Orioles have intriguing outfield prospects, but need outside help for 2027

The 2026 season wasn’t a good one for Oriole outfielders. They didn’t have an outfielder who hit 15 home runs, drove in 60 runs or batted over .230.

Taylor Ward, their most productive outfielder, was traded to Seattle on August 3^rd after hitting .246 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs. Ward hit 36 home runs in 2025 for the Los Angeles Angels, who traded him to the Orioles for starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez last November.

Ward, who did have a .383 on-base average with the Orioles, thanks to 87 walks, imploded with the Mariners and hit just .125 in 32 games.

He’ll be a free agent next month, and it would be surprising if he were back in Baltimore in 2027.

Colton Cowser led Oriole outfielders with 13 home runs but drove in only 40 runs and hit .226 with a .687 OPS. Two of those home runs were walk-off homers on consecutive days. They were the only two game-ending home runs by the Orioles this season.

While those numbers were better than the ones he compiled in an injury-riddled 2025 season, they weren’t good enough to guarantee him a full-time job with the Orioles next season.

He needs to play more—and hit better—against left-handers. Cowser hit only .158 (9-for-57) facing lefties.

Cowser’s defense was outstanding, but he didn’t play enough games in center field to qualify for the Gold Glove Award. He was in center for 94 games, in right for 26 and left for 10.

After stealing 14 bases without being thrown out in 2025, Cowser stole 10, tied for second-most on the team. He was thrown out four times.

The Orioles expected more from another left-handed hitter, Dylan Beavers, who hit .228 with a .680 OPS, nine home runs and 44 RBIs.

Beavers’ first full season in the major leagues was interrupted by seven weeks on the injured list with a strained right oblique.

He played more games in left (48) than right (35) and also started eight games in center.

The Orioles hoped for better from Beavers, who had a .775 OPS in his 35-game trial in late 2025.

Tyler O’Neill, in the second year of his three-year, $49.5 million contract, was marginally better. Appearing in 85 games, 31 more than in 2025, O’Neill hit .216 with 10 home runs and 23 RBIs. His OPS actually dropped from .684 in 2025 when he hit .199, to .677 in 2026.

O’Neill was on the concussion injured list in April and missed the final five weeks of the season when he suffered a right shoulder injury making a game-saving catch in right field.

The biggest surprise in the outfield was Leody Taveras leading the group with 56, trailing Pete Alonso (113), Coby Mayo (63) and Gunnar Henderson (60). Taveras played 139 games, leading all outfielders, but batted only .219 with a .633 OPS. He led the team with 11 steals and was thrown out four times.

After signing a $3 million contract and compiling a 0.0 WAR, Taveras might not be offered a contract next month. The Orioles might think those stats don’t merit the raise he’s likely to command in arbitration.

It’s certainly possible that Beavers, Cowser and O’Neill will be back in 2027, and it’s also possible that Blaze Alexander, who played 22 games in the outfield, will play there more often in 2027.

The Orioles hope there’s an infield logjam with the return of Jordan Westburg and playing time needed for Coby Mayo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand.

There’s been chatter about Mayo playing the outfield before and his late-season power could convince the team to try him there in spring training. But if there’s a shortened spring because of an expected lockout, that could dampen the team’s enthusiasm for a switch.

It was a lost season for Heston Kjerstad, whose future with the Orioles is in doubt. The overall No. 2 draft choice in 2020, had just 19 at-bats in September action.

Kjerstad, who injured his right hamstring late in spring training, was on the injured list until mid-May and languished at Triple-A Norfolk until his September callup. He was again optioned on September 19^th, and recalled four days later.

It’s likely the Orioles will try to find a new home for Kjerstad this fall since he has no options remaining.

While Kjerstad stayed at Norfolk, Christian Franklin got his first big league exposure. Franklin was obtained from Washington at the trade deadline, and hit .180 in 21 games.

The Orioles also obtained Rece Hinds on August 3^rd, and he hit .179 in 12 games, striking out in 13 of his 28 at-bats and playing poorly in right field.

Franklin, Hinds and Kjerstad are still on the 40-man roster as is Luis Robert Jr.

President of baseball operations Mike Elias was excited that the Orioles were able to claim Robert off waivers from the New York Mets on August 31^st, making him eligible for postseason play.

Robert was hurt quickly, suffering a left hamstring injury that ended his season after just three games.

The Orioles are expected to buy out Robert for $2 million instead of picking up his $20 million option for 2027.

Reed Trimble was surprisingly added to the Orioles’ 40-man roster last November, but he spent nearly all his season on the injured list. Trimble, who was a second-round draft choice in 2021, played in only 32 minor league games, 15 for Norfolk, and the rest on rehab assignments. He had three stints on the IL.

Trimble did steal three bases without being caught, stretching his streak of stolen bases without being thrown out to 64.

Enrique Bradfield Jr., the team’s No. 1 draft pick in 2023, is inching closer to the major leagues but wasn’t called up during September.

Bradfield, who like Trimble, has a history of injuries, played in 98 games, 88 for Norfolk, hitting .263 with a .707 OPS, four home runs and 33 RBIs. He stole 36 bases in 41 tries.

The Orioles will need to trade for or sign additional outfielders to punch up their offensive production in 2027.

But there is good news for the future. The team has several intriguing prospects who could be ready for 2028 and beyond.

Bradfield is the 18^th-rated Orioles prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. There are five rated ahead of him — Eric Booth Jr., the Orioles’ top pick in July’s draft and the No. 1 prospect.

Ike Irish, the 2025 first-round pick is playing in the Arizona Fall League. Irish, the fifth-rated prospect, hit .286 with a .915 OPS in 76 games at High-A Frederick with 16 home runs and 59 RBIs before a knee injury that required surgery.

Irish would have been promoted to Double-A Chesapeake, and a strong season next year would make him a contender for a 2028 outfield spot in the majors.

He’s played in eight games in the AFL, hitting .364 with two home runs and seven RBIs.

Nate George, the No. 7 prospect had his season ended by an undisclosed medical condition after just 20 games at Frederick. There’s no word about his availability for next season.

The Orioles acquired two impressive outfield prospects from Boston in the trade that sent Adley Rutschman to the Red Sox. Enddy Azocar, who had an impressive stint for the Keys, hitting .327 with a .901 OPS, three home runs, 23 RBIs and nine steals in just 25 games. He’s ranked sixth.

Harold Rivas, ranked 25^th, will likely begin 2027 at Single-A Delmarva.

Ty Head, the Orioles’ second selection in the draft, is the No. 15 prospect. Head hit .310 in 21 games for Delmarva and Frederick.

Vance Honeycutt, the top pick in 2024 is unranked because of disappointing numbers in High-A the last two seasons, but he hit .288 with a .997 OPS, five homers, 13 RBIs and 10 steals in 20 games at Chesapeake.

Honeycutt is hitting .250 with two homers and six RBIs for Peoria in the Arizona Fall League.

While there are some intriguing prospects for the future, the Orioles need some outside help in 2027.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com