Are the Orioles strong enough defensively? | MAILBAG

Question: The Orioles’ defense could hurt the team in 2026. Colton Cowser in center is passable, Tyler O’Neill in right (when available) has a good arm but doesn’t cover ground, and Taylor Ward won’t cover the territory needed in a big left field. The backups are better than the starters. The outfield in summary is more bat than D.

The infield is good on the left side with Gunnar at short and Westburg at third, but Jackson Holliday is limited in range and his backhand side opens up the middle of the field. Ryan Mountcastle is good at first but how much will he be there? The young guys behind him are works in progress. Adley is solid but injury and wear-down factors are concerning. Infield is better than the outfield but less than bulletproof.

In summary, the Orioles D, as envisioned, doesn’t excite me and my question is: Does it simply have too many holes? From: Bill Connor

Answer: Bill, that’s quite a detailed summation, and I’m not sure I agree with it.

I don’t know if Colton Cowser is going to be the regular centerfielder, but his defensive metrics in the outfield are strong. I’d be more concerned about his strikeouts than his defense. You’re forgetting about Dylan Beavers, whose defense improved markedly in the six weeks he was with the Orioles. I think he can be a plus-defender.

Taylor Ward’s defensive metrics aren’t strong, but with Cowser and Beavers, perhaps the outfield defense won’t be bad.

As for Jackson Holliday, he was playing his first full season at second base, and I think he’ll improve.

I keep reminding readers that there are many offseason moves still to be made, and another outfielder could be signed.

Question: What do you think of Griff O’Ferrall? Do you think he will progress up the farm system and be a starter in the big leagues? From: Ryan Parr

Answer: Ryan, for fans who don’t know, infielder Griff O’Ferrall was the 32^nd overall pick in the 2023 draft. Unfortunately, the 22-year-old’s stock has fallen and he’s not listed among the Orioles’ top 30 prospects in MLB Pipeline.

He didn’t hit well in 2025, a .226 average with a .618 OPS in 111 games at High-A Aberdeen with four home runs and 38 RBIs. He hit .250 (9-for-36) in a late-season promotion to Double-A Chesapeake.

I’ve only seen him play briefly in Grapefruit League games, so I can’t offer an opinion. I think that 2026 will be an important year for O’Ferrall. The Orioles have a lot invested in him, and he needs to produce at Double-A to increase his chances at the big league level.

Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.