At the beginning of final season, Double-A Bowie supervisor Kyle Moore was tasked with determining easy methods to give correct enjoying time on the Baysox’s infield to Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg and Joey Ortiz.
In Henderson’s eyes, it gained’t be lengthy earlier than that job falls on Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde.
“The other two, they’re gonna make their big league debut, hopefully early this year,” Henderson mentioned, “if not from camp.”
The Orioles’ spring coaching roster consists of all six of their infielders who appeared in a Top 100 prospects record this offseason, with Henderson main most of these rankings after skyrocketing to the majors final yr. Westburg, Ortiz and Connor Norby completed final season at Triple-A Norfolk, with Coby Mayo ending the yr in Double-A. Only Jackson Holliday, the 2022 draft’s first general choose, arrived in camp with a 2023 main league debut probably out of attain.
That means Baltimore’s established infielders are getting an up-close take a look at the gamers who could possibly be difficult them for enjoying time and even roster spots all through the summer season. The Orioles will begin the season with Henderson, Adam Frazier, Jorge Mateo and Ramón Urías in a rotation of types at second, third and shortstop, with supervisor Brandon Hyde saying his present precedence is ensuring all of them make it via camp wholesome fairly than planning an actual breakdown of their regular-season enjoying time.
But it’s clear the arrivals of Westburg, Ortiz and Norby would alter these formulations.
“It’s the major leagues, so you’re judged every night on your performance,” Frazier mentioned. “Being round some time, you perceive that, so actually, you’ll be able to’t fear about them. You fear about your self and assist the blokes round you, be an excellent teammate and train them as a lot as you’ll be able to as a result of it’s what’s gonna assist the crew win each evening all through the season.
”It’s enjoyable for me to have the ability to work with a gaggle like these younger guys as a result of they’re actually good. … I’ll do my greatest to assist them out and attempt to advance their progress, make it as quick as attainable.”
Primarily a second baseman, Frazier, 31, is one in all solely two place gamers on the Orioles’ 40-man roster born earlier than 1994, alongside fellow offseason acquisition James McCann. With the New York Mets paying most of McCann’s wage as a part of Baltimore’s commerce settlement to accumulate the catcher, Frazier is the Orioles’ highest-paid place participant, signing a one-year deal for $8 million after posting a .612 OPS for Seattle in 2022. He and Henderson hit left-handed, whereas Mateo and Urías bat from the best aspect, giving Hyde the flexibility to deploy them with platoon benefits in thoughts. There’s additionally positional versatility within the group.
As he did as teammates with Westburg and Ortiz, Henderson will transfer between third and shortstop. Urías will do the identical with second and third, having joined Manny Machado and Brooks Robinson as the one Orioles to win a Gold Glove on the latter place. Rated as one in all baseball’s greatest shortstops final yr by many statistical measures, Mateo will primarily occupy that place however has a background as a utility participant. Frazier may additionally play the nook outfield if wanted.
“Being open to moving around the infield is the main thing,” Urías mentioned. “Leave your ego outside of it, and try to be ready, try to help the team win.”
That group is conscious of the expertise that’s coming, sharing a wall of lockers with most of the prime prospects within the Orioles’ Ed Smith Stadium clubhouse. Hyde is aware of, too, having been among the many employees at a growth camp simply earlier than spring coaching began that featured Norby, Mayo and Holliday.
“That was eye-opening, honestly, because of how talented these kids are,” Hyde mentioned. “They’re strong. They’re physical. They hit the ball really hard. They can run. It’s like this collective group of position players that all had good years the year before or two and are putting up really good minor league numbers.”
After posting a 1.026 OPS from July on, Ortiz — the Orioles’ fourth-round draft choose in 2019, two rounds behind Henderson — was added to the 40-man roster this offseason to guard him from the Rule 5 draft. The system’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2022, Westburg would possibly beat him to the majors, although, getting virtually 300 extra Triple-A plate appearances than Ortiz did final yr. Norby, who has additionally gotten a while within the outfield, led Baltimore minor leaguers with 29 house runs in his first skilled season after being chosen in 2021′s second spherical.
It’s probably the trio opens the yr as Norfolk’s beginning infield, although any harm throughout spring coaching to the established group may alter that.
“We’re just a lot more talented in this camp, and we have guys that had really good years at the upper levels last year that are on prospect lists and guys that we have high hopes for,” Hyde mentioned. “Never know what’s gonna happen in this game, and so depth is at a premium. Really excited with the talent that we have, but I think our guys are aware that we’re pretty talented right now. Hopefully, it pushes everybody.”
Urías mentioned his mentality is to maintain enhancing as a result of he is aware of these prospects are striving to debut. But regardless of that competitors, the gamers with main league expertise are nonetheless seeking to assist the others, and each other, develop.
“Just pushing each other to be the best they can possibly be, it ultimately helps you yourself become the best you can be,” Henderson mentioned. “Having that but also having the best intentions for the other player really helps out.”
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com