Tyler O'Neill's early surge could force the Orioles to rethink their lineup

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill has hit the ground running this spring. Through his first four games, O'Neill has seven hits, three RBI, and has yet to strike out. Though it's certainly a small sample size, his 2.040 OPS is tops among all Orioles players who've appeared in at least three spring games.

Amid of myriad of disappointments last season, outfielder O'Neill may have been the worst. After signing a three-year, $49.5 million deal with the O's during the offseason, he appeared in just 54 games, hit .199 with a .684 OPS. Given Baltimore's big-name additions this past winter, O'Neill looked like a sure-fire bet to be a bench bat in 2026.

Tyler O'Neill's could supplant Dylan Beavers in the Orioles lineup

Most experts and pundits assume Dylan Beavers will be among the 26 players to leave Sarasota with a plane ticket for Baltimore. He appeared in 35 games last season, and though he looked overmatched at times, posted a .775 OPS and 125 wRC+.

But O'Neill's red-hot start this spring undoubtedly threatens Beavers' standing on the team, and could result in the young outfielder beginning the year back in the minor leagues.

At the moment, two of the three outfield spots are spoken for. Newly acquired veteran Taylor Ward will be roaming left field for the O's in 2026, and Colton Cowser will be given another chance to prove that he can stick in center. That leaves right field as the only spot up for grabs, and given O'Neill's early-spring performance, it could be shaping up to be quite the roster battle.

Baltimore could choose to slot O'Neill into a designated hitter role to begin the year, but most observers assume that spot belongs to rookie catcher Samuel Basallo. But a recent injury scare may've opened the door for competition at the spot, too. O'Neill, Ryan Mountcastle, and Pete Alonso could all fill in as the team's DH.

The O's have truly just begun their Grapefruit League schedule, and there are plenty of games remaining for one or more players to separate themselves from the pack. But not many O's fans were expecting O'Neill to perform so well out of the gate.

O'Neill's potential inclusion in the Orioles' Opening Day lineup could result in delaying Beavers ascension to the active roster, but Baltimore's front office would happily accept such a surprise from last year's free-agent bust.