Baltimore Orioles 2024 opening day roster projection 1.0

Infielders (6): Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, Gunnar Henderson, Jorge Mateo, Ryan Mountcastle, Ryan O'Hearn

If the Corbin Burnes trade told us anything, it made it clear that Mike Elias and the Orioles are in it to win it this season. Elias stated that the Burnes acquisition will have a "tremendous impact" on the Orioles' chances to win a World Series. That convinced me Elias will aim to field the best team he can from day 1. The best team features baseball's number one prospect and Rookie of the Year frontrunner Jackson Holliday at second base on opening day. I expect Holliday to be joined by Jordan Westburg (3B), Gunnar Henderson (SS), and Ryan Mountcastle (1B, with Ryan O'Hearn filling in on occasion) around the infield.

If Holliday makes the team, it would push one of Ramon Urias or Jorge Mateo out. Although I am a big fan of Urias, I project the Orioles trading him at the end of Spring Training to an infield-needy team and awarding the utility job to Mateo.

As was the case last year, the infield's positional flexibility is elite, with Holliday, Henderson, and Westburg capable of playing third, second, and short. Mateo makes the team for his speed, defense, and ability to play the outfield as well.

O'Hearn, Mountcastle, and Heston Kjerstad will rotate between DH, the bench, and the field in the early going.

Outfielders (5): Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander, Heston Kjerstad, Ryan McKenna

Death, taxes, and an outfield of Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander, and Ryan McKenna. Yes, the Orioles once again keep the outfield band back together (no, not this "Outfield" band). For the fourth straight season, the Orioles are expected to open with an outfield alignment of Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins, and Anthony Santander from left to right.

Hays and Santander debuted with the Orioles in 2017 and were teammates with Adam Jones, Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop, JJ Hardy and Zack Britton. Mullins debuted the following season and literally and figuratively was ushered in as the team's new centerfielder by Jones. How fitting would it be for these Oriole lifers to remain healthy and start all season as the Orioles push for a World Series?

On the contrary, Kjerstad and McKenna's spots are far from guaranteed. The Orioles claimed outfielder Sam Hilliard off waivers from Atlanta at the start of the offseason, and he will likely compete with McKenna for the fourth outfielder spot. However, Hilliard bats left and may be redundant with Kjerstad and Colton Cowser if and when he comes up. No, I am giving this spot to Brandon Hyde's favorite Ryan McKenna.

Kjerstad gets the final spot for me over Cowser. Yes, Kjerstad is a bit redundant with Ryan O'Hearn, but I believe the O's want to give Kjerstad a chance to show what he can do in a more regular role, especially after he concluded 2023 in Baltimore and made the playoff roster. I envision Kjerstad starting 3-4 times a week, occasionally playing right field and DHing when O'Hearn or Mountcastle get a day off.

Starting Pitchers: Corbin Burnes, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, John Means, Dean Kremer (5)

With the Orioles' blockbuster acquisition of Milwaukee Brewers' ace Corbin Burnes on Thursday, the starting rotation appears set. You could probably skip the pencil and set these five in ink barring any injuries. Burnes was just what the doctor ordered, what Orioles fans and writers have been clamoring for all off-season. Just a few days ago, I listed Mike Elias making a key trade as one of the five keys to the Orioles' repeating as Division Champs. (Of course, my article stated my opinion that trade talks for Burnes never got off the ground. Mea Culpa.)

The acquisition of Burnes bumps Bradish, Rodriguez, Means, and Kremer down a slot, making the rotation that much stronger 2-5 as well. As one National League Executive aptly noted, the Burnes trade makes the Orioles rotation "scary." Burnes is arguably the Orioles' best starting pitcher since Mike Mussina, the third-best starter in the American League behind Gerrit Cole and Kevin Gausman, and likely cements Baltimore as having the strongest rotation in the AL East.

Not too shabby.

Relief Pitchers: Cole Irvin, Tyler Wells, Dillon Tate, Jacob Webb, Cionel Perez, Yennier Cano, Danny Coulombe, Craig Kimbrel (8)

With the acquisition of Corbin Burnes, Tyler Wells slots back into the bullpen, where he is arguably better suited. Wells started his Orioles career as a reliever in 2021, and even earned a few save opportunities, before trying his craft as a starter in 2022 and 2023. Wells was perfectly solid as a starting pitcher, but seemingly tired down the stretch. He triumphantly returned to the pen at the end of 2023 and was a key weapon out of the bullpen in the playoffs. I think he is where he belongs.

Wells is joined by bullpen stalwarts Yennier Cano, Danny Coulombe, and Cionel Perez, all locks to make the pen after strong showings last summer. Craig Kimbrel, signed away from Philadelphia, takes the closer role as Felix Bautista rehabs from Tommy John Surgery.

These five spots in the bullpen are all but set. I also think Dillon Tate's spot in the pen is relatively safe, barring health or a Spring Training implosion. Tate's return will be a huge boost to the Orioles' pen, as the right-hander pitched to a 3.05 ERA in 67 games for Baltimore in 2022.

Competing for the final two spots are Cole Irvin, Jacob Webb, Mike Baumann, Bryan Baker, Keegan Akin, Jonathan Heasley, Nick Vespi, and Bruce Zimmermann. Due in part to his strong finish last season and his track record, I expect Cole Irvin to make the team as a swingman and to potentially make a spot start or two should there be an injury to the five starters. Fellow lefties Akin and Zimmermann will give him all he can handle in Spring Training, however, and could catapult Irvin with a strong spring.

For me, the final spot was a toss-up between Baumann and Webb, with Bryan Baker's playoff struggles and Heasley's poor track record keeping them on the outside looking in. Baumann's overall numbers were very good: 10-1 with a 3.76 ERA and nearly one strikeout per inning. However, the Orioles' decision to tender a contract to Webb, along with the fact that he was a trusted arm out of the pen during the second half of the season, put Webb a hair above Baumann for the final spot in my Opening Day bullpen.

CONCLUSION

There you have it. My 26-man roster prediction as of February 3, 2024. With Mike Elias potentially adding more players to the roster, Spring Training a little over one week away and an entire slate of Grapefruit League games to be played, a lot can change before the Orioles run down the Orange Carpet before facing Mike Trout and the Angels on March 28. But as of now, I feel pretty confident saying these 26 men will head north with the Orioles from Sarasota, Florida with a shared goal of bringing a World Championship back to Baltimore.