The Orioles’ second half is about more than the standings. It’s about whether three young players can force their way into the club’s future - or play themselves out of it.
Jackson Holliday sits at the center of that conversation. Baltimore has spent years trying to make him a cornerstone, from drafting him first overall in 2022 to reworking the infield picture around the idea that he would become the franchise shortstop.
Gunnar Henderson changed that plan by proving he was the better fit at short, and the Orioles have since gone into three straight seasons expecting Holliday to become a major piece at second base. So far, he hasn’t met that standard.
The pressure now is simple: Holliday has to show he can be an everyday big league second baseman. If he doesn’t do that by the end of the season, it becomes much harder for Baltimore to justify handing him another major role next year.
He’s still young enough to keep developing, and a slow start after injury doesn’t have to define him. Jordan Walker is the reminder that highly touted young players can take years before everything clicks.
But Baltimore is also trying to win now, with Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson potentially in their final years with the club and Pete Alonso brought in on big money. The Orioles need impact, not just patience.
If Holliday needs another couple of seasons to figure it out, that growth may have to happen somewhere else.
There is at least some momentum to build on. After a sluggish return from injury, Holliday put together a strong hit streak before the All-Star break.
If he carries that into the second half, Baltimore could still get what it has wanted all along: a real piece in the lineup. He doesn’t need to become an MVP candidate or an All-Star to stick.
A 2-3 win player at second base would go a long way.
Coby Mayo’s situation has been even stranger. Baltimore has never really given him a clean runway.
He debuted without a position waiting for him, then didn’t get a normal rookie setup the next offseason, then changed positions midseason, then watched the Orioles add a big free agent at that spot, then heard his name in trade talks, then got pushed back toward third base when Jordan Westburg got hurt. It’s been one detour after another.
Now, with Blaze Alexander injured, Mayo looks set to be the primary third baseman for the rest of the season unless the Orioles make a major move. The problem is that even a strong finish probably won’t make him a long-term answer there.
Unless he makes a defensive leap that nobody is expecting, Baltimore is unlikely to want him back as its everyday third baseman next year. First base is blocked by Pete Alonso, and Samuel Basallo is the main designated hitter.
There isn’t an obvious opening.
That leaves Mayo with a different kind of goal. He needs to hit well enough to make himself useful to another team.
If the bat doesn’t come around, the Orioles may not get much in return for him in a trade. Baltimore has already shown with Kyle Stowers and Heston Kjerstad that if a former top prospect doesn’t bring back value, the organization is willing to let him sit in Triple-A for a long time.
That’s the road Mayo wants to avoid. A productive second half could make him a real offseason trade chip.
If not, he risks becoming a Norfolk Tides Hall of Famer.
Dylan Beavers is in a different spot from the other two, but he still has plenty to prove. He’s older than Holliday and Mayo, yet he’s the only rookie in this group.
That matters because his track record is thinner. Beavers spent years looking like an unimpressive minor leaguer before breaking out in 2025.
If he turns around in 2026 and looks like the old version again, it becomes much easier for Baltimore to dismiss last season as a one-year spike and move on.
His case matters because the Orioles’ outfield has gone from strength to weakness. Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays, and Anthony Santander once gave Baltimore solid defense and enough offense to sit near the top of the order.
That’s gone now. The outfield defense has fallen off badly, and too many of the bats are living in the lower half of the lineup.
The Orioles don’t need another left-handed outfielder who can’t hit and can’t defend.
If even one or two of Holliday, Mayo, and Beavers make a real move in the second half, Baltimore gets a better read on its future. If all three do, the outlook changes fast. If none of them do, the Orioles’ front office is headed for a busy offseason, with holes to fill all over the roster.
In Other News...
Orioles Fans May Finally Get The Roster Shakeup They Wanted
The Orioles prospect pipeline is in a strange place right now, with several of the organizations top names either sidelined by illness or already moved up to the next level. That leaves the club looking a little thin in the short term, but it also opens the door for a roster shakeup that fans have been waiting for, especially if Baltimore decides to reshape the pitching staff before the deadline.
Among the names worth watching, German stands out as the most realistic AAA arm who could hold down a rotation spot, and this summer looks like a natural window for his first taste of the majors. Bradfield is the other intriguing possibility, the kind of player who could inject energy with speed, defense and aggression even if the bat is still a work in progress, and the Orioles may soon have to decide how much of that upside they want to bring into the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Callis Sees One Clear Orioles Draft Trend Fans Need To Watch
The Orioles used their 2026 draft to spread the board around, taking 20 players with a mix of 11 pitchers and nine position players, plus a split of 12 college names and eight from high school. Their first five picks leaned especially heavy on bats and up-the-middle talent, with three outfielders, a shortstop and a right-handed pitcher, and MLB Pipeline analyst Jim Callis spent time breaking down several of the clubs most notable selections, including Eric Booth Jr., Ty Head, Dominic Voegele, Kevin Roberts Jr. and Jimmy Anderson.
What stood out most in Callis read was the way Baltimore attacked the class early, especially with two bat-to-ball hitters who fit a different profile than some of the clubs recent drafts. He also saw a range of upside in the group, from Booths athleticism and power potential to Heads disciplined approach, while Voegele and Roberts each came with the kind of developmental questions that make the next few years worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Former Orioles Lefty Suddenly Becomes Relevant Again For Baltimore
Bruce Zimmerman is suddenly back on the radar for clubs hunting for pitching depth, and the former Orioles left-hander has at least reminded the market that he can still give a team a useful major league look. He recently got into a Cardinals doubleheader game and worked five innings, a stretch that was enough to put him back into the conversation for teams sorting through the back end of their staffs.
For Baltimore, the appeal is easy to see. Zimmerman already has familiarity with the organization, and the Orioles have reason to keep tabs on any arm that might help stabilize the rotation or provide innings in a pinch. The question now is less about whether there will be interest and more about where that interest leads, since several clubs are expected to take a look at him. [Read more 🡒]