On Monday afternoon, the Baltimore Orioles secured a crucial win over the Chicago White Sox, dominating 13-3.
Monday’s game also marked a notable milestone for the Orioles. It was the first time since 2017 that every player in the lineup recorded both a hit and a run.
An even more significant achievement occurred during the game. Gunnar Henderson, the team’s young star shortstop, hit his 34th home run of the season. This feat makes him the first player in two decades to reach that mark. Only two other shortstops in Baltimore history have hit as many home runs in a season: Cal Ripken in 1991 and Miguel Tejada in 2004.
With about a month remaining in the regular season, Henderson is on track to potentially break the record. Although he has slightly cooled off from his early-season performance, he remains a top-five player in the American League, boasting a .276/.363/.527 line with 24 doubles, 80 RBI, and an OPS+ of 155. If he heats up again, hitting 40 home runs is within reach, though it will be challenging.
In other news, Jackson Holliday is no longer the top prospect in baseball. On Thursday night, MLB Pipeline reported that Holliday, who had held the No. 1 spot for the past two years, graduated from their rankings due to service time. Texas Rangers prospect Kumar Rocker entered the Top 100 with Holliday’s graduation, and Coby Mayo has now become the Orioles’ top prospect.
Holliday, the former high school star and No. 1 overall pick in 2022, had an impressive minor league season, hitting .323/.442/.499 with 30 doubles, nine triples, 12 home runs, and 75 RBI. Despite a strong spring training, the Orioles started him back at Triple-A Norfolk. After being called up in April and struggling to adjust to the majors, he was sent back to Norfolk to work on his swing, particularly against left-handed pitchers. He posted a solid .271/.431/.477 line with 10 home runs and 38 RBI in 73 games.
Following some trades and an injury to Jorge Mateo, Holliday was recalled. Although he’s batting .212 with four home runs and 14 RBI in August, he’s been getting regular playing time and has achieved notable feats for a 20-year-old, including becoming the third-youngest player in MLB history to record three RBI in a pinch-hit appearance and the youngest in the American League to homer in three consecutive games.
Coby Mayo now leads the Orioles’ prospect list, moving up to No. 9 overall. Mayo, who made his MLB debut earlier this year, has impressed at Norfolk with a .302/.378/.609 line, 25 home runs, and 73 RBI. It’s only a matter of time before he too graduates from the prospect rankings.
