Shortly after the Orioles’ Grapefruit League finale win vs. the Twins at Hammond Stadium on Sunday afternoon, Colton Cowser walked out of the clubhouse and toward the gaggle of reporters waiting to talk with him down the hallway.
The 24-year-old outfielder was first asked how he felt about his Spring Training.
“I felt like the work was there, I felt like I had a really good spring,” Cowser said. “Would like to cut up on some things, but overall, I liked the way I was aggressive, things like that. And then, yeah, I was just informed that I made the club.”
That’s right. Only moments earlier, Cowser — the Orioles’ No. 3 prospect and the No. 19 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline — was told he’s heading to Baltimore for his first career Opening Day, Thursday when the O’s host the Angels at Camden Yards.
“I’m excited. I don’t know, was I supposed to say that?” said Cowser, immediately questioning whether he had spoiled some grand reveal by the team.
An Orioles team official let Cowser know he was in the clear and had not done so. Then, he continued on discussing the topic that had been on his mind for the past week — whether he would break camp with the big league team.
“I mean, it’s hard not to think about it — today, especially,” Cowser said. “Not that I didn’t care what happened in the game. That was on the back of my mind probably the whole day today. Not that it got in the way or anything.”
The breaking news was so fresh when Cowser dropped it in the media scrum that he hadn’t even told his parents at that point. He asked the reporters to not share the huge piece of information on social media for a few minutes so that he could first give them a call.
It was surely a memorable moment for Cowser, who had a terrific spring that set him up for a second crack at the big leagues.
Last year, Cowser was called up to the Majors for the first time on July 5. He had a disappointing 26-game stint during which he slashed .115/.286/.148 with two doubles and four RBIs. On Aug. 14, he was sent back to Triple-A Norfolk, where he spent the rest of the season (except for a two-day MLB callup at the start of September, but he didn’t play).
When Cowser reported to Sarasota for Spring Training in February, he was part of a crowded outfield mix battling for roster spots. Beyond the trio of starters (Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander), Cowser, Heston Kjerstad (the O’s No. 5 prospect), Kyle Stowers and Ryan McKenna were all competing for what ended up being one spot.
So, now that Cowser won the competition, how does he plan on making his second big league experience more enjoyable than his first?
“I’d say do all the things I did in spring. Maybe not strike out as much,” Cowser said. “I liked where I was at with my aggressiveness, my approach.”
It took the Baltimore Orioles just one game to have a walk-off game-winning home run in spring training and it came courtesy of one of their top prospects.
Outfielder Colton Cowser, who made his MLB debut last season and is the No. 19 prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline, did the honors in the bottom of the ninth against the Boston Red Sox in the Orioles’ home debut in Sarasota, Fla.
Down 3-2 with a runner on second base and no one out, the left-handed hitting Cowser unloaded on a 1-1 pitch and sent it into the alley in left-center field to end the game.
It was his first spring training home run and he was met at home plate by several of his teammates to celebration. Most of the sellout crowd at Ed Smith Stadium.
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