O's Connor Norby: "It's what you dream of" (Hyde pregame added)

TORONTO - Orioles prospect Connor Norby got an important phone call on Sunday. On the other end of the line was Orioles assistant general manager Eve Rosenbaum, calling to tell him he was finally headed to the major leagues.

Drafted by the club in the second round of the 2021 draft (No. 41 overall) out of East Carolina University, Norby’s first chance at this level has finally arrived.

Since the 2022 season he has played 198 games and taken 913 plate appearances at Triple-A. He has played in 344 minor league games overall.

“I started shaking,” Norby said of that phone call yesterday. “I think I shook for about an hour. I kind of settled down a little bit. Not much sleep though. But getting here and getting in the stadium, it’s what you dream of.”

Norby said when he got to the ballpark, coach Tim Cossins handed him a lineup card that had his name on it. He was in there batting ninth at second base. He will wear No. 12.

“He said, ‘Do you want it?’ I said ‘Yeah.’”

It’s a huge day for Norby, 23, and his excitement came through during his pregame interview.

“I mean, it’s what you dream of from the first time you pick up a baseball," he said. "There aren’t enough words I don’t think to put this into any words. It’s just really special and I will try to enjoy it as best I can but also get ready and try to play my game tonight.

“It’s been pretty hectic the last 24 hours watching my brother play on TV (for East Carolina University in the NCAA baseball playoffs) and getting the call I think five minutes after he got off the mound. Scrambling and trying to pack and figure everything out. Everyone is calling you. But, it’s a dream come true."

Norby said some of his family is working on getting passports to get into Canada and may not be here tonight. His agents will be here tonight.

“It’s going to be a special night. I know everyone back home will be watching,” he said.

Norby is ranked as the Orioles’ No. 5 prospect by Baseball America and No. 6 by MLBPipeline.com. He was in the top 100 for BA, at No. 93, before the 2023 season.

This season with the Tides, over 51 games, he hit .286/.374/.510/.884 with 17 doubles, a triple, nine homers and 36 RBIs.

“I have felt prepared for a while, but it’s not necessarily my timing, it’s God’s timing. It’s what this team needs and when it needs it. There is a spot open right now in a way and I am just hoping to fill that void and help us win some games. That is the biggest thing,” he said, as the club today placed Jorge Mateo on the seven-day concussion injured list. They also recall pitcher Nick Vespi and DFAd Thyago Vieira.

Is there a clubhouse comfort level for Norby, with so many young guys he has played with plus time spent with the big club in spring training?

“A little bit,” he said. “I wouldn’t say there is too much comfort going on your first time being in the clubhouse (as an active player), but knowing a lot of the guys here and spring training and playing with them in Triple-A, yeah it helps for sure. And they have been awesome and are kind of showing me the ropes a little bit and I am just trying to tag along.”

Jordan Westburg played with Norby at Triple-A and continues to see the young talent on the farm make its way to the Orioles roster.

"It is cool," said Westburg. "It's only a matter of time for a lot of those guys now. I'm sure they are getting impatient but we're playing good ball up here and we'll continue to do that. It kind of sucks that Jorge is on the IL, but I am happy for Norby."

Norby said he is tired after sleeping about two hours and then leaving Norfolk about 4:20 this morning to get picked up and ride to Washington, where he took a flight into Baltimore.

“I laid in bed for about 45 minutes just turning. I think I’m still shaking by the way,” he said with a laugh to reporters in the Baltimore clubhouse.

“But yeah, crazy. Everyone knows how you can’t slow your mind down. But it’s something we’ve all dreamed of,” he said repeating a line that fits perfectly for him today.

Norby said the other young guys he came up with kept pushing him as he waiting for this call.

The call came. Tonight is his night.

Means note: The Orioles today announced that John Means had successful left elbow ulnar collateral ligament revision reconstruction (“Tommy John”) today at Trinity Park Surgery Center in Arlington, Texas. The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister.

Brandon Hyde's pregame session: Hyde was asked about Mateo and how long he may out on the concussion injured list.

"You know, it's concussion, so we're hoping it's not going to be too long. But you never know with these type of things. He's on the seven-day list and hopefully it's not too much longer after that," he said.

Hyde was asked his expectations for Norby.

"Well he's just done such a great job offensively at Triple-A the last couple of years and off to a good start this year again. I just loved the competitiveness of his at-bats at spring training. Talked to Buck Britton yesterday about he's really swinging the bat well. Hopefully he can give us some good ABs up here and excited to give him an opportunity."

Hyde feels Norby has made big strides defensively at second base and this year has started 33 games in the corner outfield, but he is unlikely to start in the outfield right now for the Orioles. 

Would Hyde be comfortable playing Norby out there?

"Yeah, I would, but we have some capable outfielders already here. He is primarily going to be on the infield at second base. But things happen in a game and you need to move people around, and I would put him in a corner outfield."

Dean Kremer, said Hyde, threw a light side session today and his return still seems a bit down the road. 

Of Means and his second TJ surgery, Hyde said: "Like we talked about, it's a big blow. Unfortunately, there a lot of Tommy Johns happening right now. I think we eally admired how hard he worked to come back. It's really disappointing to see him having to miss another significant amount of time."