Dylan Beavers joined exclusive (and bizarre) Orioles club in with first career homer

The O's rookie made some obscure history.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Dylan Beavers
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Dylan Beavers | Paul Rutherford/GettyImages

On Thursday, Dylan Beavers sent Birdland abuzz with his first career home run in the Baltimore Orioles’ 7-2 loss to the Houston Astros. Thursday’s game marked Beavers' Camden Yards debut, which put the rising rookie in some elite company in franchise history. 

As MLB.com’s Jake Rill pointed out, Beavers became the third player in Orioles history to hit his first home run during his first home plate appearance, joining Jeff Fiorentino (2005) and Ken Gerhart (1986). He also became the sixth player to homer in his first home plate appearance for the Orioles, joining Fiorentino, Gerhart, Javy López (2004), Luis Polonia (1996) and Mike Pagliarulo (1993). 

López is far and away the best player on that list, as he was named to three All-Star teams in his career, though he’s best known for his time with the Atlanta Braves.

Dylan Beavers joined exclusive (and bizarre) Orioles club in with first career homer

Pagliarulo had a solid half season with the Orioles in 1993 after being acquired at the trade deadline in exchange for Erik Schullstrom. He slashed .325/.373/.556 in 33 games for Baltimore with six home runs and 21 RBI. The homer he hit in his first Camden yards at-bat came off Nolan Ryan in a 6-5 Orioles win. 

Polonia had a brief 58-game stint with the Orioles in 1996 and hit just .240 with a .285 on-base percentage. He provided one signature moment in May 1996 when he mashed a home run off Bob Wolcott in his first Camden Yards at-bat. 

Ten years before that, Gerhart started his Orioles tenure with a bang when he homered off Teddy Higuera in a 3-1 Orioles win. It was the only home run he hit in the 1986 season, and one of 24 that he hit in his career. 

While Fiorentino’s career wasn’t anything special, he made a good impression to the Orioles faithful when he homered off Randy Wolf in the third inning of his home debut in a loss to the Phillies. It was the only home run he hit in his major league career. 

Beavers has a chance to be among the best of the bunch. He’s currently ranked as Baltimore’s No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline. Beavers has already shown a solid approach and above-average plate discipline, and that’s a great sign for an Orioles team that seems to have a budding, if incomplete, young core.

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