Orioles pregame notes on minor league awards and promotions, extended spring training and more

Though Monday is supposed to be a quiet period for minor league baseball, with no games scheduled, the Orioles stayed busy with personnel moves and could keep bragging about the quality of their farm system.

Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Colton Cowser was named International League Player of the Week after slashing .319/.481/.826 with a double, three home runs, six RBIs, three walks and 10 runs scored in six games versus Rochester.

The Tides are in Charlotte this week and Cowser is bringing a 15-game on-base streak. The organization’s first-round draft pick in 2021 is hitting .345/.465/.586 during that stretch with three doubles, a triple, three home runs, 10 RBIs, 12 walks and 20 runs scored.

Shortstop Jackson Holliday, the first overall selection in last year’s draft, was chosen Carolina League Player of the Week after posting a .450 average with a double, two home runs, six RBIs, six walks and eight runs scored.

Holliday earned a promotion today from Single-A Delmarva to High-A Aberdeen after batting .392/.523/.667 with six doubles, a triple, two homers, 15 RBIs, 15 runs scored and three stolen bases. He was 12-for-28 during a seven-game hitting streak.

MLB Pipeline ranks Holliday as the No. 10 prospect in baseball. Baseball America ranks him 13th.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde got a close look at Holliday, 19, in camp and isn’t surprised by the shortstop’s production with Delmarva.

“Sounds like he got off to a great start in low A, and we’re happy he’s being promoted,” Hyde said. “He was really impressive in major league spring training and showed extremely well. He’s going to be a really good player. It was fun to watch him, fun to be around him this spring. He’s a very talented kid.”

Infielder Gilbert Lara was promoted from Double-A Bowie to Norfolk. Infielder Anthony Servideo, a third-round pick in 2020 out of the University of Mississippi, jumped from Single-A Delmarva to Bowie despite going 5-for-34 with the Shorebirds.

The Orioles began playing extended spring training games today at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Fla. Admission is free to fans and gates open 30 minutes before the start. Free parking is available in the East Lot.

Games are played on the stadium field except for May 4 and 9, when the teams will use Field 4.

Here’s the rest of the home schedule:

April 28, noon, vs. Pirates
May 1, noon, vs. Rays
May 4, noon, vs. Pirates
May 9, noon, vs. Braves
May 12, noon, vs. Pirates
May 16, noon, vs. Rays
May 18, noon, vs. Pirates
May 22, noon, vs. Braves
May 26, noon, vs. Pirates
May 29, 10 a.m., vs. Rays
June 1, noon, vs. Pirates
June 3, 10 a.m., vs. Pirates

On the major league side, reliever Mychal Givens is expected to begin his injury rehab assignment later this week. The club still hasn’t announced the date.

Reliever Dillon Tate pitches for Aberdeen Tuesday night in Wilmington, Del. Holliday will be in the lineup.

The Orioles begin a three-game series against the Red Sox tonight after losing two of three in Boston to open the season. The teams don’t meet again after this week until Sept. 8-10 at Fenway Park. The Orioles host the Red Sox in the last four games of the season Sept. 28-Oct. 1.

“It’s a weird schedule, us against these guys,” Hyde said. “Twice super early, and then we don’t play them again until September again, so that’s strange.”