Mullins taking "business as usual" approach in camp with free agency nearing

SARASOTA, Fla. – Cedric Mullins is the last man standing, and running, among the trio of young outfielders who made their way from the minors to Camden Yards.

Austin Hays was traded to the Phillies last summer and he signed with the Reds as a free agent. Anthony Santander received a five-year deal with the Blue Jays.

Mullins is approaching his own free agency as he prepares for his eighth season in the majors. The Orioles drafted him in 2015.

“On the personal side, there’s a lot of focus involved, of course, but on the team side of things, it’s business as usual,” Mullins said. “We go about it day by day, looking to improve the team.”

Santander’s big personality is conspicuous by its absence in the clubhouse. However, the Orioles will be in Toronto for a four-game opening series, so the reunion isn’t too far down the runway.

“I talked to him not too long ago, actually, congratulated him,” Mullins said. “I’m actually excited to face off with him to start the season, so it’s gonna be fun.”

Mullins is getting acclimated to new outfielders Tyler O’Neill, Ramón Laureano and Dylan Carlson. The first two seem to be locks for the Opening Day roster. Carlson will try to avoid being optioned by fighting through the crowd.

“It’s definitely going to be different, but I talked to those guys a little bit and get to know them over the course of the offseason before we got here,” Mullins said. “It’s been cool to get to know them a little bit so it doesn’t feel like we’re strange to each other, so it’s gonna be fun.”

One of the senior members of the organization – Ryan Mountcastle beat Mullins by 12 rounds in the draft – is ready to step up further in a leadership role with his outfield mates gone. He’s already taken on the responsibilities in his usual quiet manner.

“I feel like I’ve kind of made that stride over the past couple years, so I feel like I’m just doing what I’ve been doing the whole time,” said Mullins, who assists Dean Kremer as the team’s union representative and was chosen as the player association’s alternate pension committee rep. “I think a couple other guys are going to be kind of stepping in that new role … but yeah, I’m right there with them.”

The Orioles need more than just Mullins’ guidance and baseball wisdom. He hit .214/.256/.373 in 87 games in the first half and .266/.374/.457 in 60 games after the break. His 18 home runs were divided evenly.

Mullins provided the only Orioles’ run with a homer in the Wild Card series as part of his resurgence. They could use a much faster start from him.

“It’s really just keeping up with the mindset and the thought process that I had during the second half, really hanging on to it. Just keep everything the same,” he said.

“That was kind of the focus of this offseason. Don’t change anything. We’ll make the adjustments as we go.”

A different kind than looking around the spring clubhouse and not finding Santander, who’s been issued a playful warning from Mullins.

“I told him he better not hit it my way.”

* Manager Brandon Hyde said it’s too early to know whether Tyler Wells will be stretched out to start after his done rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

“That’s a little early,” Hyde said. “Just like Kyle (Bradish), progressing extremely well. They’ve both been here for a while. I live here, so I’ve been at the complex quite a bit since January and seen a lot of them, both these guys, and they’ve both been doing really, really well.”

* Félix Bautista and Grayson Rodriguez were in Group 1 of today’s bullpen sessions. Adley Rutschman caught Rodriguez and Gary Sánchez caught Bautista.

Colin Selby stood on the mound in between the duo. He didn’t attract quite the same media attention, but he looked good during his session.

* The Orioles took live batting practice on the stadium field, with Kremer tossing two “innings” against Mullins, Laureano, Carlson and Sánchez.

Keegan Akin started for the other side against Gunnar Henderson, Rutschman, Ryan Mountcastle, Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser, who had a line drive single.

Bryan Baker, Corbin Martin and Matt Bowman also pitched in the intense Florida heat.