BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles have called up infielder Gunnar Henderson, considered by many prognosticators to be one of the best minor-league hitters in baseball.
The 21-year-old arrives one night after the Orioles were held to one hit against the Cleveland Guardians.
In two corresponding moves, the team optioned Tyler Nevin to the AAA Norfolk Tides and designated reliever Denyi Reyes for assignment to clear a spot on the club’s 40-man roster.
A second-round draft pick in 2019, Henderson has quickly risen through the Orioles’ farm system, playing in both AA Bowie and AAA Norfolk this season.
He absolutely mashed with the AA Baysox, hitting .312 with 8 home runs and 35 RBI in 47 games. Impressively, he had more walks than strikeouts.
Following a promotion to the AAA Tides, Henderson continued to hit, putting up a .288 batting average with 11 home runs and 41 RBI in 65 games.
Although his natural position is shortstop, Henderson has played minor-league 83 games at third base, and the Tides have tried him out at second base and first base in recent games.
MASN Sports’ Roch Kubatko reported Tuesday night that Henderson and lefty pitcher DL Hall were flying to Cleveland to join Baltimore’s taxi squad. The thought was both would be added on Sept. 1, when MLB rosters expand.
Since he is joining the roster before September, Henderson will be eligible for the postseason if the Orioles are able to capture one of the three American League wild card spots. Going into Wednesday night’s game, Baltimore is three games back.
Henderson was taken in the same draft class as catcher Adley Rutschman. And after Rutschman was called up to the majors in May, and Henderson continued his torrid hitting, many publications placed the infielder at the top of prospect lists, a spot previously held by the 24-year-old catcher.
Baseball American ranked him as the No. 1 prospect in the game in August. MLB Pipeline has Henderson at No. 2.