The Orioles introduced this afternoon that they’ve optioned high infield prospect Coby Mayo to minor league camp. He’ll open the season at Triple-A Norfolk. Baltimore additionally reassigned non-roster invitees Samuel Basallo, Daz Cameron, Nick Gordon, Corbin Martin, Levi Stoudt and Thaddeus Ward to minor league camp.
Mayo, 23, has performed components of two seasons in Triple-A. He’s a .279/.376/.543 hitter in 151 profession video games at that stage. He expressed some disappointment with the transfer. “It clearly sucks since you really feel such as you’ve confirmed all the pieces you’ve wanted to (within the minors),” he instructed reporters (together with Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner). “Typically it doesn’t really feel prefer it’s fairly sufficient. Clearly, you return there and you probably have success, it’s ’oh he’s speculated to have success as a result of he’s already confirmed it,’ and if he doesn’t have success, it’s ’properly clearly he’s fallen off.’ It’s type of a lose-lose going to Norfolk.”
Supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned the transfer is a testomony to Baltimore’s infield depth. “Good groups choice gamers that they like,” Hyde mentioned (through Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Banner). “Extra reps at Triple-A, we really feel like that’s what he wants proper now.”
Whereas it’s comprehensible that Mayo feels he doesn’t have rather more to indicate in opposition to minor league pitching, the Orioles weren’t prone to carry him on the Opening Day roster. He appeared in 17 main league video games final season, hitting .098 whereas placing out 22 occasions in 46 plate appearances. He had a equally poor camp, batting .190 with 13 strikeouts and no homers over 46 journeys to the dish.
Mayo drilled 22 homers in 89 Triple-A contests final yr. He has big energy and attracts loads of walks. There’ll be a number of strikeouts, however Mayo has a shot to hit in the course of the lineup at his peak. The O’s aren’t going to need him sitting on the MLB bench. Ramón Urías and (as soon as wholesome) Jorge Mateo are higher matches for utility roles. Mayo isn’t going to play over Jordan Westburg at third base. The O’s have Ryan Mountcastle, Ryan O’Hearn and backup catcher Gary Sánchez lined up for almost all of reps between first base and designated hitter. Mayo may theoretically push Mountcastle for enjoying time at first base, however the latter is a longtime above-average hitter who’s having a monster spring.
The infield depth has made Mayo the topic of some commerce hypothesis, however it’s uncommon for groups to deal away prospects of that caliber. He nonetheless has two choice years remaining (together with this one), so there’s no urgent roster consideration. O’Hearn and Sánchez will likely be free brokers subsequent offseason. Mountcastle has two seasons of arbitration management remaining. There must be a clearer path for Mayo (and Basallo) to interrupt camp in 2026. For now, it’ll in all probability require accidents to gamers above him on the depth chart to get on a regular basis reps within the huge leagues.
