If you’re a Baltimore Orioles fan, there is plenty to be excited about heading into the 2024 season.
From having the best AL record last season to the top farm system in baseball, the positives outweigh the negatives by leaps and bounds.
Coming into spring training, the Orioles were ready to showcase some more of their system talent, possibly bringing some of it north to Baltimore from Sarasota.
One area that seemed pretty well set was the outfield, where Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander are considered the everyday starters.
Based on Jorge Mateo and his ability to become a super utility player, that would leave one or potentially two spots open to secure the final spots.
Ryan McKenna is out of options, and Sam Hilliard was picked up by the Colorado Rockies off waivers. That left Heston Kjerstad, Colton Cowser and Kyle Stowers remaining.
Of course, there are many in Birdland who still have a sore spot for McKenna after last season’s fly ball fiasco in Boston, but overall, he had a decent season and went on to have good minor league season once Cowser and Kjerstad were called up.
Most of Birdland was ready to embrace the spring battle between Kjerstad and Cowser for the final outfield spot, but then Kyle Stowers burst back onto the scene to show everyone that he is a force to be reckoned with.
Below, we will go over how Kjerstad, Cowser and Stowers could each make the Opening Day roster and how they could start the season in Triple-A Norfolk.
Heston Kjerstad – Orioles’ No. 5 / MLB Pipeline’s No. 32 prospect
What was supposed to be the coming out party for Kjerstad has gone horribly wrong this spring.
Known for his contact and ability to spray the ball to all fields, Kjerstad has struggled to find his groove, striking out in 27% of his plate appearances.
At this point, outside of injuries to Cowser and Stowers, there really does not seem to be a clear path for Kjerstad to make the Opening Day roster.
The good news is that the season is 162 games, and there will be ample time for Kjerstad to right the ship and boost his value once again.
Honestly, the stats and a costly error in right field have stood out for Kjerstad. The good news is that his upside is tremendous, and once he gets going, he is one of the most dangerous hitters in the Orioles’ system.
Kjerstad will also be able to work on his defense in Norfolk, which is above average normally. He does have an outfield assist when playing left this spring, but his future is probably in right.
Colton Cowser – Orioles’ No. 3 / MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 prospect
Cowser took to heart his struggles in the majors last season and went to work immediately this spring.
After slashing .300/.417/.520 with 17 home runs across 87 games last season in the minors, Cowser re-established himself as a top prospect and was considered one of the top outfield prospects to compete for a roster spot.
Cowser has come out with authority and jumped out as the front runner of the three young ballplayers.
The Sam Houston product has slashed .364/.488/.758 with four home runs, nine RBIs, eight runs scored, six walks and 12 total hits across 13 spring games.
His offense has been the talk of the spring season, but his defense has quietly been strong as well.
Barring an injury, Cowser has the strongest chance of making the Opening Day roster and even has a shot at starting while Anthony Santander is the DH.
Kyle Stowers
Kyle Stowers was a victim of the numbers and struggled in the first half last season. After surpassing 45 games (played 48) to lose his prospect status, Stowers never really got to show off his talent.
Stowers did slash .275/.388/.566 with 21 home runs across 75 games with Triple-A Norfolk once he recovered from a shoulder injury and a broken nose.
Stowers took the offseason to improve his offensive game, and it’s shown so far in Grapefruit League action. This spring, the lefty slugger has slashed .297/.316/.865 with seven home runs and 13 RBIs across 16 games.
Once believed to be forgotten and even considered a trade piece, Stowers has once again shown why he was the 2021 organizational Minor League Co-Player of the Year.
If Cowser was not having the spring he was, Stowers would most likely be the front runner for the final outfield spot. With Jorge Mateo most likely a super utility player, Stowers would need to be perfect or have an injury occur to make the team.
While it appears that Cowser is securing the spot to make the team, the season is 162 games, and I’m sure each one will have the opportunity to shine.
There’s less than two weeks until Opening Day. Will Cowser continue to secure his spot, or will Stowers and Kjerstad turn the tide and force their way onto the team?
Who do you think heads north with the club? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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