Why Orioles should call up top prospect outfielder

Defensively, the former No. 33 overall draft pick has proven he can handle all three outfield spots, though he mostly sticks to the corners, where he showcases a near-plus arm. Unlike with No. 1 prospect Samuel Basallo, who plays catcher and first base, Baltimore’s current roster construction shows a clear path for Beavers to get everyday playing time.

With Tyler O’Neill injured, the Orioles have infielder Jeremiah Jackson playing out of position in right field, where he has made several defensive blunders. Everyday center fielder Dylan Carlson (.539 OPS in 54 games) is hitless in his last 26 at-bats entering Friday, and Colton Cowser is 3-for-23 (.130) with 13 strikeouts over his past seven games.

After trading away nine big leaguers at the trade deadline, Orioles general manager Mike Elias spoke about the possibility of pro moting some top prospects from Norfolk. When asked about Basallo and Beavers in particular, he spoke glowingly about their development.

“They’re both having terrific seasons. They’ve both been bright spots in this organization in a tough year,” Elias said. “To see them performing in Triple-A like that, it’s really good. They’ve come a long way, and they're almost there. There's some things we're still looking for and hoping they'll do, but I do think getting them a taste in 2025 here would be a good thing for all parties."

So with both players raking in Triple-A, what could be holding up their promotions? Prospects called up for the first time on Aug. 15 or later would not be able to accrue 45 days of major league service time in 2025, keeping them Rookie of the Year eligible for 2026.

Since Basallo is a consensus top-100 prospect, him winning the award would earn the Orioles a prospect promotion incentive (PPI) — an extra draft pick at the end of the first round. Beavers would not qualify, as PPI rules require appearing on two of the three major top-100 lists (MLB Pipeline, Baseball America, ESPN), and he has yet to appear on any.

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Essentially, Baltimore has no incentive to maintain Beavers’ rookie status unless the club wants to wait and hope he sneaks onto two of those lists entering next season — which may be unlikely factoring in the arrival of the top 2025 draft picks.

The Orioles could use immediate outfield help with Cedric Mullins and Ramón Laureano now playing elsewhere, and Beavers has certainly shown he deserves his first big league look.