The Baltimore Orioles have been the class of the minor leagues for nearly half a decade.
With three consecutive top prospects (Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday) and an up-and-coming one in Samuel Basallo, the Orioles’ riches made them the envy of many organizations.
The prospects are brought in with expectations but also with proper mentorship and teaching to carry themselves in a proper manner, one in which some would even call “The Oriole Way.”
Minor League Baseball has implemented a new honor that is awarded to the organization whose minor league personnel best exemplify MiLB’s commitment to sportsmanship and professionalism on the field.
The Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, Miami Marlins and Milwaukee Brewers were all selected as finalists for the award, with the Orioles becoming the first organization to win the prestigious honor.
“From top to bottom throughout the season, the Orioles organization stood out for their professionalism on the field and the respect shown to umpires, opponents and fans,” said Michael Hill, MLB’s Senior Vice President of On-Field Operations. “We appreciate their efforts and are pleased to recognize them with this well-deserved honor.”
MLB organizations work closely with their personnel to create a positive environment on and off the field, while stressing the importance of developing professionals. The Orioles’ four affiliates (the Norfolk Tides, Chesapeake Baysox, Aberdeen IronBirds and Delmarva Shorebirds) set the standard in a competitive environment for sportsmanship.
The Orioles’ minor league teams surprisingly had no player, manager or coach suspended for, or missed, any game due to on-field conduct.
“We are proud to be recognized by Minor League Baseball with the inaugural MiLB Sportsmanship Award, as this is a credit to our players, our coaches, our support staff and everyone in between, showcasing their positive energy and the effort they bring to their jobs every single day,” said Anthony Villa, director of player development.
“We pride ourselves on building a strong learning environment that helps people grow and believe that displaying exemplary behavior is an important aspect of that standard,” said Villa.
The Orioles organization has set the standard on the farm. Now, it’s time to carry that on to the bigs and continue the tradition of “The Oriole Way.”
What are your thoughts on the Orioles organization receiving this honor? 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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