For years, the Baltimore Orioles’ story has been almost a done deal.
The future belongs to Adley Rutschman.
The ceiling of potential belongs to Gunnar Henderson.
And the next wave is Jackson Holliday.
But the 2026 season opens with a more unsettling question: if familiar names are no longer the default answer, who is truly ready to break through?
Henderson has set the standard too high to even be called a “breakout.” Rutschman is currently more of a bounce-back candidate than a new explosive. Jordan Westburg has an All-Star on his record. Holliday – at 22 – might be the best fit for the explosive concept, but a fractured hamate and recent surgery could affect his strength for a long time.
That void isn’t loud. But it’s real.
And in that lull, Coby Mayo began to be mentioned more often – not as a potential trade asset, but as an internal solution.
Mayo had once been seen as a name that could be traded for big deals. But when Westburg and Holliday experienced early fitness issues, he suddenly returned to the center of the board. His 11 home runs in 263 at-bats last season may not have been explosive, but his September sprint with slash line .301/.393/.548 showed one thing: when opportunities arise, Mayo doesn’t waste them.
The only remaining issue – and the one that needs internal consideration – is whether he can play third base at a “decent enough” level to maintain his everyday spot.
In another corner, Colton Cowser – “Milk Man” – entered the season as the official center fielder. The 2024 American League Outstanding Rookie award once made him a long-term prospect. But last season’s injury stalled his development. Cowser has power and a strong shooting arm, but his ability to maintain consistency on both the plate and defense remains questionable.
Samuel Basallo, on the other hand, is a different kind of pressure. A $67 million contract, yet only 109 at-bats in MLB. High expectations can either push a player too quickly or put them in too much spotlight.
Dylan Beavers also emerged after achieving an average of .375 in 35 games last season. Not as flashy as the top prospects, but consistent enough to catch the coaching staff’s attention.
In the interior, Blaze Alexander and Jeremiah Jackson have a chance to regularly score at-bats with Westburg and Holliday absent. At bullpen, Anthony Nunez is starting to get more attention. And during the rotation, the front office continued to talk about Shane Baz’s potential as something yet to be fully explored.
The list of candidates is long. But the point isn’t the number.
It’s that for the first time in years, the Orioles don’t have a clear “breakout candidate.” No one is in that state of promising mystery anymore. They’ve either already made it big, or enormous expectations have been placed on their shoulders.
That creates a dangerous vacuum – where a lesser-known name could step up and redefine the internal order.
It could be Mayo.
It could be Cowser.
It could be Basallo.
Or even a name that hasn’t been mentioned much before.
Baltin isn’t short of talent. But in an environment where every prospect was once called “the future,” true breakthroughs now aren’t just about improving performance – they’re about reclaiming the spotlight from seemingly untouchable names.
And if 2026 sees a quiet shift in power within the clubhouse, don’t be surprised if the one orchestrating that shift isn’t Rutschman… nor Henderson.
The real question is no longer who has the potential.
Rather, who dares to step into the shadow of the icons who were erected too early?
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