Orioles rookie Gunnar Henderson hit a ball down the third-base line and kept running all the way to home plate.
It was the spark the Orioles needed in a 6-2 win against the Washington Nationals that kept them in the playoff race in mid-September.
Later in the month, during a 14-8 victory against the Boston Red Sox, Henderson became the youngest Oriole to reach base four times in a game since Boog Powell accomplished the feat on Aug. 24, 1962.
Henderson, like fellow rookie Adley Rutschman, energized the Orioles during the 2022 season. They will look to make a bigger impact in the coming years as the Orioles aim to establish themselves as World Series contenders.
“It’s really impressive,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said of Henderson late in the year. “You expect young players to go through their struggles and he’s been swinging the bat really well. He runs well, he’s playing really good defense and he’s taking great at-bats for us.”
Henderson was selected by the Orioles in the second round (No. 42 overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft. In 2021, he appeared in 105 games between Low-A Delmarva, High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Bowie, slashing .258/.350/.476 with 17 home runs, 28 doubles, 74 RBI and 68 runs during his first full season of professional baseball.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound infielder had a meteoric rise through the minor leagues in 2022, which prompted his sooner-than-expected promotion. He was Baseball America‘s No. 57 overall prospect at the beginning of the 2022 season and ended the season as its No. 1 prospect. He was named the publication’s Minor League Player of the Year as well.
“It’s just a great honor and can’t thank God enough for blessing me with the ability to be in this situation and to bless me with the awards that come with this stuff,” Henderson said of the award. “It’s an honor to be considered this, but the work keeps going and this is ultimately a stepping stone.”
Henderson batted .297/.416/.531 with 19 home runs, 76 RBIs and 22 stolen bases in 112 games this season between Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk. He hit for the cycle on his 21st birthday on June 28. He became the first Norfolk player to accomplish that feat since Timo Pérez on June 9, 2000.
“Gunnar always had a God-given ability and he’s a fierce competitor,” Norfolk manager Buck Britton said. “I don’t think I was shocked. What he’s done in the big leagues and how well he’s played right off the bat has been really impressive. This guy has unbelievable talent and an unbelievable work ethic. He’s a great kid.”
Henderson was the youngest position player to make his Baltimore debut since Manny Machado in 2012 and the youngest player to debut in the big leagues this past season. He made an immediate impact for the Orioles and finished the season slashing .259/.348/.440 with four homers and 18 RBIs in 34 games.
“From what I’ve seen up here is that this guy’s got a chance to be extremely special,” Hyde said. “The fact of how he can play defense and the way he can handle the bat with power, his running ability, we’re really excited about him and his future.”
Henderson has the versatility to play multiple positions. He became the first player in franchise history to start each of his first three major league games at three different positions (second base, third base and shortstop), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Henderson is one of five players in Orioles history to record at least 24 hits in his first 20 career games. He is also one of six players with at least 15 RBIs in his first 20 games.
Henderson’s teammates love his work ethic and enthusiasm. His ability to hit for contact and power is impressive, but teammates also love his humility.
“He’s uber-talented,” fellow rookie infielder Terrin Vavra said. “He’s a great kid with a good head on his shoulders, so the fact he’s able to carry it over into these bigger moments is not surprising, but it’s great to see.”
The Orioles hope to be a perennial playoff team beginning in 2023. Henderson will play a key role in the franchise’s renaissance. Young players like Henderson, Rutschman, Kyle Stowers, Grayson Rodriguez and Jordan Westburg could make up a formidable nucleus for the team.
Westburg, who was named the club’s Brooks Robinson Award winner as its top minor league player in 2022, has been impressed with Henderson’s maturity and approach at the plate.
“Being able to mesh in a clubhouse full of older guys, and then obviously do what he’s been able to do on the field,” Westburg said, “there are not many people in this world that can do that.”
Photo Credit: Colin Murphy/PressBox
Issue 277: October/November 2022
Originally published Oct. 19, 2022