Colton Cowser asked the media to wait for a bit to report that he had made the Orioles’ final roster so that he could be the first one to tell his parents the news.
General manager Mike Elias and manager Brandon Hyde made the decision at the end of spring training, and the two are confident Cowser is ready to make an impact on the lineup.
However, Cowser must adjust to not necessarily being an everyday player with a crowded outfield that includes Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander. Hays made the American League All-Star team in 2023. Mullins joined the 30-30 club in 2021. Santander hit 61 homers and drove in 184 runs from 2022-2023.
But Cowser knows he must be fully prepared when Hyde gives him an opportunity. The crowd at Camden Yards has already embraced Cowser, often “mooing” when he comes to the plate — a nod to the first syllable of his last name. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound outfielder was hitting .405/.435/.833 with 10 extra-base hits entering play on April 17.
“My role is going to be a little different,” Cowser said. “I’m going to go about my business every day whether I am in the lineup or not. Keep a good attitude and build off what I did last year for the cup of coffee that I was up.”
Cowser earned his way on to the major league roster by slashing .304/.418/.717 (14-for-46) with one double, six homers, 11 runs, 13 RBIs, seven walks and one steal in 18 Grapefruit League games.
Cowser sometimes starts slow at a given level, but he knows how to make the necessary adjustments. He struggled in the big leagues after he was promoted from Triple-A Norfolk last season. He batted .115/.286/.148 (7-for-61) with two doubles, 15 runs, four RBIs, 13 walks and one stolen base in 26 games with the Orioles.
Nonetheless, he learned valuable lessons from that experience.
“Last year, I probably could have prepared a little better,” Cowser said. “I think having the whole offseason to think about it and talk to guys about the role I am supposed to be in, I have a better idea how to go about things. I am just going to continue to prepare every single day whether I am in the lineup or not.”
The Orioles have a lot invested in Cowser after selecting him in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Sam Houston State University, and he will be given every opportunity to succeed. He was taken No. 5 overall, making him the highest draft pick in school history.
In his final season at Sam Houston State, Cowser hit .374/.490/.680 with 16 home runs. He was rated the No. 7 draft prospect by FanGraphs, No. 10 by ESPN and MLB Pipeline, and No. 11 by Baseball America.
Cowser was named the 2021 Southland Conference Player of the Year, becoming the second player in Sam Houston State history to earn the honor. He also became the first player in program history to be named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.
Evaluators believe Cowser has the pedigree and talent to succeed at the major league level, and now the challenge falls on Hyde to come up with ways to get Cowser at-bats.
“On this team, sometimes it’s hard to get in the lineup and sometimes it’s hard to find spots,” Hyde said. “You have to stay ready because things are going to happen. It’s six months. We were about as healthy as a team as you could possibly be last year. That’s a credit to a lot of people. That’s our goal again this year to try and stay healthy for six months. That’s not easy to do in this league.
“Keeping guys fresh, giving guys an opportunity, finding the right matchups, Colton fits in that group and he needs to stay ready because he could be called, and all of the sudden he’s playing for a week straight.”
Hyde is confident that Cowser will use his early struggles with the Orioles as fuel to improve. Cowser works hard in the batting cage every day and spent the offseason honing his skills at the plate and looking to get better defensively.
Hyde noticed the difference in his demeanor when Cowser showed up in Sarasota, Fla., in February.
“Last year’s experience is really going to help him,” Hyde said. “He had a great spring training. I was really impressed with the at-bats and the adjustments he made. I also like how much he improved defensively. I think he became a better center fielder in camp and he understands what playing center field in the big leagues is like. He’s a smart kid and he worked hard this offseason on not only his swing but his defense.”
(Photo Credit: Colin Murphy/PressBox)
Expectations are high for this year’s Orioles. In addition to Cowser, the team has a young and exciting lineup that includes 2023 American League Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westburg. The rotation is anchored by former National League Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes and second-year starter Grayson Rodriguez. The Orioles also have infielder Jackson Holliday, the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball who began the season at Triple-A Norfolk.
Cowser is excited about the team’s potential this year and beyond.
“Everyone is excited,” Cowser said. “We have a really strong group of guys. Everyone likes to have a little fun. Everyone has a really good attitude. A lot of the guys are hungry for more and I am looking forward to seeing how we do this year.”
Photo Credit: Colin Murphy/PressBox
Originally published April 17, 2024