The Orioles are as deep as any workforce in baseball with regards to younger place gamers. Because the commerce deadline approaches, that’s led to interminable hypothesis on prime prospects like Heston Kjerstad, Connor Norby, Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo — extremely touted prospects who’ve but to solidify themselves as considered one of Baltimore’s long-term pillars. However for all of the comprehensible deal with that slate of top-100 abilities, the O’s have extra to supply. Maybe chief among the many workforce’s controllable change-of-scenery candidates is outfielder Kyle Stowers. Supervisor Brandon Hyde alluded to the likelihood in chatting with the Baltimore beat this weekend (hyperlink through Jacob Calvin Meyer of the Baltimore Solar).
“Kyle’s going to get an opportunity to be an on a regular basis Main League participant right here sooner or later, both with us or with any individual else. Who is aware of?” Hyde mentioned when discussing the 26-year-old outfielder and the constructive impression he’s made on his supervisor this season. “You by no means know what this sport is gonna convey, however he’s placing himself in nice place.”
Stowers has certainly put himself able to be both fairly helpful to the Orioles or one other membership earlier than lengthy. There’s loads of smoke and mirrors at play together with his present .306 batting common and .500 slugging share, as these gaudy numbers have are available in a pattern of simply 37 plate appearances and are propped up by an unsustainable .435 common on balls in play. In the meantime, Stowers has fanned 13 instances (35.1%) with out taking a stroll. In components of three MLB seasons (2022-24), he’s taken 168 plate appearances and batted .229/.274/.369. He’s fanned at a 32.1% clip and walked in 4.8% of these plate appearances.
It’s not a very interesting batting line on the entire, but it surely’s come throughout 5 separate stints (courting again to his Aug. 2022 MLB debut) and with no constant enjoying time. When Stowers, a 2019 second-round choose, has acquired regular enjoying time on the Triple-A stage, he’s usually been a productive hitter. The lefty-swinging slugger carries a profession .252/.350/.518 batting line with 56 homers, 55 doubles, 5 triples and 7 steals in 1029 plate appearances with Baltimore’s prime affiliate in Norfolk. Stowers has been between 12% and 30% higher than common on the plate in every of his 4 seasons with the Tides, by measure of wRC+.
Defensively, he’s seen time in any respect three positions however logged most of his time in proper subject. Baseball America ranked him ninth amongst O’s prospects final 12 months (and seventh the 12 months prior), touting his above-average pace, plus energy and plus arm. Stowers has lengthy had some strikeout points and an aggressive strategy on the plate, however he’s additionally walked in a hearty 11.8% of his Triple-A plate appearances. He hits right-handed pitching higher than lefties, as one would anticipate from a slugging lefty bat, however Stowers has posted an OPS between .781 and 1.018 versus lefties in every of the previous 4 seasons (minors and majors mixed). He would possibly by no means be a star, however thus far in his profession, the Stanford product has appeared like he might be greater than the prototypical platoon slugger with minimal defensive worth.
With one other 51 days of service this 12 months, Stowers would attain a full season of MLB service time, thus placing him on tempo for arbitration within the 2026-27 offseason and free company within the 2029-30 offseason. If he spends fewer than 51 days on an enormous league roster or injured record, that timeline to free company can be pushed again a 12 months. Nevertheless, he’d be a really possible Tremendous Two candidate at that time, so his arbitration timeline would stay the identical — he’d simply be eligible 4 instances fairly than three earlier than free company.
Stowers is the kind of fascinating commerce candidate who may attraction to each contending and non-contending groups alike. He’s had a good quantity of success in Triple-A, has no less than a half decade of management remaining (plus a minor league choice past the present season), and has a restricted path to an on a regular basis function together with his present membership. He’d attraction to a rebuilding membership as a potential return for a commerce chip or maybe to a win-now membership on the lookout for an reasonably priced upside play within the outfield corners. Each Meyer and MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko have advised lately that Stowers might be moved (possible for pitching).
It’s after all potential that he might be an element for the Orioles themselves in future seasons, as Anthony Santander is a free agent this winter, whereas Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins may find yourself as commerce or non-tender candidates themselves. Nevertheless, even when the O’s transfer on from the veteran trio of Santander, Hays and Mullins earlier than Opening Day 2025, they’ll nonetheless have Colton Cowser, Kjerstad, Mayo and Norby within the outfield combine. Each Norby and Mayo have primarily been infielders, however Baltimore’s infield is kind of crowded — notably if Jackson Holliday ultimately seizes a spot — which may push Norby to left subject and/or push Mayo to proper subject.
It’s all a “good drawback to have,” however Stowers is 26 (27 in January) and down to at least one choice 12 months past the present marketing campaign. As Hyde mentioned, it shouldn’t come as a shock a technique or one other if he’s getting a full look before later. Only for enjoyable, let’s see what MLBTR readers take into consideration Stowers’ future with a ballot: