Cowser Works On Selective Aggression
At nearly every level of his professional career, outfielder Colton Cowser has taken time to acclimate. His major league debut last season was no different.
He hit just .115—that’s 7-for-61—in 26 games for the Orioles.
In past seasons, Cowser might have been granted a longer leash to figure things out in Baltimore. With the Orioles in contention for their first playoff appearance since 2016, that wasn’t the case.
That’s why the 24-year-old Cowser is holding out hope that he can learn from those struggles, build on his success at Triple-A Norfolk and win a role on Baltimore’s Opening Day roster.
“Just because you struggle doesn’t necessarily mean it’s always frustrating,” Cowser told reporters at the team’s Birdland Caravan event in January.
“There were some certain struggles that I couldn’t really control, and I think that it’s all about the frame of mind that you’re in and whether you take that as a learning experience or just kind of sulk in your sorrows.”
Cowser debuted on July 5 in New York with Cedric Mullins II and Aaron Hicks both out with injuries. He spent a month-plus in the majors but failed to adjust to pitchers in that time.
Cowser’s selective nature saw him taking strikes and ending up in bad counts, and MLB pitchers attacked his weaknesses on non-fastballs.
Still, the Orioles harbor hope for Cowser, whom they drafted fifth overall out of Sam Houston State in 2021. He put up a .996 OPS at Triple-A before his MLB debut. His .777 mark afterward reflects more aggression in the strike zone.
Cowser enters camp in a crowded Orioles outfield scene, with projected starters Mullins, Austin Hays and Anthony Santander backed by homegrown 40-man roster players Heston Kjerstad, Ryan McKenna and Kyle Stowers.
—JON MEOLI
Mayer Stands Poised For A Healthy New Year
For the first two months of last season, shortstop Marcelo Mayer asserted himself as one of the top prospects in baseball.
Scouts came out of High-A Greenville raving about a player who had the defensive instincts and clock to stay at shortstop with potential middle-order power.
A weighted bat program and general strength gains had helped Mayer’s bat play up. The added bulk contributed to the 2021 fourth overall pick hitting .290/.366/.524 with seven home runs through 35 South Atlantic League games.
That performance convinced the Red Sox to promote Mayer to Double-A Portland, making the then-20-year-old the youngest Boston position player to reach the level since Xander Bogaerts in 2013.
But Mayer’s performance suffered considerably in the Eastern League. He hit just .189/.254/.355 in 43 games before his season ended at the beginning of August with a left shoulder impingement.
The impingement actually occurred in Greenville shortly before Mayer’s promotion. While Mayer and team officials attributed some of his struggles to a Double-A adjustment, it became clear that the shoulder—which ultimately required a cortisone injection in September—had hindered his offensive performance.
“(The shoulder) ended up getting to a point where I just couldn’t really do it anymore,” Mayer said. “I think a lot of that’s on me not really knowing my body and not knowing how to handle a full season or communicate with my trainers.”
Early in the offseason, Mayer limited baseball activity while focusing on rehabbing his shoulder and strength gains. In mid January he returned to baseball activities.
“(The shoulder) feels as good as ever, so I’m excited for the new year,” Mayer said.
—ALEX SPEIER
Montgomery Will Tell When He’s Ready
The White Sox signed veteran Paul DeJong to man shortstop on Opening Day.
He will play the role of stabilizer and, if things go according to plan, placeholder.
That’s because No. 1 prospect Colson Montgomery is moving toward Chicago fast, and it’s only a matter of time until the 22-year-old is the starter at shortstop.
“Guys who have that kind of talent, they’ll let you know when they’re ready,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “He’s coming to spring training and he’s got to do his thing.
“He’s got to learn the major league game, see major league pitching and we’ll continue to evaluate this thing.”
The White Sox drafted Montgomery 22nd overall in 2021 out of high school in Indiana. In his full-season debut in 2022 he reached base safely in 50 straight games playing at the Class A levels.
Oblique and back injuries limited him to 64 games last season, the final 37 with Double-A Birmingham. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Montgomery got extra work in the Arizona Fall League.
The lefthanded hitter owns a career .410 on-base percentage in the minor leagues and has flashed big raw power.
“In the box, the decisions he makes, the temperament, the under control operation, it really stands out,” White Sox GM Chris Getz said. “And then defensively, he’s a solid defender at shortstop.”
Even if he stands out during spring training, Montgomery is likely to open the season with Triple-A Charlotte, just to get a needed taste of upper-level competition.
“At the end of the day, the goal is for him to be a really good major league player,” Getz said, “and I think that’s going to happen.”
—SCOT GREGOR
Rocchio Could Be The Best Shortstop Bet
In recent seasons, the Guardians have overloaded their minor league system with shortstops.
From Andres Gimenez to Tyler Freeman to Gabriel Arias, shortstops have dominated Cleveland’s prospect lists.
The best may be yet to come.
Brayan Rocchio checked all the boxes at Triple-A Columbus last season, hitting .280/.367/.421 with seven home runs and 25 stolen bases in 116 games. He drew 60 walks against 66 strikeouts.
The 23-year-old switch-hitter earned four different callups to Cleveland in 2023 but produced a
