The Baltimore Orioles, despite having multiple young players who should be signed to long-term contracts, will have their pick of the litter this coming offseason after failing to offer an extension to any of their up-and-coming stars this past winter.

Though O’s fans will undoubtedly be clamoring to see the organization ink Gunnar Henderson to a long-term extension, a surprising name has emerged, and his signing may be even more urgent.

Trevor Rogers has been lights out for the Orioles since returning from the minor leagues back in mid-June. The left-hander is 5-2 with a 1.44 ERA in 10 starts, and has 54 punch-outs in 62⅓ innings pitched since his return. Rogers should be atop the list of players Baltimore’s front office is looking to sign to a contract extension once the 2025-26 offseason begins.

Orioles have a new extension favorite and it’s Trevor Rogers

Rogers doesn’t have the type of eye-popping velocity that most frontline starters do, but he’s been more than effective for Baltimore this season. The southpaw has done a tremendous job of keeping the opposition off balance with his plus-change-up and vast array of breaking balls. Rogers continually keeps the base paths clear of free runners and maintains an above-average ground ball.

For a rotation starving for an ace, Rogers may represent the best version of what the O’s are going to get. The Orioles traded Charlie Morton and are expected to lose both Zach Eflin and Tomoyuki Sugano to free agency after the season, leaving them with Cade Povich and Dean Kremer as the organization’s top returning starters in 2026 (in addition to Rogers).

Unlike the trio of Henderson, Colton Cowser, Adley Rutschman, or Jordan Westburg, Rogers will be a free agent following the 2026 season — making the need to keep him in Baltimore even more urgent. The O’s have already demonstrated an inability to spend money in free agency, and it would be foolish to assume that things will change heading into the upcoming offseason.

The Orioles need some semblance of a top-of-the-rotation starter under contract for the foreseeable future. Baltimore already traded away multiple years of Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby to acquire the former Miami Marlins southpaw, and they can’t afford to let him go after the 2026 season. Rogers should be priority No. 1 for Mike Elias and the Orioles’ front office this winter.