Dylan Beavers is the kind of prospect that makes an organization both hopeful and wary. Not because he lacks talent, but because all the signals he sends are inconsistent. And as the Baltimore Orioles enter the 2026 season with serious ambitions, that unpredictability becomes a difficult problem to solve.
Beavers, a first-round pick in 2022, had moments that convinced the coaching staff he deserved a chance in MLB. In 35 games last season, he shot .227/.375/.400 with four home runs. Nothing spectacular, but his .375 OBP was a clear reminder: Beavers knows how to base, even when things aren’t smooth.
The problem is, looking back at their journey in the minor league, the Orioles couldn’t find a clear path to development.
In 2023, Beavers generated real excitement. In his first full season in A-ball and Double-A, he slashed .288/.383/.467 with 11 home runs. At that point, college comparisons to Christian Yelich didn’t seem far-fetched anymore. A left-handed outfielder with just the right amount of power, good pitch selection, and constant pressure on defense.
Then 2024 arrived — and the story changed. In Double-A and Triple-A, Beavers dropped to .242/.342/.408. Power was still there, walk rate was still good, but batting average dropped sharply. Not alarming, but enough to make management start wondering: was this a temporary adjustment, or a real limit?
The answer seems to have emerged in 2025 — in a way that makes things even more unpredictable.
At Norfolk, Beavers played as if he had found his own code. In 94 games, he hit .304/.420/.515 with 18 home runs. That wasn’t just an improvement, it was a leap forward. Triple-A pitchers could no longer avoid him, and his call-up to the MLB was inevitable.
But then, upon returning to the big stage, Beavers reverted to his “apprenticeship” state. The powerful shots were still there, but consistency was lacking. This put the Orioles in a dilemma: which version was the real one?
One detail sets Beavers apart from many other “fluctuating” prospects. Despite his fluctuating average and power, his ability to base his shots never disappeared. At every level, Beavers’ OBP was consistently significantly higher than his batting average. This speaks to a skill that’s hard to teach: a sense of the strike zone and patience.
This very factor could keep Beavers in the MLB even if his shots weren’t consistently explosive. In an already crowded outfield with Taylor Ward, Leody Taveras, Colton Cowser, and Tyler O’Neill, having a player who can contribute to the team, rotate the lineup, and avoid being left out is a quiet advantage.
Of course, Baltimore can’t just rely on “positive trends.” 2026 could very well be a pivotal year. If Beavers can turn his Norfolk breakout into a lasting foundation, he could secure a starting spot. If not, he risks becoming a player who is always promising.
No one can be sure who Dylan Beavers will be in 2026. But one thing is clear: his trajectory is upward, albeit not smoothly. And sometimes, the biggest explosions don’t come in a straight line—they come after a series of signals that make everyone doubt before they believe.
Leave a Reply