Trey Mancini: "It was the craziest and best 2 1/2 weeks of my life"

He has only had 14 major league at-bats, but he sure got a lot done in a short amount of time. Trey Mancini began his major league career in September by becoming the third player in major league history to homer in his first three starts. Not bad for a player who was not even called up at the beginning of September, but who ended the year making the Orioles roster for the American League wild card game.

When the season ended, Mancini took some time to let his body rest and ponder what he did in hitting three homers in just 14 big league at-bats. He became a fan favorite real fast.

"It definitely took a little time to sink in," Mancini told me in a recent phone interview. "The whole experience from getting the call to come to Baltimore to being with the team in Toronto (on the wild card roster), you look back and I wasn't exactly expecting all of that to happen. It was the craziest and best 2 1/2 weeks of my life. It was just really cool and it definitely took some time to soak in since it all happened so fast."

After the Triple-A season ended, Mancini was working out with the taxi squad in Sarasota when the Orioles learned that Steve Pearce would need surgery, ending his season. Then the call Mancini had always waiting for came and he opened some eyes by blasting three balls over the fence.

"I hope so," he said. "You know, getting called in that situation - just two weeks left in a postseason race - it's not exactly like the usual circumstance to make your MLB debut. But being in the playoff race, I was just another guy in the lineup. It wasn't about me making a debut. At that point getting wins was all that mattered."

Mancini hit .359 at Double-A Bowie in 2015, winning the Eastern League batting title, and when the year ended, he won the Brooks Robinson Award as the Orioles' minor league Player of the Year. He began 2016 right back at Bowie, but after tearing up the league for 17 games, he moved up to Triple-A Norfolk. Over 125 games there, he hit .280/.349/.427 with 22 doubles, five triples, 13 homers and 54 RBIs. He was the O's minor league Player of the Month for both April and July.

Then the call came and he hit homers off three lefties, going 4-for-10 versus southpaws. He took Boston's Eduardo Rodriguez and David Price and Arizona's Robbie Ray deep.

It might seem like his path to the majors was being blocked by first baseman Chris Davis after he signed his long-term deal, but Mancini still found his way to Baltimore.

"They always tell you if you hit, play well and stay healthy, they can find a spot for you," Mancini said. "There are always going to be guys that play the same position, but that doesn't mean they can't be on the same team. I grew a lot as a player since I got drafted and I knew if I hit and played well, that I could have a spot on the team."

Since the 2016 season ended, both executive vice president Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter have talked up Mancini and his chance to impact the 2017 roster, possibly as the everyday DH.

Has Mancini seen and/or heard about some of those quotes and stories?

"Honestly, I really haven't too much," he said. "There is so much that can happen in an offseason (and) if you try to keep a close eye on it, it can be distracting, I think. I try to stay away and I'll have some friends send me articles. It's not like I don't want to read it. They've said some kind words, but I know I have to still work hard and come out ready this spring. My mentality is to try and make the team out of spring."

There has been some speculation that the Orioles could try Mancini in the outfield in spring. He hasn't played there since briefly in summer ball when he was playing in college at Notre Dame.

"I would definitely be open to doing that, but it hasn't really been mentioned to me," he said. "I'm here to do whatever they need. I don't mind DHing either. Some guys don't prefer it, but I am flexible in that regard."

After spending past of his last two offseasons getting his degree from Notre Dame, Mancini can focus fully on baseball this winter. Along those lines, he is living in Nashville with outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. Nashville is home to Vanderbilt University, where Yastrzemski played in college. Several major league players work out there, including some with Orioles ties like Brad Brach, Pedro Alvarez and Julio Borbon. Catcher Caleb Joseph works out often at his alma mater, nearby Lipscomb University, but he and brother Corban also make their way over to Vanderbilt.

"It is another reason why I came here (to Nashville)," Mancini said. "It is nice to be around a lot of guys with the same goals. It's really been great and I'm real happy I came here this offseason.

"I'm not trying to change anything. No changes to my swing or anything. I always work on trying to go the opposite field and hitting gap to gap. Right now I am doing mostly tee work and just getting some reps and getting the swing ready for spring training."