The Baltimore Orioles are looking to build on their surprising 2022 campaign in which they won 83 games, but they will need contributions from some key players to do so.
The Orioles made some low-risk high-reward additions, but some fans were left disappointed at the lack of spending this offseason. There was thought that with highly touted prospects like Adley Rutschman, Grayson Rodriquez and Gunnar Henderson expected to play a big role with this year's team, that the Orioles would supplement their upcoming young talent with established MLB talent.
Instead they added some veterans who have had good seasons in the past, but have not been too good in recent years.
The Orioles are projected to finish last in the American League East by Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA projections, but there is more hope for Orioles fans with the young talent coming up this season. Here are four Orioles who need bounce back seasons in 2023.
*Stats via Fangraphs
Adam Frazier, 2B
Adam Frazier was one of the most coveted players at the 2021 MLB trade deadline. He made the All-Star team with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and was eventually traded to the San Diego Padres, and it has not been good since.
After the 2021 season, Adam Frazier was traded to the Seattle Mariners, and his struggles continues. He hit .238 with just a .301 on-base percentage in 2022. His wRC+ was at 81, which indicates that he was 19% below league-average offensively in 2022. He had a 113 wRC+ in 2021, and that is with his struggled with the Padres weighing down that number. Good offensive production is in there. If Frazier can find his 2021 form, he could be a valuable piece in the Orioles lineup.
John Means, SP
John Means does not need to necessarily bounce back performance wise, but he needs to bounce back health wise. He pitched two games in 2022 before having Tommy John surgery in April. He has been a solid pitcher for the Orioles since 2019, posting an ERA in the mid 3s, outside of the shortened 2020 season when he posted a 4.06 ERA.
John Means will not return in time for Opening Day, but if he can return in the middle of the season, he could give an Orioles rotation that has some uncertainty a boost.
Ryan Mountcastle, 1B
Ryan Mountcastle was not necessarily a bad player in 2022, but his offensive production took a slight dip compared to 2021. He dropped from 33 home runs to 22 in 2022, so the slugging fell back a bit. The wRC+ was at 111 in 2021 compared to 106 in 2022.
The good news is that Ryan Mountcastle seemed to improve a bit defensively in 2022 at first base. If he can slug a little bit more and maintain his defensive performance, the Orioles will have a quality first baseman on their hands.
Kyle Gibson, SP
As mentioned before, the Orioles starting rotation has some question marks, and Kyle Gibson is one of them. He has been a quality pitcher as recently as 2021, when he posted a 3.71 ERA. That did not translate to 2022, when he had one of his worst seasons in MLB, posting a 5.05 ERA.
There is a good chance that Kyle Gibson could be the Opening Day starter for the Orioles. For the Orioles to compete for a playoff spot in a division that includes the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox, they need their pitching to step up. Gibson at his best is not going to be an ace, but he could be a stabilizing presence in the rotation.
Follow Us
Subscribe