Coby Mayo: Orioles 2024 Minor League Player Of The Year
It’s fairly common these days for Orioles prospects to demonstrate they’re ready for the next challenge by overwhelming the competition at Triple-A.
Few have done so as emphatically as Coby Mayo did this year.
The 22-year-old third baseman slugged 22 home runs in 89 games for Norfolk, with his .287/.364/.562 batting line showing the kind of overall profile that makes Mayo the next potential young Orioles offensive star.
“He’s just continued being this superstar in the minor leagues for us,” Orioles farm director Anthony Villa said. “Any challenge that pops up, he works pretty diligently at and finds a way to problem-solve and continue being an elite player. He did that on both sides of the ball this year with Norfolk.”
Mayo had a breakout 2023 that ended with him spending the final two months of the season in Norfolk, with a .905 OPS and a dozen home runs there before returning to the Tides for further seasoning this season.
He continued to impress the organization with how he solved the challenge of facing more mature Triple-A pitchers and had 20 home runs in 77 games for Norfolk on either side of a month-long injured list stint for broken ribs before he was summoned for his major league debut on Aug. 2.
Playing time has been sparse for Mayo in two MLB callups since then, but that hasn’t dimmed the excitement over a player who has blossomed into something special since being the Orioles’ fourth-round pick in 2020.
“He’s just grown so much over his time in the minor leagues,” Villa said. “He came in absolutely slugging fastballs, and now he’s learned how to hit sliders. He came in handling pitches middle-in, and now he hits pitches middle-away.
“He came in only being able to pull the ball, and now he can drive it to all fields. Has worked hard on his defense as a corner infielder. He’s just grown in so many different ways, it’s been really fun to watch his development.
“We have no doubt that he’s going to be a superstar in the major leagues, and continue to problem-solve and grow from these experiences.”
