The Orioles are two weeks away from the start of the 2018 season, a season in which the ball club will attempt to climb out of last place and regain the competitiveness that saw them reach the playoffs three times from 2012-16.
While the answers are beginning to sort themselves out, the same questions linger. Who will play right field, who’s the utility infielder, who will fill the three bullpen openings, and who will fill the final rotation spot when the orange carpet rolls out on March 29th?
When full squad workouts began on February 19th, the Orioles had over 60 players in camp. While that number has dwindled down to 42 as of Wednesday afternoon, there is still much work to be done in the quest to mold a 25-man roster.
Today, we’ll look at the right field situation.
Right Field
Named a finalist for Minor League Player of the Year in 2017, top prospect Austin Hays made his Major League debut for the Orioles on September 7th. Though Hays hit just .217 in 20 games, it is widely assumed to be only a matter of time before he earns a permanent promotion to the big leagues. Some projected him to even start in right field on Opening Day for the club.
Of course, projections are just that, and Hays suffered a shoulder injury early in camp. Though he has recovered, he is all but ticketed for the minor leagues after falling behind the rest of the competition.
Colby Rasmus, signed to a minor league contract on February 21st, has performed well this spring, batting .333 in 21 at-bats while playing solid defense in right field. Rasmus has all the tools that Buck Showalter loves: defense, speed, power, and an ability to play all three outfield spots.
Being able to spell Adam Jones–who can only benefit from more days off at this point in his career–is a huge plus for Rasmus and the ball club. Rasmus has done nothing to hurt his chances this spring, meaning he’ll more than likely be starting in right field on Opening Day.
Anthony Santander has been the highlight of the spring for the Orioles. His bat has been significant as Santander has posted a .349 average to go along with three homers and two doubles in a team-leading 43 at-bats. His 15 hits and 14 RBI are second only to Manny Machado on the team. Above all of that, Showalter has lauded Santander for the defense he has played this spring.
While the young switch-hitter was already all-but-guaranteed a roster spot due to his Rule V rollover from last season (the Orioles must keep him on the MLB roster for 44 days or risk losing him back to Cleveland), his performance has certainly made that spot earned rather than gifted. If his hot spring translates to the regular season, his stay will last significantly longer than 44 days.
Craig Gentry figures to make the club out of spring training as another outfielder off the bench, assuming Rasmus and Santander platoon in right field. Buck loves Gentry’s defense and base-running ability, referring to him as the team’s “secret weapon.” Gentry figures to provide depth as a pinch runner and late-game defensive replacement while picking up the occasional spot-start.
Of course, first baseman Chris Davis could have a lot to do with the Orioles’ outfield situation. Davis has been out since March 2nd with a flexor mass strain in his right forearm. Relegated to DH duties, Davis was shut down for a bit after the soreness failed to subside, and received a cortisone injection last weekend.
Though Davis has been swinging a bat recently, the projection of his return this weekend looks less and less likely and there is a slight chance that he could begin the season on the disabled list.
The reason this impacts the outfield is because left fielder Trey Mancini has been playing first base in Davis’ absence, which has allowed the Orioles to play Santander in left and Rasmus in right in the same lineup. Should Davis begin the season on the DL, Santander and Rasmus could both conceivably be thrust into full-time roles, with Gentry gaining more playing time as a fourth outfielder. All of this could mean Danny Valencia makes the team out of spring training, but we’ll talk about him in a later post.
The Orioles’ outfield situation, particularly right field, was a huge question mark back in February. Now, with just two weeks remaining until Opening Day, the dust has begun to settle and the Orioles seem to have some exciting players at both the major and minor league levels.
Hays could be in Baltimore for good as early as this summer. Cedric Mullins, defensively, is clearly major league-ready and his base-running ability and overall instincts have caught the attention of anybody who’s been watching down in Sarasota. Once his bat catches up to the rest of his game–and it should˗-watch out.
D.J. Stewart had a solid spring for the Orioles after putting together his best and most consistent season in the minors last season. Drafted in the first round in 2015, Stewart’s on-base capabilities, developing power, and ability to swipe a bag or two have caught Buck’s attention. Of course, being a left-handed corner outfielder also helps Stewart’s cause.
Right field, and the outfield as a whole, could potentially become a strength for this ball club in 2018 and beyond, which is something we couldn’t say back in mid-February. Next time, we’ll take a look at the Orioles utility infielder situation and see if we can clear out some of the fog surrounding this less-than-flashy, but highly crucial role player for the club.
All photos: GulfBird Sports/Craig Landefeld
