4 Orioles players taking advantage of 2024 spring training

Colton Cowser

All of the Orioles' top five prospects in 2024 are currently in camp with the major league team, and Colton Cowser has been blowing the others out of the water. Samuel Basallo, No. 2 and the youngest of the bunch, has yet to make an appearance in a game, but Cowser, Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad, and Coby Mayo have all gotten 15-20 at-bats in spring training so far. All but Kjerstad have been performing exceptionally, but Cowser's .400/.550/1.000 line with three home runs and seven RBI has been especially notable.

Cowser is coming off of a disappointing first foray in the majors in 2023, when he appeared in 26 games and hit a paltry .115/.286/.148. Again, the Orioles' infield is crowded, and Cowser is in the same boat as Nevin, having to potentially fight Mountcastle and Urías for time at first and third, but Cowser is certainly raising eyebrows and, at the very least, seems to be incentivizing the team to give him another real chance after last season.

Julio Teherán

Long gone are Julio Teherán's All-Star starter days in Atlanta. His fall from grace has been rough; after only being able to pitch five innings for the Tigers in 2021, a sojourn to the Mexican Leagues in 2022, and a seemingly permanent relegation to the bullpen (to not-so-great effect) and DFA from the Brewers in 2023, he's in Orioles camp as an NRI in 2024.

He made his Orioles debut on Saturday, throwing one spotless, five-pitch inning. Sure, it's the tiniest of all sample sizes and so on and so forth, but Teherán was always going to be a curious case to watch because of his history of greatness. If he can continue to pitch quick, hitless innings throughout spring training and look like he's recovering some of his Atlanta moxie, the Orioles could be inclined to give him a bullpen spot over prospects or NRIs.