acquiring prospects that can be flipped for established starter(s) this offseason.