This Orioles roster battle down at spring training matters more than fans think

One of the few positions on the 2026 Baltimore Orioles that appears to be up for grabs in spring training is the role of backup centerfielder. It may seem strange to think about a spring training battle over a backup position, but backup centerfielder is not going to be a small role for the Orioles this season.

Colton Cowser is currently slated to be the Orioles' primary centerfielder. This will be the first year of his career in which he enters the season as the team's MLB centerfielder. The most MLB games he's ever played in center field in a season is 45. Center field is a physically demanding position, and 45 is a lot less than 162; this will be a major test for the Milkman.

Cowser is young, and it's possible that he could handle playing the vast majority of the season in center. However, last season Cowser broke his hand diving into a base, broke his ribs diving for a ball, and concussed himself running into the outfield wall. This is not a careful guy. It feels inevitable that at some point next season, someone besides Cowser will have to play a significant chunk of games in center.

If Dylan Beavers can win the backup center field job, the Orioles can build a significantly better Opening Day roster

Most of the Orioles outfielders on the active roster cannot play center field. When the Orioles signed Leody Taveras to a larger-than-usual minor league contract early in the offseason, it seemed like he might be their solution. Taveras is a capable defender in center and is most known for playing a role in the Rangers' 2023 World Series run.

However, Taveras' bat has declined sharply since 2023. In 2025, he put up an OPS+ of 57 and was DFA'd by two different teams. The idea of having a player on the bench who plays good defense but provides nothing on offense is not unheard of, but with the Orioles already having to try to piece their infield together in the wake of a cluster of injuries, a defense-only outfielder feels like a luxury they can't afford.

In response to this reality, the Orioles have recently begun considering having Dylan Beavers play center field, and earlier this week, he got a start there to give it a try.

Beavers has played a little bit of center field as he's come up through the minors, but he's been primarily a corner outfielder. He has the speed to play center, but being a good centerfielder is not just about running fast; centerfielders need to make good reads, get good jumps, and take good lines to the ball. The centerfielder is in charge of the outfield; that would be a lot to put on a rookie's plate when he doesn't have a lot of experience at the position.

It has been done, though. Just a couple seasons ago, the Padres converted career shortstop Jackson Merrill to center despite him having played zero career games there before that.

If Beavers could win the backup center field job, that would make the whole roster fit together much easier. Currently, the Orioles must have Cowser, Beavers, O'Neill, and Ward on the Opening Day roster. If Beavers loses the position battle for backup centerfielder, then that means that the Orioles will have to carry a fifth outfielder to fill that role, most likely Taveras.

If the Orioles have to carry five outfielders, that leaves eight roster spots for Adley Rutschman, Samuel Basallo, Pete Alonso, Gunnar Henderson, Blaze Alexander, Coby Mayo, Ryan Mountcastle, Jeremiah Jackson, Heston Kjerstad, eventually Jackson Holliday, and then hopefully Jordan Westburg. It pretty much eliminates the ability to roster a third catcher, which the Orioles are definitely thinking about with Basallo's recent injury.

If Beavers wins the job, the Orioles can get all the infielders they need onto the Opening Day roster and then decide between Kjerstad, a third catcher, or just having Taveras on the roster because they want to for the final roster spot. There is a big difference between being forced to use the final roster spot on a player because they have no other choice and being able to use that final roster spot on the player they feel gives them the best chance to win.