Meet the Baby Birds: Coby Mayo

This week on Meet the Baby Birds we take a look at Coby Mayo. Mayo is the star third baseman for the Double-A Bowie Baysox. He is the Orioles #7 prospect and #79 overall per MLB.com. Mayo is part of a jam packed Orioles system but he has produced very well and made a name for himself in that crowd.

Meet the Baby Birds: Infield prospect Coby Mayo

The Baltimore Orioles selected Mayo in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB draft out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland FL. Mayo reported to the Florida Coast League for the 2021 season to get his first experience in professional baseball. Coby fit in nicely with the Orioles FCL Orange and Black teams and batted .329 with four home runs, six doubles, 15 RBI's and six stolen bases in 26 games with those teams.

Mayo was promoted to the Delmarva Shorebirds and played an additional 27 games there in 2021. Mayo had no trouble adjusting to the Low-A level where he slashed .311/.416/.547 with five homers, eight doubles, a triple, 26 RBI's and five more stolen bases. Coby made one thing clear in his first professional season and that was that he could hit.

The start of the 2022 season brought another promotion for the budding prospect. After making a brief appearance in spring training, Mayo began the season with the Aberdeen IronBirds. Even though he was 2.5 years younger than the average player at that level, Mayo held his own. Coby's calling card is his power and in 63 game in Aberdeen he hit 13 home run and drove in 42 runs, earning him the call to Bowie.

In Mayo's third game with the Double-A Bowie Baysox, just when he looked to be hitting his stride, adversity struck and Mayo was forced to leave the game with back spasms. A week later Mayo was placed on the IL and missed almost the entire month of July before starting a rehab stint back in the FCL. Upon returning, Mayo needed only two games in the FCL and five games in Aberdeen to prove he was still ready for Bowie. Coby hit .259 for the remainder of the season with four home runs and 17 RBI's.

In 2023 Coby was again invited to start the season in spring training. After only getting one at-bat in two games in 2022 spring training, Mayo was able to make more of an impression in 2023. He appeared in 15 games going 5-18 with three doubles, three RBI's and four runs scored before being sent back to Bowie. The work Mayo did over the off-season and the experience in spring training appears to have paid off this season as Mayo appears to have taken his game to a new level. Mayo is slashing .308/.425/.612 with a 1.037 OPS this season.

While his bat looks the part, Mayo's defense could use some polishing. He has a career .900 fielding percentage at third base in the minors. His 6'5 stature and strong arm profile as a third baseman but he has started getting some reps at first base as well. With Mayo's success this season and Jordan Westburg recently being called up to Baltimore, Mayo could find his way to Norfolk soon but he would have to compete with the likes of Joey Ortiz, Josh Lester and more for time at either corner infield spot.

The Orioles have laid a gauntlet of talent down in front of Mayo that he will have to get through to make it to the major leagues. He is a big right handed power hitter that could work his way through that gauntlet if he continues to improve. Mayo is powerful enough to climb Mt. Walltimore and give the Orioles some depth against left handed pitching should he get to the majors. He probably won't make it to Baltimore this season but 2024 could be his year to shine.