Welcome to another edition of the Orioles Beat newsletter. The O’s will play two more games vs. the Rockies this weekend before welcoming the American League East rival Blue Jays to town for a series featuring four games in three days (including Tuesday’s split doubleheader). |
BALTIMORE -- During the first half of 2024, Kyle Stowers was still struggling to stick in the big leagues with the Orioles. The outfielder had frequently been shuttled between Baltimore and Triple-A Norfolk for parts of three seasons. At one point last year -- before Stowers was moved from the O’s to the Marlins in a July 30 Trade Deadline deal -- he had a conversation in Triple-A with then-prospect Coby Mayo, who had yet to reach the big leagues. It’s a talk Mayo can still recite the contents of today. “Would you rather be in the big leagues and not playing much or be down in Triple-A and playing every day?” Mayo asked. “I think being in the big leagues is very valuable, even if you’re not playing,” Stowers replied. “Just learning and being able to watch the game and be around the coaches.” It proved to be true, as Stowers used what he learned while in the Majors from 2022-24 in Baltimore -- as well as in the second half of ‘24 in Miami -- to have a breakout ‘25 season, one in which he was named a National League All-Star. “Look what’s happened with him,” Mayo said. “He got the opportunity this year, and he’s gone out there and crushed it.” |
Now, Mayo is in a similar position to the one Stowers faced early in his Orioles tenure. Mayo got his first callup to the big leagues last Aug. 2, then was sent back to Triple-A 13 days later. Mayo (a 2020 fourth-round Draft pick) is currently in his fourth stint in the big leagues. The 23-year-old corner infielder hasn’t been on the field a ton of late, appearing in six of Baltimore’s past 14 games and getting five starts and 16 plate appearances in that span. He capitalized on an opportunity to play Friday, though, hitting his second MLB homer during a 6-5 loss to Colorado. When Stowers’ Marlins came to Baltimore from July 11-13, Mayo had one plate appearance during the three-game series. The two were among a group of players to get dinner at a sushi restaurant on July 12, and Mayo brought up the conversation he and Stowers had last year. Stowers doubled down, with his personal story being proof that days in the Majors can be valuable even without consistent playing time. “He’s only getting a few at-bats a week, but those at-bats are more meaningful than everyday at-bats in Triple-A, personally,” Stowers said. “That was just my thought where I was at when I was kind of doing the up-and-down thing.” |
Last month, Mayo seemed to be settling in. Over 11 games from June 14-30, he batted .306 (11-for-36) with four doubles, his first big league home run and eight RBIs. Mayo has started July by going 2-for-16 (.125) with four walks and three strikeouts through eight games. Not every top prospect avoids a return to the Minor Leagues after reaching The Show. It may have happened for Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson in 2022, but for other young O’s players -- such as Jackson Holliday, Colton Cowser, Mayo and others -- the development doesn’t always stay on an upward trend. “We saw how quickly Rutsch and Gunnar got adjusted to the big league level,” Stowers said. “I think you just look around the league and you see so many guys that it’s really in their late 20s that they start to figure things out. Not that Coby is going to have to wait until then or whatever, but it’s just sometimes we think we’re all running this race, and you’re not against each other. “You’re just running your own race. We’re all learning and growing at our own pace.” Stowers, in fact, firmly believes Mayo is on the right track to becoming an everyday player soon. “He doesn’t need to go and reinvent the wheel. He doesn’t need to change everything about him to become a good Major League player,” Stowers said. “It’s in there. And it’s just time.” |
So for now, Mayo will take advantage of the playing time he gets and learn from the at-bats, the reps at first base and the pregame work with the big league staff. Perhaps the in-game opportunities will increase following Thursday’s Trade Deadline, when the Orioles (45-58) will sell and could move some key position players. No matter what happens, Mayo will keep a positive outlook, much like his friend Stowers. “You can look at it in a negative way and say, ‘I’m not playing,’ and not have the right attitude, so when you actually get in there, you’re not going to be ready for the opportunity,” Mayo said. “Or you can look at it, ‘I’m not playing today, but I’m going to get a little bit better and see if there’s a pinch-hit opportunity or someone gets hurt,’ or you just never know what happens.” |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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On Thursday, the Orioles announced the signing of Slater de Brun, an 18-year-old outfielder out of Summit High School (Bend, Ore.) who was taken with the No. 37 overall selection in the 2025 MLB Draft. According to a source, de Brun signed for $4 million -- well above the slot value of $2.63 million for that pick. The reason Baltimore had to go above slot was because de Brun was committed to play at Vanderbilt University. The O’s were well positioned to do so because of their $19,144,500 bonus pool -- the largest for any team since the bonus-pool era began in 2012 -- and their ability to sign some of their later picks under slot. The Orioles have signed all seven players they took on Day 1 of the Draft. |
The first 15,000 fans for Monday’s 6:35 p.m. ET game vs. the Blue Jays at Camden Yards will receive a Jordan Westburg bobblehead.
Tickets remain on sale at orioles.com/tickets.
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