Mike Elias Says Coby Mayo Will Have 'Lot of Opportunity' With Baltimore Orioles

After getting his first taste of Major League action this past season, the Baltimore Orioles seem ready to give Coby Mayo more playing time during the upcoming campaign.

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 Baltimore Orioles entered the offseason knowing they would have to make some major moves to supplement their roster with two of their best players from this past campaign, Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander, likely departing as free agents.

There's a chance for a reunion since both are still on the market, but after Tyler O'Niell was signed, the writing is on the wall that Santander will be playing for a new team going forward.

Burnes is still a possibility, but with the expectation being he's going to sign for more than the $200-plus million that Max Fried got earlier this winter, the likelihood of the Orioles being the team who hands him that deal is very slim.

So, Baltimore will still search for external options they can bring in.

When it comes to the Orioles taking that next step to truly competing for a World Series title, they need their internal pieces to take their games to the next level.

A lot has been made of Jackson Holliday and the ceiling he has after being the consensus top prospect in baseball before flopping in his debut season, but general manager Mike Elias is confident in what he can do during this upcoming campaign.

But Holliday isn't the only one they're banking on to improve.

The Orioles need a lot more from another top prospect, Coby Mayo, after he looked completely overwhelmed at the plate and in the field when he was called up to The Show.

If what he did in the minors translates to Major League Baseball at any point in his career, then Baltimore is going to have a prolific power hitter in their lineup for years to come.

Fans were a bit frustrated about the lack of opportunity Mayo has been given to this point, but the table is now set for him to make an impact.

"Coby can play third, he can play first, he can DH. I think there's a lot of opportunity for him," Elias said per Roch Kubatko of MASN.

That should be something that makes the fan base happy.

Skipper Brandon Hyde likely deploys the matchup-based lineups he has used throughout his tenure leading the club, so depending on the day, Mayo will have plenty of chances, whether at first, third or designated hitter, to prove he should be a staple in the lineup going forward.