Baseball is back. Pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training and practices are under way.

There is still time to make some changes but the Orioles 40-man roster is full so the pieces the Birds will begin the season with are all there. It’s up to Brandon Hyde to fit them all together.

The Orioles had an eventful offseason, signing seven free agents to major league contracts. They chose to trust the players they have developed rather than spend excessive amounts on the big name free agents.

Guys like Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westburg will once again be counted on to carry the team while Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad and Grayson Rodriguez will need to take a big step forward.

#1 Jackson Holliday posts a 20-20 season

The 2024 season did not go as expected for Holliday. He entered spring training with a chance to make the Opening Day roster and was selected by some as a preseason favorite for AL Rookie of the Year.

As we now know, neither of those things happened.

Holliday began the season in AAA and struggled mightily when he was called up before being sent back down.

Holliday did turn things around when he was recalled in July.

He raised his batting average by 130 points and was able to show off some of his speed and power.

Both of those tools could see a significant bump this season. Holliday showed up to camp noticeably larger and said he put on pounds while training over the offseason.

Getting off to a strong start will be key but the newly jacked Jackson will look to become a cornerstone of this team.

#2 Orioles have the top ranked bullpen

The Orioles bullpen was a bit of a struggle last season. Injuries were a lot to blame with Felix Bautista missing the entire season while other key relievers, like Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb, also spent time on the IL. The additions of Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto helped, but the O’s finished 23rd in bullpen ERA and had 21 blown saves.

The return of Bautista will allow everything else to fall into place. Dominguez and Soto will pair up with Yennier Cano and newcomer Andrew Kittredge to shorten games and bridge the gap to Bautista. Albert Suarez and Keegan Akin can eat innings when needed and a potential mid season addition of Tyler Wells could put this bullpen over the top

#3 Tomoyuki Sugano wins AL Rookie of the Year

The Orioles were robbed of having back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners when Colton Cowser finished second last season to Luis Gil, but Sugano will bring the award back to Baltimore.

It feels weird to say that a 35 year old with 12 years of professional baseball experience is a rookie but that’s exactly what the Orioles have in Sugano. The veteran rookie brings a pedigree for success to Baltimore.

Sugano is a two time Eiji Sawamura winner (the Japanese equivalent to the Cy Young), and a three time MVP. He’s not just an older player trying to revive his career, Sugano just won his third MVP in 2024. Tomoyuki is an intelligent pitcher who knows how to change speeds, and he paints the corners as well as anyone. Sugano has had success against major league hitters in the past and will do so all season long.