Orioles observations on Colton Cowser’s adjustments, Connor Norby’s debut and more vs. Pirates

BRADENTON, Fla. — No Oriole has gotten off to a hotter start this spring training than outfielder Colton Cowser.

The 23-year-old crushed his third home run of the spring in Baltimore’s 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday to improve his Grapefruit League slash line to a blistering .364/.563/1.182. He’s only racked up 16 plate appearances so far, but he’s taken full advantage of them to make an early case to crack the Orioles’ opening day roster.

Cowser is in the mix with fellow outfielders Heston Kjerstad, Kyle Stowers and Ryan McKenna for one of the Orioles’ final roster spots. After struggling in his first stint in the majors last season, he sought to improve his hand placement in his stance and be more aggressive in swinging at pitches in the zone.

“Last year I was taking a lot of walks,” Cowser said. “I’m still able to do that, but this spring I’m trying to make it a conscious effort to try out a couple of other different kinds of approaches and trying to figure out what’s the best one to take into the season. I’m not saying that there’s different approaches but being able to find one that’s consistent that I’m able to do damage with and get on base and kind of just find that good balance.”

So far, Cowser has put all five tools on display. He’s launched three home runs, including two against left-handed pitchers, drawn three walks, stolen a base and started at all three outfield positions. On Sunday, he started in left field and moved over to center midway through the game.

A path to consistent playing time in Baltimore isn’t clear right now with Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander penciled in as the Orioles’ three starting outfielders. However, his strong start has given him the look of a worthy candidate for the opening day roster who could get some plate appearances at designated hitter and spell the starters on their days off.

“I love hitting home runs but I’d rather not lead the Grapefruit League in home runs,” Cowser said. “I’d rather be able to do that during the regular season, but I’m really happy with where I’m at and continue to build off of that.”

Norby debuts

After a side injury delayed his start to spring training action, Orioles infield prospect Connor Norby made his 2024 debut as a defensive replacement at second base in the bottom of the sixth. He then doubled in his first at-bat and scored on an RBI single by Stowers before finishing his day with a walk.

Norby, 23, played a full season at Triple-A Norfolk last year and hit .290 with 21 home runs and 10 stolen bases. He felt his side tighten up during the first week of spring training and the Orioles played it safe with a long season ahead. The 2021 second-round pick out of East Carolina enters 2024 ranked as the sixth overall prospect in the Orioles’ farm system by Baseball America.

Baltimore’s crowded infield doesn’t currently have an opening for Norby, who’s a natural second baseman, unless the Orioles decide Jackson Holliday isn’t ready and turn to him instead. Norby started to take reps at the corner outfield spots in 2023 to give himself a better chance of reaching the majors, but the depth chart is just as stocked out there.

Around the horn

• Grayson Rodriguez got the start for the Orioles on Sunday, his second of the spring after he lit up the radar gun last week. Rodriguez toned down the velocity this time around, focusing on location and his mechanics. He allowed one run in two innings with two strikeouts and a pair of walks.

• Making his first start in center field this spring, Jorge Mateo took a significant step toward establishing himself as a super-utility player Baltimore can trust all over the field. The Orioles approached Mateo about working out at center field this offseason with how crowded their infield has gotten as a wave of young talent has broken into the majors.

• The Orioles are still bringing starter Kyle Bradish along slowly as he rehabs the sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. Manager Brandon Hyde said in his pregame news conference that Bradish pitching off a mound is still “down the road.” Bradish has played catch from distances up to 90 feet on the Ed Smith Stadium backfields so far.

• Former Orioles outfielder Adam Jones was the latest guest coach to join the team in Sarasota on Saturday. He’s overlapping with Hall of Famer Eddie Murray and catcher Robinson Chirinos, the latter of whom was a teammate with many of the players still in Baltimore’s clubhouse. Fellow backstop Matt Wieters is expected to arrive Tuesday.

This story will be updated.