Baltimore Orioles Young Star Leading the Pack for Huge Award

A Baltimore Orioles' young star is leading the pack to end up winning a huge award this season.

Aug 1, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Orioles left fielder Colton Cowser (17) rounds third base en route to scoring at Progressive Field. / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles have been very pleased with the rookie season they have received from outfielder Colton Cowser.

To this point in the year, the 24-year-old has blown away the expectations that were set for him. He has become a very integral piece of a team that could end up winning a World Series.

Cowser has played in 117 games so far this year, batting .245/.324/.444. He has hit 18 home runs to go along with 56 RBI.

Those numbers very clearly show the kind of impact that he has made. He has become a huge part of the young core that should help the Orioles keep a championship window open for quite a few years to come.

Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer recently ranked potential award winners for the 2024 MLB season. Cowser was the top-ranked player when it came to the American League Rookie of the Year award.

"Cowser looked like he was going to dominate the AL Rookie of the Year race in April, but then came a sustained skid. In 67 games between April 23 and July 14, he managed just a .595 OPS. Since the All-Star break, though, he is batting .320 with six home runs. He's reclaimed the rookie lead for homers, as well as the unofficial honor of the best rookie hitter in the AL. The AL Rookie of the Year is Cowser's to lose again...for now."

There are quite a few players that are hot on his tail. Among those players are Luis Gil, Wilyer Abreu, Austin Wells, and Mason Miller.

While he may have competition for the award, Cowser is very much in the driver's seat. He would have to struggle mightily over the final 37 games of the regular season to lose his lead.

Looking ahead to the future, Baltimore has to feel very good about the position that it is in. Behind young offensive stars like Cowers, Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jordan Westburg, and Ryan Mountcastle, the lineup will have elite potential for quite some time.

It will be interesting to see how the core fares over the next few years. They certainly appear to be ahead of pace when it comes to competing for a championship and might even win one this year.

Expect to see Cowser end the season strong. He is the real deal and finishing out the campaign with a Rookie of the Year award would be very fitting for how much of an impact he has made on the Orioles.