As Another Lost Orioles Season Ends, It's Clear Which Bats Will Be Back In 2027, And Which Are Gone

The Orioles 40-man roster of hitters is another odd hodge podge that must be sorted through. We have a pretty good idea how

Sep 6, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Former teammates Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson (2) and Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman (31) talk at second base during a time out in the third inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Orioles aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs yet, but the postseason also isn’t happening, either.

Of course, we told you this emphatically in April, and in May when we formally begged ownership to fire Mike Elias and get real about their failing product and failing front office. And to this point, through what ownership has said and what we hear talking to informed people around the league, there is no reason to think these private equity billionaires won’t run it back with their penny-pinching head of baseball operations.

So what does that mean for this 2026 roster in 2027? Well, a labor dispute will certainly have something to say about when spring training starts and what the new economic parameters are moving forward. So there are unique variables. But with what we know, and if Elias remains in charge, this is what we expect with bats on the 40-man roster:

They’ll Be Back

1B Pete Alonso, 2B Jordan Westburg, IF/OF Blaze Alexander, C Samuel Basallo, 3B/1B Coby Mayo, OF Dylan Beavers, 3B/1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand, RF Tyler O’Neill, C Carlos Narvaez

We have to think like Elias thinks here. So once we get past the first six names on this list, it gets interesting. His new “young core” is those first six names, sans Alonso, who is obviously signed long-term. Alexander is young enough. Selling low on these younger guys doesn’t make sense. Mayo needs more ABs next season and maybe more DHing.

Elias loves to try to find AAAA fallen prospects who he thinks make him look smart if they catch fire. CES has been a run producer, and these line-ups have been less-than-clutch and Elias kept Jeremiah Jackson into 2026 after his bat surged from a Norfolk recall in 2025; CES is that guy from this season. The Orioles won’t buy O’Neill out even though Dan O’Dowd and Jim Duquette and others agreed that he should have been gone at the trade deadline. Narvaez being bilingual and a good receiver are great pairings with Basallo as he develops.

They’ll Be Gone

SS Gunnar Henderson, 1B Ryan Mountcastle, OF Luis Robert Jr., OF Leody Taveras    , C Yohel Pozo, OF Rece Hinds, OF Christian Franklin, DH Heston Kjerstad

Elias knows he can’t fix Henderson, who has gone from top five MVP candidate in June 2024 to a sub .700 OPS guy who can’t play shortstop, gets picked off, can’t get on base enough to make his speed a factor and is the embodiment of frustration. Two years of control left is when you have to deal a player like this with the way these owners operate. Selling low on him stinks but running the risk of him getting hurt or flaming out further in 2027 might be greater. Regardless, he’s gone by the 2027 trade deadline at the latest and I bet they get proactive.

The Adley Rutschman trade was just the beginning of their former first-round picks - and first-overall picks - who aren't long for Balltimore.

Mountcastle has a $7.5M team option and has to go. No way can they pay Robert Jr. $20M on an option, either; his body is broken. Taveras can’t catch the ball anymore and played too much this year and Enrique Bradfield Jr. can at least be a fourth OF. The rest are AAAA guys and they will find new AAAA guys; heck, they have mostly drafted AAAA guys. Heston will be 28 and is rotting on the bench here, but at least he won’t hit 250 games played in Norfolk.

Maybe Yes, Maybe No

Aug 27, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) looks on from the on deck circle during the seventh inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CF (?) Jackson Holliday, OF Colton Cowser, 2B Jeremiah Jackson

Holliday’s name came up quite a bit ahead of the deadline.

He could not cash in on some adjustments in the batter’s box as consistently as we would have liked and he isn’t good at second base. If they don’t think he can handle the OF, then he could be gone, even if Henderson is gone. Mayo and CES can handle third, Westburg would be quite good at second and maybe that less rigorous position helps with the injuries and Alexander can’t be worse than Henderson at shortstop and is vastly better than Holliday there.

Cowser is a fourth outfielder and with him being a fifth-overall pick does Elias want to swallow that? You can’t get much for him but could package him with other broken prospects and see what you get. This team desperately needs a legit everyday CF next year, free agency offers nothing, and trades will be vital. Jeremiah Jackson looks redundant if/when Westburg returns and given the other RH bats that have passed him by (Mayo and CES), this feels like the end.