Projecting how 10 Birdland Caravan Orioles are viewed as spring training approaches

The second day of the Birdland Caravan brings 10 players to PBR Baltimore at Power Plant Live! Perhaps a few of them will be convinced to sing Karaoke. Riding the mechanical bull might not be included among permissible activities in their contracts.

That’s a difficult injury story to write. It might throw me.

Colton Cowser, Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, Ryan Mountcastle, Ryan O’Hearn, Jordan Westburg, Albert Suárez, Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott will make appearances between 6-8 p.m. Seven of them seem like locks to occupy the Opening Day roster, an eighth remains a favorite but becomes more vulnerable if another pitcher arrives, and two probably need some breaks to avoid Triple-A.

Cowser

The runner-up for American League Rookie of the Year should get heavy usage again after appearing in 153 games last season.

Cowser batted leadoff in 24 games, but they were packed between July 28-Aug. 29. Austin Slater hit first in the other seven games before Gunnar Henderson regained the responsibility. Slater signed a one-yearl, $1.75 million deal with the White Sox.

At least he’ll always have those Wild Card memories from last season. And let's face it, winning can be overrated.

Cowser could slot in more of a run-producing spot this year, especially against right-handed pitching. He’s the primary left fielder who also can back up center fielder Cedric Mullins against lefties and move to right. He’s also counted on to assist it covering for the 44 home runs lost with Anthony Santander in Toronto.

Henderson

The unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year in 2023 is the first choice to bat first, doing it 119 times last season. An argument can be made to lower him – he hit third 33 times and cleanup seven – but he’s the best option atop the order. He can give the Orioles a 1-0 lead in the blink of an eye. He might get an extra at-bat.

Henderson played in 159 games and the Orioles might want to give him a little more rest. Henderson wants to play in 162. Perhaps they can come to a compromise.

My guess is he will stay first and finish higher than fourth in Most Valuable Player voting.

Rutschman

Rutschman has appeared in 154 and 148 games over the past two seasons and should be in that range again in 2025. He started 104 behind the plate two years ago and 99 last season and should be that range again in 2025.

Manager Brandon Hyde will continue to also use Rutschman as designated hitter to keep his bat in the lineup while hoping that it’s much hotter after the break.

Holliday

Is he guaranteed a job on Opening Day? I wouldn’t go that far. But he’s certainly expected to break camp with the team and get lots of starts at second base.

Holliday showed vast improvement at the plate down the stretch and he’s too good of a hitter to struggle so badly this summer. He just turned 21. This could be his breakout season.

The Orioles will give him every opportunity to experience it.

Mountcastle

Mountcastle should be the primary first baseman as long as he’s healthy. And he’s not traded, of course. Media loves to speculate on whether the club would move him for pitching and to clear a spot for Coby Mayo.

Bringing in the left field fence wasn’t done solely for Mountcastle, but he’s definitely going to benefit from it.

“I think all the right-handed hitters in our lineup have been sleeping pretty well this offseason. They’re really itching to get back in there March, April, whenever our first home game is,” Grayson Rodriguez said during Wednesday’s appearance on the digital baseball show Foul Territory.

The Orioles would like to get more games out of Mountcastle, who’s been limited to 115 and 124 the past two seasons.

O’Hearn

The Orioles exercised the $8 million option on O’Hearn’s contract at the November deadline. He’s the left-handed hitting counter to Mountcastle and capable of playing first base and right field, besides also serving as DH.

O’Hearn hit a career-high 15 home runs in a career-high 142 games. Like so many others, he also hit a rough patch.

This may come as a surprise, but no one on the club batted third more than O’Hearn’s 49.

Westburg

Westburg will be playing third base when he isn’t starting at second. He’s going to barrel the ball to all fields. And he could be all over the lineup.

Hyde used Westburg in every spot in the order except ninth. Westburg’s 35 starts batting fifth tied Santander for the team lead.

A fractured hand cost Westburg two months and prevented him from playing more than 107 games, but he should be much more prominent in the lineup this year.

Suárez

Surface logic says Suárez stays. He’s out of minor league options and he was a very important contributor last season.

Suárez made 24 starts and eight relief appearances and posted a 3.70 ERA. He could be credited with saving the season with injuries punching so many holes in the rotation.

The rotation might not have room for Suárez because of Rodriguez, Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, Dean Kremer and Tomoyuki Sugano. The bullpen could get more crowded if the Orioles make another pitching move. But I’m assuming that most mock rosters have Suárez on it.

Povich

Had the Orioles stayed quiet with their rotation, Povich would be the favorite to serve as the fifth starter after his 16 appearances last summer. His 5.20 ERA won’t impress, but he allowed eight runs with eight walks and 32 strikeouts in 27 2/3 September innings and opponents batted .162.

In past years, this would have guaranteed him a job. However, he seems boxed out because of Eflin, Rodriguez, Morton, Kremer and Sugano. And with Suárez seeming like the favorite for the eighth spot in the ‘pen and a long relief role.

Probably better to keep developing Povich as a starter and make him the first man up.

McDermott

The first major league start is under McDermott’s belt. He faced the Marlins on July 24 in Miami and surrendered three runs and five hits in four innings.

It also got under his skin.

McDermott is one of the top pitching prospects in the organization and should have a bright future, but the present is expected to have him starting in Triple-A. It seems like he’d need a few starters to go down with injuries to open the door. However, he’ll compete in spring training and see where the chips fall.

* The Orioles announced another pop-up photo opportunity, this one today from noon-1 p.m. at the Abingdon branch of the Harford County Public Library on South Tollgate Road.

Hyde, Cowser, Mountcastle and Westburg will be available for photos. No ticket is required. First come, first serve.