May 4, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Coby Mayo (16) throws out Kansas City Royals right fielder Hunter Renfroe (16) (not pictured) after fielding a ground ball during the eighth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Orioles Could Trade Young Bat For Better Pitching, But Is It Too Late?

Originally posted on Baltimore Orioles on SI
By Anders Pryor | Last updated May 10, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Baltimore Orioles have not had the start to the season they planned on having at 14-23.

The pitching has been the biggest culprit as the O's have allowed the most runs in baseball this year so far. It's been a problem far bigger than anything Baltimore lost in Corbin Burnes.

But underneath that has been a struggling lineup filled with exciting young players who have been underwhelming all year. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson's subpar numbers - .257/.305/.450 with just four home runs - are worthy of discussion. But when you dive deeper, that's not even the most interesting part of the conversation.

Over the past couple of years, the Orioles have been praised for their deep farm system, having at least a dozen prospects on the MiLB Top 100 list at a time. Now, many of those exciting names are up in the majors. And while they've had moments of excellence, they haven't translated to wins consistently.

With the Orioles struggling in unexpected ways, new questions can be posed.

David Reginek-Imagn Images

One of the good things about having a deep farm system is that if you package multiple pieces together for a proven return, you can still have several elite assets in return. Baltimore fit the bill perfectly, and there have been opportunities to push in some chips the past couple off-seasons and deadlines that were not taken.

Is It Already Too Late for the Baltimore Orioles?

Outfielder Colton Cowser is on the IL with a fractured thumb and infielder Jordan Westburg is on IL for a strained hamstring. Any injury connotations are bad, but can be terrible at their age.

As for the healthy bats, Heston Kjerstad is sitting at an .590 OPS with just two walks in 94 plate appearances.

While Jackson Holliday continues to ascend, there's a real chance that the rest of the teams' young position player core has peaked in trade value, and they might not be able to get a good return when they need it the most.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Orioles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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