What "The Bird's Nest" has noticed at spring training

SARASOTA, Fla. – Spring training can be a whirlwind. 

New faces, stars of the game and top prospects are scattered across the fields at the Orioles' spring training complex at Ed Smith Stadium. 

A team fighting to recapture an American League East crown has plenty of storylines. On “The Bird’s Nest,” Annie Klaff and I broke down some of the standouts from the early part of camp. For a more in-depth analysis, you can watch the full episode here.

Tomoyuki Sugano’s rockstar status

Sugano’s name may not have been on the radars of many around Baltimore, but it has rung like “Elvis” thus far at spring training. The three-time Central League MVP has drawn crowds of media at every step. And his first bullpen session in an Orioles uniform was sharp. Gary Sánchez joked that he could close his eyes and Sugano’s pitch would be in the perfect place in his glove. While it remains to be seen how the right-hander's stuff will fare against major league hitters, pinpoint accuracy and great movement on pitches like his splitter are never bad places to start. 

Adley Rutschman’s fire 

If there was a “came to camp locked in” award, Rutschman would be the odds-on favorite. Brandon Hyde noted that his star catcher is in “great shape,” “worked his butt off this offseason defensively and offensively,” and that Rutschman is “really inspired right now.” It is certainly showing. The All-Star has been mashing during live batting practice and appears hungry for a bounceback season. He’s out to prove that his .585 OPS in the second half of 2024 was the exception rather than the norm. 

Hitting the weight room 

Rutschman is far from the only player that came to camp in great shape. A steady diet of ground beef, per the Baltimore Banner, has Jackson Holliday looking noticeably bigger. Not quite Matt Holliday big, but on the right path. Hyde noted that Jordan Westburg will get some reps at second base, but will mostly be playing third. So it would appear that second base could belong to Holliday more often than not. Enrique Bradfield Jr. was noticeably beefed up as well, which you can read more about here.

Samuel Basallo’s ascent 

Basallo won’t be breaking camp with the Orioles, but few players have looked more impressive. At just 20 years old, Basallo is turning heads left and right. Earlier this week after a bullpen session, Charlie Morton noted that he liked Basallo’s hands and how he moved behind the plate. The bat is a known commodity; the catcher will blast impressive exit velocities with regularity. If the defense continues to improve, Basallo has the chance to be an incredibly special player. 

Hyde’s options 

This Orioles team is deep. On any practice field, you’ll find players that could be contributors at the big league level, and Hyde is going to have plenty of options to choose from on his 26-man roster. More than likely, we’ll see another platoon-heavy approach in the lineup. Players like the newly acquired Ramón Laureano have pretty drastic righty/lefty splits and can be utilized to maximize their strengths. In the bullpen, there should be plenty of options in innings six through eight with Andrew Kittredge, Gregory Soto, Seranthony Domínguez and Yennier Cano. Hopefully the ninth is just reserved for the Mountain, Félix Bautista. And in the rotation, while there appears to be a solidified five, Cade Povich and Albert Suárez have been looking sharp, too. In my expert opinion, more options are better than fewer options. 

An evolved clubhouse 

Much has been made this offseason about the departures of veteran leaders like Anthony Santander. Who would step up in the clubhouse? While some players have matured by adding some weight, others like Rutschman, Westburg and more seem primed and ready to continue to step into leadership roles. The poise of the O’s young core has been noticeable. 

You can tune into “The Bird’s Nest” every Wednesday at 11 a.m. on our MASN Orioles Facebook and YouTube pages, or after the fact on any of your favorite podcast platforms. We hope you’ll join us as the offseason rolls on.