Arizona Fall League experience a real plus for several O's players - and the manager too

For eight players from the Orioles organization, the 2024 Arizona Fall League provided some nice high-level additional experience. Not only did they play on a Surprise Saguaros team that had the best record in the six-team league at 18-10, they played in the AFL championship game.

Salt River beat Surprise 3-2, but players got in extra work the last few weeks that could benefit them down the road.

The Fall League experience was also nice for Surprise manager Roberto Mercado, who managed the Orioles High-A Aberdeen teams in 2022 and 2023 and was skipper this past season at Double-A Bowie.

The Baysox were 62-75 this season. Aberdeen went 147-120 in his two seasons there, advancing to the playoffs in a 2022 season which ended with Mercado being named the O’s Cal Ripken Sr. Player Development Award winner.

A former head coach at New Britian High School in Connecticut, who has several years' experience also coaching in the Cape Cod League, Mercado managed an AFL team featuring prospects from the Orioles, Astros, Guardians, Royals and Rangers.

Third baseman Coby Mayo joins '21 draft picks in Delmarva

Third baseman Coby Mayo joins '21 draft picks in Delmarva
SALISBURY, Md. - Drafted by the Orioles out of a Florida high school in round four of the 2020 draft, third baseman Coby Mayo had to wait to start his pro career with no minor league season last year. Then, when this season began, he injured his knee in spring training in April and his chance to begin the minor league season for opening day in May was over. There was more waiting and some rehab. But his day finally came this year in late June in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and the...

O's 'pen puts up a zero for the night and other notes

O's 'pen puts up a zero for the night and other notes
Orioles right-hander Jorge López was throwing a decent game. He had allowed just one run over 4 2/3 innings but the hook came with two outs in the top of the fifth and the Orioles leading 2-1 over the Washington Nationals. Manager Brandon Hyde saw hot-hitting Juan Soto - a batter who had 12 hits in his last 24 at-bats - coming to the plate. And he went for a fifth-inning left-on-left matchup, bringing in Paul Fry. On one pitch, a 92 mph four-seam fastball, Fry got Soto to ground out to first...

A look at the Orioles' draft today through round 40

A look at the Orioles' draft today through round 40
After selecting just two pitchers in 11 picks in the first two days of the draft, the Orioles went very heavy on college pitchers when the final day of the draft resumed at noon today. With their 20 selections so far this afternoon in rounds 11-30 they drafted 13 college right-handed pitchers and two college lefties. They added a first baseman, third baseman, two center fielders and one player just listed as an infielder. All 20 picks so far today have come from college. So through round 30,...