On The Baltimore Orioles’ Crazy Outfield Wealth
Although the Baltimore Orioles had abysmal 2018 and 2019 seasons, they proved in 2020 that they still can compete in the AL East, one of the toughest divisions in baseball. Despite their losing record of 25-35, there were many positives for the ball club going into the offseason. Talented, young pitchers performing well and the team ending the regular season with the seventh best batting average in the MLB, to name a couple. Most of all, the Orioles showed they have great depth and budding talent in the outfield.
The first player that comes to mind when you think of the young Orioles’ outfield is Anthony Santander. Although his season was cut short by an oblique strain midway through the season, he remained one of team’s top performers. When he was put on the injured list, he was at the top of the rankings in home runs and RBIs with 11 and 32 respectively. The 25-year-old had an OPS of .890 and 25 extra base hits in 153 at-bats. Furthermore, he used his strong throw to perform four outfield assists while only committing two errors at his primary position in right field.
The O’s were also pleased to see the breakout of Cedric Mullins in the final weeks of the season. The center fielder went through an early season slump and spent the majority of 2020 at Baltimore’s alternate site in Bowie. He was called back up to the major league club and immediately made an impact that he would carry until the season’s final game. Mullins hit .271 with 8 walks and 12 RBIs, most of which were obtained in the final six weeks of the season. He also hit 3 triples (tied for 2nd in the American League) and stole 7 bases. His defense was even more fun to watch. With 5 OAA, he was ranked 3rd in the MLB in the category, and he had a 95% success rate which was ranked 4th in the league. He had a fielding percentage of 1.000 and was deemed to be in the top 8% of the league in sprint speed by Statcast.
Another center-field star is the Orioles’ #6 prospect, Austin Hays. Deemed “Willie Mays Hays” for his athletic plays, he consistently provides stellar defense with 1.000 fielding percentage and 4 outfield assists and impressive speed on the bases. Hays went down in mid-August with a non-displaced rib fracture from he was hit by a pitch a week earlier and continued to play. He wasn’t initially injured off the HBP, but his continued activity in center field aggravated the area. During this week, Hays was amid a batting slump most likely due to the injury. Hays didn’t return from the injured list until September 14 against Atlanta. In the month of September, he hit 3 of his 4 home runs (the fourth was an inside-the-park-homerun against the Phillies) and was batting with an average of .377. Overall, he batted .279 with 9 RBIs and 2 stolen bases in 33 games. Austin Hays has proven he has the defensive prowess of stars such as Kevin Kiermaier and Mike Trout, but he still needs to work to prove his place at the top of the lineup.
One of most highly anticipated prospects for the Orioles, Ryan Mountcastle, was called up to the big leagues in late August and quickly proved he belongs there. In 35 games, Mountcastle had an average of .333 and an .878 OPS. He hit 5 HR and drove in 23 RBIs. While he played a few games at first base, he spent most of the season in left field where he carried a 1.000 fielding percentage. Mountcastle also ranked in the top 10 for batting average, home runs, RBIs, OPS, and hits among qualified rookies. He is a great player for the Orioles to build around.
Perhaps the O’s most important player, although he missed the 2020 season, is Trey Mancini. Mancini missed the season because he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer during 2019 Spring Training and was busy undergoing treatment. He recently finished chemotherapy and is hopeful he will return to play in 2021. Mancini has been an integral part of the Orioles lineup since his rookie debut in September 2016. In 2019, he was by far the best bat for the club with a .291 average and a slugging percentage of .535. He hit 35 HR and knocked in 97 runs. Although he was primarily a first baseman in the minors, he has spent much of his time in the majors in the outfield. In 2019, he played over 600 innings in right field where he only recorded his only error of the year. Despite being only 28, Mancini is considered one of the foremost leaders for the team and will be a key for the team upon his return.
Even with all these gifted players, the Orioles have a still have a large pool of other talented outfielders they could put into the field. The left-handed bat of DJ Stewart struggled early on in 2020. In fact, he was 0 for 17 when he began. Clearly, he decided that was enough and hit home runs in each of his following three at-bats beginning September 5. He would continue his tear and hit 5 additional dingers in the following week. In less than a month, Stewart had an OPS of .809 and 15 RBIs. While his season average may not look significant at .193, it’s important to consider that he spent a month at Baltimore’s alternate site to work on his swing. If Stewart can keep his hitting consistent, he will make a great addition to the Orioles lineup.
The organization also has super-utility player, Pat Valaika, available to play in the outfield. Although he is primarily an infielder, Valaika played some innings in left and right when players were being shifted around more towards the end of the season. He had limited at-bats but had a respectable average at .279. The most notable thing about Valaika is his clutch bat. In the 7th inning or late, he batted .508 and was responsible for the Orioles’ first walk-off win of the season. His fellow platoon player, Andrew Velazquez was an important addition for the Orioles as he picked up a lot of innings at shortstop due to a Jose Iglesias injury. Velazquez performed well defensively with a 1.000 fielding percentage and 4 stolen bases. However, his bat was less impressive with just a .159 batting average in limited appearances.
The O’s also have prospects Yusniel Diaz (#8 prospect) and Ryan McKenna (#20 prospect) to look for in the future. Both spent the 2020 season at the Orioles’ alternate training site and could possibly their debuts in 2021.
