Baltimore’s aggressive approach in free agency has left me wanting more. While the majority of Birdland remains focused on Framber Valdez, my attention has drifted to the outfield. The Orioles landed a true impact bat by inking first baseman Pete Alonso to a five year deal, but they also expect big things from left fielder Taylor Ward.
Ward posted a 116 OPS+ last season while tallying 36 homers over 157 games. The righty may not pack the same punch as Alonso, but 36 long balls are nothing to sneeze at. The O’s should gain at least some type of power from a healthy Tyler O’Neill, and Heston Kjerstad remains a wild card after a lost 2025 season.
Dylan Beavers’ stock is on the rise, and the 24-year-old will carry PPI eligibility into his rookie season. There’s plenty of power potential between Ward, O’Neill, Kjerstad and Beavers, but none of those guys play center field.
Colton Cowser started 45 games in center last season. Cowser battled multiple injuries while posting a .196/.269/.385 slash line during his sophomore campaign. The Milk Man played left field for a majority of his rookie season, but he inherited center field when the Birds dealt Cedric Mullins at the 2025 trade deadline.
Sliding over to center appeared to be a natural path for Cowser. The Sam Houston State product looked the part when called upon and featured a stronger arm than Mullins. Unfortunately, the transition went a little bumpier than it would have on paper.
Cowser missed two early months with a broken thumb, and he played through broken ribs in the second half. Former skipper Tony Mansolino shied away from immediately slotting in Cowser as the daily center fielder. When asked, Mansolino said he wanted to avoid placing extra pressure on the outfielder as he searched for success at the plate.
Cowser missed time in August with a concussion, but the O’s cut him loose in center by the end of the month. Mansolino provided an honest assessment of his play during a series against Boston.
“I was probably low man on him in center field two weeks ago, and I told him that,” Mansolino said. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised with how he’s been playing in center field.”
“It’s a longer, lankier body,” the interim manager added. “He’s covering ground. The metrics like him… I feel like he’s proving me wrong right now and I really, really like that.”
When asked directly about Cowser’s strong arm, Mansolino said he was “very unpolished with his throwing arm” when he arrived in Baltimore. Mansolino said he had improved in his two years with the big league club, but added that “we need him to improve more.”
Mansolino is no longer with the team, but his words provided some insight into how the organization viewed Cowser as a center fielder last season. It’s easy to attribute some offensive struggles to broken ribs and inconsistent playing time, but these marks address Cowser’s profile as a defender.
Cowser must have passed his audition over the final two months of the season, because the Orioles did not acquire a new starting center fielder. It does not appear that Baltimore ever seriously considered Cody Bellinger, and the Birds watched Mullins sign a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Mike Elias added depth to the position by signing Leody Taveras to a one-year deal early in the offseason. Taveras is a career .236/.287/.365 over six seasons. He patrolled center field for Texas from 2020-2024, but the Rangers designated him for assignment last May. Taveras made 28 appearances for the Mariners while hitting .174/.198/.272. Seattle outrighted him to Triple-A, and he elected free agency at the end of the season.
Taveras was a solid contributor for the 2023 World Champs, but he would need a real bounceback season to justify a spot on a playoff contender’s roster. Unfortunately, he’s the only other player on the 26-man with significant experience in center field. Beavers made nine appearances in center for Norfolk prior to his late-season promotion after making 26 with the Tides in 2024.
Cowser absolutely has the talent to grab the starting center fielder job and hold it all year. However, the Orioles have traded optimism for aggression this offseason. Are they content hoping that Cowser stays healthy while taking a step forward at the plate?
Former first-round pick Enrique Bradfield Jr. profiles as a major-league ready center fielder, but injuries slowed a promotion to Triple-A last season. Bradfield snuck in 15 games with Norfolk before shining in the Arizona Fall League. His advanced defense makes him a serviceable replacement in a pinch, but the Orioles likely want Bradfield to get an extended look at Triple-A pitching.
MLB Pipeline lists Bradfield as Baltimore’s fourth best prospect. He should find his way to Baltimore at some point next season, and the speedy outfielder has the potential to stick around. Bradfield’s presence may serve as a deterrent from inking a big fish like Bellinger, but it’s not like Coby Mayo prevented the Alonso signing. Harrison Bader remains available on the open market, and there’s always a trade candidate like Colorado’s Brenton Doyle.
At this point, Baltimore’s inactivity appears to represent a vote of confidence for Cowser as its full time center fielder. That feels like a respectable Plan A, but it’s worth monitoring alternatives as spring training inches closer.
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