Baltimore Orioles Young Slugger Selected as Team's Minor League Player of the Year

The Baltimore Orioles lineup is going to receive a boost in the near future from this talented young player.

Mar 16, 2024; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Coby Mayo (86) singles during the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Ed Smith Stadium. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The 2024 MLB season did not end in the fashion that the Baltimore Orioles were hoping that it would.

After looking like legitimate World Series contenders heading into the summer, things took a turn for the worst in July. Their production fell off a cliff at the plate and the pitching was unable to pick up the slack.

That led to a disappointing finish as the top wild card seed in the American League. Despite having home-field advantage, they were swiftly eliminated by the Kansas City Royals in a two-game sweep.

The offense was a major issue as they scored one run in two games. Collectively going ice cold was as big of a reason as any as to why the Orioles went out with a whimper despite starting strongly.

Hopefully, the younger players on the team will find more long-term consistency in 2024. There is a lot of talent to help carry the load, and there is even more on the way.

Corner infielder Coby Mayo, a fourth-round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, mashed in the Minor League this year. That led to him being selected as the team’s Minor League Player of the Year by Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report.

“Mayo can sometimes get lost in the shuffle with all of the Orioles' exciting young hitters, but he is one of baseball's top prospects in his own right. The slugging corner infielder hit .287/.364/.562 with 23 doubles, 22 home runs and 67 RBI in 89 games at Triple-A, and he will enter spring training next year vying for an Opening Day roster spot with little left to prove in the minors,” the MLB expert wrote.

It will be interesting to see where Mayo fits into the team’s plans in 2025 and beyond. In his first taste of the Major Leagues, he struggled mightily.

In 46 plate appearances, he had only four hits, zero of which went for extra bases, with four walks and a concerning 22 strikeouts. However, his talent is undeniable, making him a potential long-term asset at either corner of the infield.

He is the No. 1 rated prospect in the team's Minor League system and No. 8 overall in baseball.

His power would certainly be needed if Baltimore lost Anthony Santander in free agency. That would be a major blow to the team’s lineup, but they have the lineup depth to potentially overcome it if the young guys can find their stride.