I hear Colton Cowser is having a nice spring. It’d be nice to see for myself but then again, I wouldn’t want to miss episode #1406B of “World Poker Tour.” I have so many questions after episode #1406A. Plus “3 Wide Life” comes on after that and I owe it to myself to not miss any more of those.
In his first 14 plate appearances, Cowser has four hits and three walks, including three home runs. That’s good! I mean, it’s spring training and, you know, it’s hard to tell if any of it actually matters or we just need something to talk about because college basketball season literally never began in our neck of the woods. Still, it at least doesn’t hurt.
While Jackson Holliday and Corbin Burnes were (rightfully) the biggest focuses of attention coming into spring training, the most fascinating storyline was and remains the one Cowser is smack dab in the middle of.
The Orioles currently have five “everyday” MLB outfielders (on the majority of projected rosters) and only three or four positions for them to play. Now some might say this is a “good problem to have,” but they’d be wrong.
Because this isn’t a “problem” at all. What those kids are doing with their popcorn buckets after (while?) seeing Dune is a problem. This is not. The 2019 Orioles had problems. The 2024 Orioles have solutions. And lots of them! But we can still acknowledge the oddities of the situation.
Anthony Santander (after 2024), Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins (both after 2025) are all approaching free agency, while Cowser and Heston Kjerstad have seemingly “graduated” from the minors. There has been a thought process that one of Cowser or Kjerstad has to start the season in Norfolk because there aren’t enough at-bats to go around for everyone to play regularly. That might not ultimately prove to be the case, either because injuries open up spots or because manager Brandon Hyde utilizes the DH spot and juggles the group enough to get the necessary at-bats to justify each player being here.
But the question goes much further than Opening Day. Even just two years ago, the Orioles might have been inclined to trade one (or more) of their starting outfielders in order to clear a path for Cowser and/or Kjerstad. (And to be fair, Kyle Stowers could still factor into this conversation.) But with expectations for this team to at least have a chance to repeat as AL East champions, it’s difficult to send away any of the pieces who helped them win the division last year in favor of their younger guy whose upside is potentially even greater.
And they should at least still be considering the possibility.
If money has prevented the Orioles from extending Hays, Mullins or Santander up until now, presumably GM Mike Elias has at least had the time to discuss the possibility with incoming owner David Rubenstein, say, when he was hanging out at Sarasota’s Ed Smith Stadium this weekend. I’m not completely opposed to the idea, although there are certainly arguments against such a move for all three of them.
If the Orioles are prepared to commit to any of that group, it should open up the possibility of trading Cowser or Kjerstad instead. And if they’re not — either because of their internal doubts about the player or because they’re so committed to Cowser and Kjerstad that they don’t want to block their paths — then trading one of the veterans could be in the forecast.
Like … now.
This is the awkward part of trying to win. You don’t make a trade for funsies, you do it because you believe it can strengthen your team. Trading from the group of veterans could net a helpful bullpen arm and/or some fortification for a farm system that has watched so many top prospects graduate in the last couple of years. Trading one of the two highly-regarded prospects could help the Orioles land a starting pitcher who could make a serious difference.
But there’s no obvious choice. Santander seems to be based on his pending free agency, but he’s the most reliable home run bat in the order until proven otherwise. Hays probably has the least upside of the veterans but has been steady and likely nets the smallest return. If Cowser is ready to be a major league center fielder … he still probably can’t cover as much ground as Mullins. And when healthy last season, we were reminded of what Mullins’ highest end truly is.
It’s easy for me to hide behind the “I’m glad it’s not my decision” take we speak so breathlessly in this business. Without knowledge of what the trade market for any of these players looks like, it’s hard to voice support or scorn for any potential deal. I don’t think the Orioles HAVE to trade any of this group today. I just hope they’re not purposely ignoring the possibility until the trade deadline in hopes the situation further sorts itself out in the meantime.
And again, this is NOT a problem. Starting Dwight Smith Jr. was a problem. This is a blessing.
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