Mike Baumann on big league arrival, bullpen role and more

For right-hander Mike Baumann, a day he said he has worked his whole life for has arrived. He got the call to the big leagues.

Today he was called up from Triple-A Norfolk, where he was pitching very well, and the kid drafted by the club in round in 2017 out of Jacksonville University is now wearing the big league orange and black for the first time.

"I mean, I don't even know what to think," an obviously excited Baumann said a few moments ago in the Orioles dugout. "Just happy to be here, and you know, it's all kind of been a blur these past 24 hours. I'm excited to be here, though."

For Baumann, a season that began with him dealing with lingering arm injury issues and a high ERA got a lot better as it went on.

He's made 18 starts in the minors, posting a combined 4-3 record with a 3.44 ERA. He made six starts for Triple-A Norfolk, posting a 2.00 ERA with 13 walks and 26 strikeouts over 27 innings.

"There has been some ups and there have been some downs," he said, looking back on his 2021 experience. "Just looking at the past couple of months, I've definitely become a better pitcher because of it. I wouldn't change the experiences I had at the beginning of the season for anything. It made this moment a lot more sweeter."

What made his time with Norfolk so good on the stat sheet?

"Just attacking the zone," he said. "Not thinking about mechanics or anything on the mound. Just kind of eliminating that outside noise. Focusing on each pitch and taking it one at a time and not looking forward to the future."

O's manager Brandon Hyde said Baumann will, for now, pitch out of the bullpen in a multi-inning role.

"Yeah, that's OK. That's good," Baumann said with a big smile on face, realizing any role in the majors is a pretty good one.

And now the band is back together. Baumann joins former minor league teammates including Keegan Akin, Zac Lowther and tonight's starter, Alexander Wells. And he's reunited with Austin Hays, a former minors and college teammate.

"Yeah they kind of just keep me level-headed,' he said. "Just kind of not get too excited. Nerves are going to be there, you can't really hide that. So just keep doing what I'm doing and not change who I am. That was what I was able to learn from them."

Baumann is ranked as the Orioles' No. 9 prospect, according to Baseball America, and No. 10, per MLBPipeline.com. With his first appearance, Baumann would become the fifth Minnesota-born pitcher (eighth player overall) to appear in a game for the Orioles in club history and first since right-hander Jim Brower in 2006. Right-hander Tom Niedenfuer's 97 appearances are the most.

"I just want to enjoy this moment. I've worked my whole life for this. So, just kind of live it up in a big league stadium with great teammates. Just enjoy this moment.

"I feel ready. I feel excited. I'm ready to go out there and pitch," he said.