Colton Cowser’s rookie season went as well as the Orioles could have hoped.
The 2021 No. 5 overall pick emerged as a legitimate member of their burgeoning young core last year, slugging 24 home runs in 153 games and finishing runner-up to New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil in American League Rookie of the Year Award voting. He played stellar defense in left field to merit his selection as a Gold Glove Award finalist and became a fan favorite, inspiring milkman outfits and garnering “moos” after every big swing or leaping catch.
So, is it too much for them to ask for more in 2025?
Baltimore’s outfield has a different look heading into spring training than in years past. Cedric Mullins is still roaming center field, but his longtime teammates Anthony Santander and Austin Hays have both departed over the past seven months. Instead, the Orioles will look to Cowser and free-agent addition Tyler O’Neill to help ensure the club’s outfield remains a potent unit.
“You want to see other guys step up and hit for some more power,” manager Brandon Hyde said of replacing Santander at the Orioles’ Birdland Caravan fan event on Friday. “You’ve also got Tyler O’Neill, who had a nice power year the past few years. I think guys like [Heston] Kjerstad will have more opportunities, guys who have huge power. I think we’ll supplement it in other ways.”
While O’Neill and Kjerstad are expected to jostle for playing time at one of the corner outfield spots, Cowser, who will be a full participant in spring training after breaking his hand on a swinging strikeout in the Orioles’ season-ending loss in the wild-card round, will be a fixture in the lineup on an everyday basis if he can carry over — or improve upon — the results from his rookie campaign. He earned his way into the top half of the lineup down the stretch and a 30-homer season is well within reach if he can stay there.
Key to his ability to do so will be his success against left-handed pitchers, who held him to a .661 OPS last season, and any adjustments he can make to cut down on the 30.7% strikeout rate that ranked 127th out of 129 qualified hitters in 2024. With a sprint speed that puts him among the 75th percentile of base runners by Statcast’s estimations, Cowser also has room to improve on his stolen base total of nine from a year ago.
The Orioles’ decision to bring in the left field wall at Camden Yards could help him sneak a couple of extra home runs over the fence, but it will also force him to adjust his defensive approach if he remains their everyday left fielder.
“The wall, the way it was, was one of those situations where you knew when a ball was going to get out in that ballpark,” Cowser said. “I think this year is going to present a little bit — it’s going to be new challenges. There’s different nooks and crannies in the wall now and I know that the bullpen is more extended over, closer toward direct left, and there’s more balls hit over there. So, I think that it’s going to present challenges, and looking forward to seeing how it goes.”
Opening day candidates
Cowser, Mullins and O’Neill are locks to make the team and Kjerstad is likely to join them as a candidate for at-bats at designated hitter and potential platoon partner with O’Neill. The Orioles also have a pair of infielders, Ryan O’Hearn and Jorge Mateo, with experience in the outfield, likely preventing them from breaking camp with a fifth outfield-only bench player.
However, Mateo’s status for opening day is uncertain while he rehabilitates from August elbow surgery. Should he begin the season on the injured list, the Orioles have a pair of outfielders on the 40-man roster in Dylan Carlson (switch hitter) and Daz Cameron (right-handed) as well as nonroster invitees Nick Gordon (left) and Jordyn Adams (right) who could take his place.
The Orioles’ trio of Triple-A outfield prospects Dylan Beavers, Jud Fabian and Hudson Haskin will likely return to Norfolk for the start of the year and 2023 first-rounder Enrique Bradfield Jr. is expected to do the same at Double-A Chesapeake.
Biggest question
Will Tyler O’Neill stay on the field enough to make good on his new contract?
This winter, O’Neill became the first player to sign a multi-year contract with the Orioles in free agency since executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias took over in 2018. While the $49.5 million price tag represents a sizable commitment for Baltimore, O’Neill could wind up costing only a third of that total if he takes his player option next offseason.
O’Neill’s immediate departure would bring back many of the question marks in the Orioles’ outfield that were there before he signed, but it would also mean he stayed healthy and productive enough to forgo the remaining two years and reenter free agency. The 29-year-old has only once played over 130 games in a season and failed to crack 100 in 2022 and 2023 because of various injuries.
Yet he bounced back with a 31-homer season in Boston last year — in 113 games — and won’t be expected to play every day with the Orioles. Keeping O’Neill healthy will be paramount for the Orioles in maintaining balance in their lefty-heavy outfield and replacing a bulk of the power production left behind by Santander — even if it does wind up cutting his contract short.
X factor
Just how much Kjerstad will play this season remains to be seen, but the 2020 No. 2 overall pick is one of the most fascinating players on the Orioles’ roster entering spring training.
Despite being blocked for playing time at every turn over the past two years, Kjerstad has made the most of his opportunities, hitting .248 with six home runs and a .746 OPS in 52 games. He’s had bad injury luck, including being diagnosed with myocarditis as a prospect and a concussion last season that kept him off the field for six weeks.
Heading into his age-26 season, Kjerstad still faces a crowded depth chart that stands in his way of an everyday job. But even if he’s restricted to only facing right-handed pitchers early in the season, he’s still looking at his best opportunity yet to establish himself at the major league level. Should his Triple-A numbers be any indication — .924 OPS and 26 home runs in 132 games — the Orioles could have another piece to their young core on the cusp of a breakout.
Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/ByMattWeyrich.