Coby Mayo's big Triple-A season could end with the Brooks Robinson Award

Later this month, the Orioles will present another Brooks Robinson Award to their Minor League Player of the Year. 

Coby Mayo is a strong candidate to get the hardware. Now ranked as the club’s No. 1 prospect with Jackson Holliday graduating from prospects lists, Mayo is ranked No. 9 in the national top 100 for both Baseball America and MLBPipeline.com.

In sizing up his 2024 season on the farm, where he played 87 games at Triple-A Norfolk and four on rehab for High-A Aberdeen, Mayo will admit his walk rate dropped a bit but also notes that his production numbers went up. He feels he made progress on defense, taking more groundballs than he can ever remember, he said.

Mayo told me recently that his strong finish at Triple-A in 2023 – he had an OPS of .905 in 62 games – provided confidence he would thrive there this year.

“I think starting in spring training this year, after the season I had last year, gave me a boost that I could have another good year,” he said. “Learned a lot at big league camp and playing well gave me a lot of confidence going into the Triple-A season that I could compete with the best.

“When you are surrounded by all that talent we had at the beginning of the year in Norfolk – everyone was hitting. You lean on those guys a little bit. All the sudden you are in June or July and your numbers look really good. I just think it was the consistency we had, our coaches, all of that.”

In his 87 Norfolk games – he hit three homers in four Aberdeen games – Mayo hit .293/.369/.574/.943 with 23 doubles, three triples, 22 homers, 61 runs and 67 RBIs.

Mayo has reverse splits – a .790 OPS off lefties and a .986 number versus right-handers.

What came the most for him on offense this year?

“I think when I can use the whole field and am staying the other way – that’s when I feel my best,” said Mayo, 22. “I can pull the ball, and I think all good hitters can pull the ball. But I think the great hitters use the whole field and kind of stay on all pitches. I was really doing that early on in the year and that helped me have that success.

“I think the work that me and (hitting coach) Sherman Johnson put in last year at Double-A, helped me be more consistent in using the whole field.  Last year in Triple-A when I started struggling, I was not using the whole field. I adjusted and started doing that more and the numbers got better.”

Johnson was with Mayo last year at Double-A Bowie and this year is the O’s upper level hitting coordinator.

What allows Mayo to use the whole field, line-to-line?

“I need to be really smooth with my load and my front side. Not jumping too far out front allows me to see the ball deeper and you know, stay on pitches. Whether they are offspeed or a lot of times guys are throwing cutters now. You want to stay on them through the middle of the field. When your load is really relaxed and smooth, you are not moving your head, you are not moving a lot, you can stay on pitches longer than when you are feeling rushed or heavy on that front side," he said.

He said 2024 was his best season in using the whole field.

“Really started coming the last month last year at Triple-A and carried over. That is what makes you a complete hitter, using that whole field.”

O’s 2024 minor league leaders, OPS (min. 250 PAs)

.996 – Heston Kjerstad

.981 – Coby Mayo

.908 – Jackson Holliday, Connor Norby

.877 – Kyle Stowers

Mayo’s 25 homers lead all O’s farmhands with Daniel Johnson of Triple-A Norfolk second at 21 and Jud Fabian (now also at Triple-A) with 20.

Mayo is getting better at hitting homers to the off-field too.

"Yeah. Last year I actually hit a decent amount of homers there at the end of the year. This season, not so much homers, but I’d say I’m taking my singles and doubles this year that way more than I was last year. Pitches on the outside part of the plate – shoot the ball over there," he said.

His strong body of work this summer for the Tides could now lead him to the Player of the Year honor for the O's organization.

“I didn’t even think about it until you just said it. That would be great. As an organization, we take pride in our minor league system. If that were to be the case, it’s a special award and especially with a farm system that has been No. 1 for a few years," said Mayo.