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Inside The Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Superstar Could Join Elite Company This Season

The Baltimore Orioles young superstar has a chance to do something special this season.
Dylan Sanders|
May 10, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) doubles
May 10, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) doubles | Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

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Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles have a few breakout stars, but none are shining brighter than Gunnar Henderson.

Henderson is one of the best young players in the league and has a chance to win the AL MVP award.

Bleacher Report's Brandon Scott listed the soon-to-be 23-year-old as one of the leagues 10 defining players from this season so far.

As Scott mentioned, if Henderson were to go on to win the MVP, he would be just the seventh player to win the MVP and Rookie of the Year in their first two seasons.

One of the other players on that list just so happens to be Baltimore's Cal Ripken Jr.

Ripken had an incredible second season that made it undeniable that he would win the MVP. He had 8.2 WAR and led the league with 211 hits. He had both average and power, hitting 27 home runs withs a .318 BA. The Orioles legend went on to win a second MVP and is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Henderson isn't having the same success in terms of batting average, but has flashed much more power than anyone could have expected.

Projected to hit 22 home runs before the season, the shortstop already has 12. He's on pace to hit around 47. That's even after a revent seven game stretch without hitting one.

He hit 28 home runs last season, so it's not a huge surprise that he has power, it just wasn't expected this season.

The Alabama native is currently tied for sixth in WAR this season across the entire MLB and tied for third in the AL though it is a close race for first.

FanDuel currently has his odds at fourth to win the AL award. He's behind Juan Soto, Bobby Witt Jr., and Aaron Judge.

Even if he doesn't join Ripken in the exclusive club of players to pull it off, the future is very bright for the Baltimore superstar.

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Dylan Sanders
DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders

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