Orioles Versatile Infielder Getting Work at New Position
The Baltimore Orioles have been at the forefront of embracing new things that will help them compete in Major League Baseball for an extended period of time.
This started with their complete teardown rebuild that now has them set up for the future.
For that to work, the front office and coaching staff had to work seamlessly together to ensure the draft picks fit what the organization wants to build and have the capability of developing.
GM Mike Elias and manager Brandon Hyde continue to showcase this working relationship as defensive versatility amongst their players is a huge aspect of front office and gameday philosophy.
It seems like that's going to be the case for Jorge Mateo this year.
According to Roch Kubatko of MASN, the 28-year-old is getting more reps in center field and could emerge as the primary backup option in 2024.
Mateo is fundamentally a shortstop, appearing in 277 games at that position. In comparison, he's played 16 games in center throughout his three-year career.
Back in 2021, he was claimed off waivers by the Orioles after being designated for assignment by the San Diego Padres.
Since then, he's carved out a nice niche in Baltimore and the organization is looking to utilize him more. They think rotating him in the outfield could be the best way to do that.
"He helps us out in so many ways ... We’re going to keep our options open with him. He really increases the versatility we have on this club. He can cover us in a lot of places," Hyde said.
His speed is a huge asset for the Orioles and having him on the field as much as possible is necessary.
With Gunnar Henderson emerging as a star and Jackson Holliday on his way up, Mateo's normal positions of shortstop and second base are largely going to be taken.
Having him get more run in center will allow him to continue contributing to this team as they attempt to put together back-to-back successful seasons.
