Orioles Shortstop Turned Super-Utility Man Thriving in New Role

With Gunnar Henderson now the everyday shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles, Jorge Mateo has taken on a new role as the club’s super-utility man. Not long ago, Orioles fans were outraged that Mateo made the Opening Day roster over younger prospects. Now, it’s hard to picture the 28-year-old shortstop turned super-utility man being anywhere else. A natural shortstop, the Orioles plan for Mateo was to get him comfortable in the outfield and at second base. Going into spring training, Mateo has moved around the diamond since making his big-league debut in 2020.

He has 39 career appearances in the outfield, 48 at second and nine at third. But now, the utility man is settling in as the Orioles everyday second baseman.

Jorge Mateo Continues to Flash His Versatility

“He just adds so much versatility to us because he can play so many other positions, and he is so athletic,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We just kind of want to keep our options open with him.”

Jorge Mateo has tested the patience of Orioles fans over the years with his inconsistent offense. He had a strong first month last season batting .347/.395/.667 through 23 games going into May. But he was less effective the rest of the way, hitting six of his seven homers before May 1st. Despite Mateo’s limited offensive contributions in Baltimore – batting .228/.276/.376 over the past four seasons – his value lies in his defensive skills and baserunning abilities. Mateo led the American League with 35 stolen bases in 2022, and he ranks 14th in franchise history with 79 career stolen bases as an Oriole.