A few weeks into spring training, there have already been a handful of surprises within Orioles camp.
Perhaps none has been more unexpected than the early showing from outfield prospect Vance Honeycutt. The former first-round pick currently leads the Grapefruit League with four home runs.
The most remarkable part: Honeycutt is not even assigned to major-league camp, and he has accomplished that feat in just four at-bats.
For Honeycutt, it is an encouraging development after a difficult 2025 season at High-A Aberdeen. The University of North Carolina product struggled in his first full professional campaign, hitting just .171 with five home runs and a .559 OPS.
It was a grueling stretch that often tested his confidence. Performances like the one he is having this spring can go a long way toward rebuilding belief.
It will also be interesting to see how Honeycutt carries that confidence into the upcoming minor-league season. If he returns to High-A, he will no longer have to contend with Aberdeen’s ballpark, a stadium widely known for suppressing offense.
Another pleasant surprise this spring has been outfielder Heston Kjerstad. Injuries and unfortunate setbacks have defined much of Kjerstad’s early professional career, which makes his strong start this spring particularly encouraging. In many ways, it resembles the type of production the Orioles envisioned when they selected him second overall in the 2020 draft.
In 17 spring at-bats, Kjerstad has collected six hits, including a home run and a double, good for a .977 OPS. It is a small sample size, but the underlying adjustments have been noticeable.
Kjerstad made significant mechanical changes to his swing this offseason, working with Matt Holliday, father of Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday and hitting coach with Team USA. The most visible change is a quieter lower half, with far less of the leg kick he previously used.
Early returns have been promising, especially considering much of this success has come against legitimate big-league pitching rather than the minor-league arms that often appear later in spring games.
Another storyline adding intrigue to the baseball calendar this spring is the World Baseball Classic. The tournament features a wide range of current and former Orioles throughout the field.
Fans are well aware of players such as Gunnar Henderson representing Team USA and Tyler O’Neill playing for Team Canada. But one former Orioles prospect delivered one of the tournament’s most memorable performances in its first day.
Right-hander Alex Wells, once a top pitching prospect in the O’s system, turned in a dominant outing for Team Australia. Wells appeared briefly in the majors with Baltimore during the 2021 and 2022 seasons and was always a compelling arm, even if it became clear his path to long-term MLB success would be challenging.
Against Chinese Taipei, Wells authored a remarkable performance. The left-hander delivered three hitless innings, allowing just one walk while striking out six. He finished his outing by striking out the final five batters he faced — and did so while sharing a roster with his twin brother, Lachlan, making the moment even more memorable.
For those looking for more Orioles representation in the WBC, Gunnar Henderson and Team USA will face Team Brazil on Friday night. Brazil’s roster also includes a familiar name to Birdland: former Baltimore reliever Thyago Vieira.
It is the kind of matchup that might make for a perfect — and obscure — Immaculate Grid answer someday.
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