Former Baltimore Orioles Star Impressed With Young Stars' Attitudes

A long-time franchise fan favorite has been impressed by what he's seen from several young Baltimore Orioles stars at spring training.

Aug 11, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles first base Ryan Mountcastle (6), shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) and second base Jackson Holliday (7). | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

If the Baltimore Orioles want to win the World Series this year, they're going to need several of their young players to step up and improve from last season.

That can be easier said than done with youngsters, as making adjustments is difficult and player development isn't always linear.

Some can be headstrong and resistant to change, making them difficult to coach.

Fortunately, that isn't the case with the Orioles' crop of young stars, even the ones who've already succeeded at the MLB level.

They're all hungry, eager to learn and willing to do whatever it takes to get better.

Baltimore is loaded with rising stars all over the diamond — the fruits of one of the best farm systems in baseball.

While their skills and potential are obvious, former Orioles star Brian Roberts has been just as impressed by their makeup, attitude and dedication.

#Orioles guest coach Brian Roberts says players like Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday are so talented they could tell guys like him, "Go jump in the water, I couldn't care less what you say."

But they don't. That humility is what impresses Roberts most in camp.

Full quote: pic.twitter.com/MdNRRVGp22

— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) February 26, 2025

"It doesn't get a whole lot better than this young core anywhere in the game," Roberts told MLB.com's Jake Rill. "But the way they are as people is honestly better than they are as players ... They're just humble guys that want to get better, but they're super, super talented."

That's a rare combination, especially in today's game where it's easy to develop a big ego.

It also bodes well for Baltimore's future to have such hard-working young players.

A former All-Star second baseman, Roberts has been working with Jackson Holliday on moving from shortstop to second base. Despite being a former No. 1 draft pick and top prospect, Holliday's been listening to Roberts and incorporating his feedback, showing significant improvement in a short amount of time.

Gunnar Henderson is already one of the best players in baseball, but he's still incorporating fielding tips from former Gold Glove shortstop J.J. Hardy.

If Henderson, Holliday, Jordan Westburg, Colton Cowser and others keep improving, so will the Orioles.

The sky is the limit for them, both individually and on a team level.