Taylor Ward’s under-the-radar skill could give Orioles an absolute trade steal

When the Baltimore Orioles acquired Taylor Ward, it was the 36 homers he hit last season that stole headlines. The move initially drew mixed reviews, with the prospect of Ward potentially displacing an up-and-coming youngster like Colton Cowser or Dylan Beavers. At the same time, Ward was a key power upgrade for the lineup that was further supercharged when the club signed Pete Alonso.

The logjam in the outfield won't simply go away, but perhaps there's room for both Cowser and Beavers alongside Ward, and instead it will be last year's free-agent bust, Tyler O'Neill, who takes a back seat.

These things have a way of working themselves out, and while Ward reached new heights in the power department last season, he's quietly become one of the league's most consistently productive hitters. For a unit that features so much uncertainty between O'Neill and the youngsters, that kind of floor raising he provides is critical, regardless if he repeats his career best in homers.

What makes Ward so valuable, though, and what will allow him to help bring the Orioles' offense to new heights in 2026, is an overlooked skill. Ward excels at not chasing pitches out of the zone.

Taylor Ward's elite chase rate could help unlock the Orioles' offense in 2026, making him a true steal

The ability to lay off pitches outside of the strike zone can yield a multitude of benefits. It can help a hitter draw more walks. It can also help a guy hit for more power as he's typically only swinging at pitches that he has a higher probability of driving. It can also help buoy batting averages.

Here's how Ward has ranked with regard to chasing pitches since becoming a full-time starter in 2022:

That's some remarkable consistency for the 32-year-old. It has allowed him to consistently draw walks at an above-average clip, coming in at 9.9% for his career. In addition to last year's power surge, it allowed him to hit .281 in 2022, showing off some contact skills.

If the power and contact merge with the patience for Ward, by virtue of not chasing out of the zone, he could actually level up in 2026. Even if he doesn't, it still creates a very compelling package and helps Baltimore improve in this key area. The Orioles as a team posted a 27.5% chase rate last season. That was a bit better than the league average mark of 28.2%, but a far cry from what the former Angel has done throughout his career.

That somewhat chase-happy nature led the Orioles to finish 22nd in the league with an 8% walk rate, 24th with a .305 OBP, and 24th with a .235 batting average. Ward's ability to lay off tough pitches can help improve all three metrics while also providing more pop.

So while it seemed that losing Grayson Rodriguez was a high price to pay, a closer look reveals that Ward can benefit the club in multiple ways thanks to this one elite skill. In the context of what Rodriguez is as a highly injury-prone starter, rather than the potential he holds, you can see that this was actually quite the steal.