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For Orioles’ 70th anniversary, these players, managers, coaches were voted team’s 70 greatest

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Leading up to the Orioles’ 70th anniversary season, Baltimore Sun readers voted to select the 10 greatest Orioles from each decade to determine the franchise’s 70 greatest players, managers and coaches of all time. Presented below by decade and ordered by number of votes received, the lists are the subject of a Babe Ruth Birthplace & Museum exhibit that opens Thursday. A person with a next to his name was named by the museum as one of the 10 greatest in Orioles history.

Note: Nominees were chosen by the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum in consultation with Sun staff. Each nominee was limited to appearing in one poll. The museum sought to place a nominee in the poll for the decade of his greatest impact on the Orioles.


1954-63

Jim Gentile

Orioles first baseman Jim Gentile poses after hitting his fourth grand slam of the 1961 season, a pinch-hit shot July 8 against the Kansas City Athletics.
Orioles first baseman Jim Gentile poses after hitting his fourth grand slam of the 1961 season, a pinch-hit shot July 8 against the Kansas City Athletics. (Staff)

First baseman Jim Gentile’s best season was 1961, the middle year of three straight All-Star selections, when he hit 46 home runs and drove in 141 runs. Contracted to get an extra $5,000 if he led the league in RBIs, he received the bonus almost 50 years later after baseball researchers found that one of the 142 RBIs originally credited to Yankee outfielder Roger Maris that year had been erroneously awarded. Nicknamed “Diamond Jim,” Gentile was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1989.

Gus Triandos

Orioles All-Star catcher Gus Triandos is pictured in 1959.
Orioles catcher Gus Triandos in 1959, his last of three straight All-Star seasons. (Joe DiPaola Jr./Staff)

Gus Triandos was the Orioles’ first power hitter, slugging 142 home runs during his eight years with the club from 1955 through 1962. An All-Star from 1957 to 1959, Triandos caught the club’s first no-hitter, by Hoyt Wilhelm in 1958, and provided that game’s only run with a homer. A street in Timonium, Triandos Drive, is named in his honor.

Milt Pappas

Former Orioles pitcher Milt Pappas, a two-time All-Star who was traded for Frank Robinson before the 1966 season, died on Tuesday, April 19, 2016.
Pitcher Milt Pappas was a two-time All-Star. (Clarence B. Garrett/Staff)

Right-hander Milt Pappas was the winningest pitcher of the Orioles’ first decade, notching 81 wins from 1957 to 1963. He added 29 more wins over his final two years with the club. An All-Star in 1962 and 1965, Pappas was among the players sent to the Cincinnati Reds in the trade that brought Frank Robinson to Baltimore. Pappas was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1985.

Hoyt Wilhelm

On June 2, 1959, Orioles pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm, pictured in 1962, was chased from the mound by a cloud of gnats that encircled the mound at Chicago's Comiskey Park.
Orioles pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm in 1962. (Staff)

Knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, who spent most of his career as a reliever, played for the Orioles from 1958 to 1962. The right-hander’s no-hitter in 1958 was the first in modern Orioles history. Though already 39 when the Orioles traded him to the Chicago White Sox, Wilhelm played for another decade, becoming the first pitcher to surpass 1,000 games. He became the first relief pitcher inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985 and joined the Orioles Hall of Fame 15 years later.

Steve Barber

Steve Barber in 1967 before the Orioles traded him to the New York Yankees that July. (Richard Stacks/Baltimore Sun)
Steve Barber in 1967 before the Orioles traded him to the New York Yankees that July. (Richard Stacks/Staff)

A hard-throwing left-handed pitcher for the Orioles from 1960 to 1967, Steve Barber was the first 20-game winner in Orioles history in 1963. The two-time All-Star compiled a 95-75 record over 7 1/2 seasons with the Orioles, pitching 19 shutouts. Elbow problems that would short-circuit his career ended his 1966 season early, keeping him out of the 1966 World Series.

Paul Richards

President Eisenhower throws out the first pitch at the 1957's opening day baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Senators as Managers Chuck Dressen (Washington) and Paul Richards (Orioles) watch.
President Dwight Eisenhower throws out the first pitch on opening day 1957 as Washington Senators manager Chuck Dressen and Orioles manager Paul Richards look on. (Robert F. Kniesche/Staff)

Despite his lack of a pennant or Cooperstown plaque, Paul Richards left an indelible mark on baseball in Baltimore and the sport overall. A fiery leader and brilliant tactician, Richards was Baltimore’s manager from 1955 to 1961 and general manager from 1955 to 1958. He is credited with laying the groundwork for the modern-day Orioles and pioneering now-common tactics such as using on-base percentage to evaluate hitters and limiting the pitch counts of young hurlers. Richards joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1984.

Dick Hall

Dick Hall was an Orioles Hall of Fame reliever with impeccable control who helped Baltimore win two World Series.
Dick Hall was an Orioles Hall of Fame reliever with impeccable control who helped Baltimore win two World Series. (Staff)

Dick Hall, a 6-foot-6 right-hander known for his herky-jerky, near-sidearm delivery and pinpoint control, pitched nine of his 16 seasons with the Orioles (from 1961 to 1966, then from 1969 to 1971), winning 65 games, saving 60 and compiling an ERA of 2.89. Hall helped the Orioles win World Series titles in 1966 and 1970 and American League pennants in 1969 and 1971.

Jerry Adair

After his playing days, Jerry Adair (second from right) coached for the Oakland Athletics and California Angels. To the right of him in this photo from 1972 is fellow Oakland coach Irv Noren. To the left of him, from left to right, are coaches Vern Hoscheit and Wes Stock and manager Dick Williams. (Russ Reed/Oakland Tribune)Oakland, CA Circa 1972 - 1973 - Oakland A's coaches (left to right) Vern Hoscheit, Wes Stock, manager Dick Williams, Jerry Adair, and Irv Noren. (Russ Reed / Oakland Tribune)
After his playing days, Jerry Adair, second from right, coached for the Oakland Athletics and California Angels. To the right of him in this photo from 1972 is fellow Oakland coach Irv Noren. To the left of him, from left to right, are coaches Vern Hoscheit and Wes Stock and manager Dick Williams. (Russ Reed/Oakland Tribune)

Jerry Adair plied his dependable glove at every infield position except first base for the Orioles from 1958 to 1966. While known for his defense, he could be a clutch hitter, and his bat often came alive against the New York Yankees. The Orioles acquiesced to Adair’s request to be traded early in the 1966 season after rookie Davey Johnson became the starting second baseman.

Ron Hansen

Orioles shortstop Ron Hansen, center, with outfielders Gene Woodling, left, and Jackie Brandt, right, after hitting a three-run double to defeat Boston, 7-5, in the first game of a doubleheader May 30, 1960.
Orioles shortstop Ron Hansen, center, with outfielders Gene Woodling, left, and Jackie Brandt, right, after hitting a three-run double to defeat Boston, 7-5, in the first game of a doubleheader May 30, 1960. (Associated Press)

Overcoming back injuries that limited him to a handful of games his first two seasons, shortstop Ron Hansen was the American League Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in 1960. Over 153 games, he had 22 home runs and 86 RBIs and was also a dependable defender. After a solid 1961 and poor 1962, Hansen was among the players dealt to the Chicago White Sox in the trade that brought shortstop Luis Aparicio to Baltimore for the 1963 season.

Gene Woodling

Gene Woodling was selected into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1992. Woodling won five consecutive World Series while playing with the New York Yankees.(1949-'53)
Gene Woodling was elected into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1992. (Staff)

A clutch-hitting outfielder, Gene Woodling had stints with the Orioles in 1955 and from 1958 to 1960. He batted .300 in 1959 when he was an All-Star and was voted Most Valuable Oriole. Woodling returned to the Orioles from 1963 to 1967 as a first base coach and was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1992.


1964-73

Brooks Robinson

Jack Fisher with Brooks Robinson in 1961. (Baltimore Sun)
Pitcher Jack Fisher, left, with third baseman Brooks Robinson in 1961. (Staff)

Brooks Robinson joined the Orioles in 1955 and played his entire 23-season career in Baltimore. Nicknamed “The Human Vacuum Cleaner” in addition to “Mr. Oriole,” Robinson is considered the greatest defensive third baseman in major league history with 16 Gold Glove awards. Appearing in 18 All-Star games, the Hall of Famer helped lead the Orioles to championships in 1966 and 1970, when he was World Series MVP. He was AL MVP in 1964.

Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson poses in the Orioles clubhouse.
Frank Robinson in the Orioles clubhouse. (Richard Stacks/Staff)

Frank Robinson won the AL MVP and Triple Crown in his first year with the Orioles, helping deliver the Orioles their first world championship in 1966. The power-hitting outfielder — the only player to hit a home run out of Memorial Stadium — played with a ferocity that rubbed off on his teammates and shaped his managerial career, which included AL Manager of the Year honors with the Orioles in 1989. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.

Boog Powell

Boog Powell takes a swing.
Boog Powell was a four-time All-Star. (Paul Hutchins/Staff)

Boog Powell was an American League Most Valuable Player and four-time All-Star with the Orioles. In Baltimore from 1961 to 1974, he was a key member of teams that won two World Series and four league championships. Born John Wesley Powell, the 6-foot-4 power hitter spent the first three years as a left fielder before becoming known for his play at first base.

Paul Blair

Paul Blair in 1965. (Baltimore Sun)
Paul Blair in 1965. (Staff)

Center fielder Paul Blair won eight Gold Glove awards during his 1964-1976 Orioles career, part of a dynasty that won two World Series and four American League pennants. An All-Star in 1969 and 1973, Blair was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1984.

Earl Weaver

He called himself "the sorest loser who ever lived," and Weaver's 1,480 victories -- all as an Oriole -- attest to that. A master strategist, he stopped at nothing to win, from baiting umpires to tearing a base off its moorings to motivate his players.Weaver's winning percentage (.583) ranks seventh in major league history. Five times his teams won at least 100 games. He swore at players and was ejected 98 times. But the Orioles won four AL pennants and the 1970 World Series on Weaver's watch. In his back pocket, the Hall of Fame manager carried a bulge of frayed index cards filled with, he said, "the minutiae of the American League on them." Upon Weaver's death in 2013, Orioles slugger Boog Powell said: "Whatever league is up there, I'm sure Earl has figured it out -- and the umpires are saying: 'Oh, no, here he comes.'"
A master strategist, Earl Weaver stopped at nothing to win, from baiting umpires to uprooting a base to motivate his players. (Staff)

Earl Weaver managed the Orioles during some of their most successful years, from 1968 to 1982, and returned in 1985 and 1986. His key philosophy on winning was “pitching, defense, and the three-run homer.” Under his fiery and strategic leadership, the Orioles reached 100 wins five times and went to four World Series, winning once, in 1970. After posting a .583 winning percentage over 2,541 games, Weaver was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.

Dave McNally

On Oct. 9, 1966 third baseman Brooks Robinson and catcher Andy Etchebarren converge on pitcher Dave McNally after the Orioles swept the Los Angeles Dodgers to win their first World Series.
Dave McNally, center, receives a leaping Brooks Robinson and jubilant Andy Etchebarren after the Orioles swept the Los Angeles Dodgers to win their first World Series in 1966. (Paul Hutchins/Staff)

Dave McNally was on the mound when the Orioles swept the Los Angeles Dodgers for their first world championship in 1966 and hit a grand slam in the 1970 World Series, also won by Baltimore. An Orioles Hall of Famer, the left-handed starting pitcher was a four-time 20-game winner and played in three All-Star games in 12-plus seasons with Baltimore, from 1962 to 1975.

Mike Cuellar

Mike Cuellar loosens up at the Orioles' Miami Spring Training camp as George Bamberger, the pitching coach, looks on.
Mike Cuellar loosens up during spring training as pitching coach George Bamberger looks on. (Walter McCardell/Staff)

A left-handed pitcher best known for his screwball, Mike Cuellar went 143-88 and made three All-Star appearances over his 1969-1976 tenure with the Orioles. The four-time 20-game winner won the 1969 AL Cy Young Award and won the clinching game of the 1970 World Series. Often referred to as a magician, he had a lucky cap that for a time he said he could not pitch without. Cuellar was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1982.

Mark Belanger

Mark Belanger was chosen for the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1983. Belanger won eight Gold Glove awards between 1969 and 1978.
Mark Belanger won eight Gold Glove awards between 1969 and 1978. (Staff)

A great defensive shortstop who made it look easy, Mark Belanger played for the Orioles from 1965 to 1981. His “Blade” nickname, for his thin build, doubled as a reference to how the six-time Gold Glove winner cut down base runners. Belanger was on the Orioles’ 1970 world championship team and the 1976 AL All-Star team. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1983.

Davey Johnson

Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson, shortstop Mark Belanger, second baseman Davey Johnson and first baseman Boog Powell are pictured from left to right April 8, 1969.
Second baseman Davey Johnson, second from right, with, from left, third baseman Brooks Robinson, shortstop Mark Belanger and first baseman Boog Powell in April 1969. (Clarence B. Garrett/Staff)

Davey Johnson joined the Orioles as a second baseman in 1965. The following season he batted .286 in the World Series, helping lead a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The future Orioles manager made three All-Star teams and won three Gold Gloves before being traded to the Atlanta Braves after the 1972 season.

Luis Aparicio

The 5-foot-9 Luis Aparicio and 6-foot-4 Boog Powell jump rope at Orioles spring training in 1964. (Joseph DiPaola/Staff Photo)
The 5-foot-9 Luis Aparicio and 6-foot-4 Boog Powell jump rope at Orioles spring training in 1964. (Joseph DiPaola/Staff)

Luis Aparicio was an outstanding fielding shortstop and base stealer for the Orioles from 1963 to 1967. He won two Gold Gloves with the Orioles and contributed to their 1966 World Series title. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984 and Orioles Hall of Fame in 1982.


1974-83

Jim Palmer

Jim Palmer in 1966. (Staff Photo)
Jim Palmer in 1966. (Staff)

A face of the Orioles for decades, right-handed pitcher Jim Palmer spent his entire 19-year playing career with Baltimore before his long stay in the broadcast booth. Joining the Orioles as a 19-year-old in 1965 and missing all of 1968 with an arm injury, he retired after the 1984 season. In that span, he won at least 20 games eight times, was an All-Star six times, and won four Gold Glove Awards and three Cy Young Awards. Palmer pitched in the World Series in three different decades. In the 1966 Fall Classic, he outperformed Sandy Koufax to become the youngest pitcher to throw a World Series shutout. Palmer was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1986 and the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.

Eddie Murray

Hall of Famer Eddie Murray of the Baltimore Orioles is shown in a file photo.
Hall of Famer Eddie Murray of the Orioles is shown in a file photo. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff)

Nicknamed “Steady Eddie,” Eddie Murray played first base for the Orioles from 1977, when he was American League Rookie of the Year, to 1988, and was a designated hitter in 1996. Murray represented the Orioles in the All-Star Game seven times and led the league in home runs and RBIs in 1981. His two home runs and three RBIs helped pace the Orioles in the 1983 World Series. Murray logged 2,080 of his 3,255 career hits while with Baltimore and 343 of his 504 career home runs, including his 500th on Sept. 6, 1996. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1999 and the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

Al Bumbry

Al Bumbry, center, with Bobby Grich, left, and Don Baylor in 1974. (Staff Photo)
Al Bumbry, center, with Bobby Grich, left, and Don Baylor in 1974. (Staff)

More than a quarter century after the team moved to Baltimore, outfielder Al Bumbry became the first Oriole with 200 hits in a season. That 1980 campaign was also an All-Star year for Bumbry, who was nicknamed “The Bee.” The 1973 American League Rookie of the Year played 13 years in Baltimore, batting .283 with 392 RBIs, 772 runs and 252 stolen bases. The center fielder for the Orioles’ most recent two World Series appearances, Bumbry was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1987.

Ken Singleton

Ken Singleton fouls off a pitch during a spring training intrasquad game in 1984. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff Photo)
Ken Singleton fouls off a pitch during a spring training intrasquad game in 1984. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff)

An outfielder and designated hitter, Ken Singleton recorded 1,455 hits with the Orioles from 1975 to 1984. The switch-hitter was a major contributor to the American League title-winning Orioles in 1979, one of three All-Star years for Singleton, when he hit 35 home runs and drove in 111 runs. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1986.

Mike Flanagan

Orioles pitcher Mike Flanagan in the first inning of Game 3 of the 1983 World Series.
Orioles pitcher Mike Flanagan in the first inning of Game 3 of the 1983 World Series. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff)

Left-hander Mike Flanagan pitched for the Orioles from 1975 to 1987 as a starter and from 1991 to 1992 as a reliever. An All-Star in 1978, he won the American League Cy Young Award the following season, when he won 23 games. Overall, Flanagan was 141-116 with the Orioles. Later an Orioles broadcaster and executive, Flanagan was a key contributor on the 1983 championship team, and in 1991 struck out the two batters he faced as the last Oriole to pitch at Memorial Stadium. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1994.

Rick Dempsey

Rick Dempsey in 1983. (Staff Photo)
Rick Dempsey in 1983. (Staff)

An Oriole from 1976 to 1986, Rick Dempsey was one of the best defensive catchers in the league. His offensive surge in the 1983 World Series, which set a record for extra-base hits in a five-game series, helped him earn Series MVP honors. Known for his sense of humor, Dempsey would entertain fans during rain delays, pantomiming baseball sequences. Dempsey, who briefly returned to the Orioles in 1992, was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1997.

Scott McGregor

Orioles starting pitcher Scott McGregor in 1983. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff Photo)
Orioles starting pitcher Scott McGregor in 1983. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff)

Left-handed pitcher Scott McGregor played his entire major league career in Baltimore, winning 138 games from 1976 to 1988. McGregor won 20 games in 1980 and was an All-Star in 1981. In the postseason, he pitched an 8-0 shutout in Game 4 of the 1979 American League Championship Series and threw a five-hit shutout in the clinching Game 5 of the 1983 World Series. McGregor was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1990.

Mike Boddicker

Mike Boddicker pitches at Memorial Stadium in 1983. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff Photo)
Mike Boddicker pitches at Memorial Stadium in 1983. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff)

Right-hander Mike Boddicker was Most Valuable Player of the 1983 American League Championship Series and won Game 2 of that year’s World Series, which the Orioles won in five games. The next year he was an All-Star and led the American League with 20 wins and a 2.79 ERA. He remains the Orioles’ most recent 20-game winner. Boddicker joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2001.

Tippy Martinez

August 24 will mark 40 years since the night Orioles relief pitcher Tippy Martinez picked off three runners at first base in the same inning.
On Aug. 24 1983, Orioles relief pitcher Tippy Martinez picked off two runners at first base and caught another stealing in the same inning. (Staff)

Left-hander Tippy Martinez pitched for the Orioles from 1976 to 1986, mainly in relief. Going 10-3 in 1979, he helped the Orioles to an American League title that year. On Aug. 24, 1983, he picked off two base runners and caught another stealing in the 10th inning of an Orioles win over the Blue Jays. A 1983 All-Star, Martinez was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2000.

Bobby Grich

Second baseman Bobby Grich won four straight Gold Gloves with the Orioles from 1973 to 1976. The 17-year veteran, who later played for the California Angels, only committed five errors in 162 games in 1973.
Second baseman Bobby Grich won four straight Gold Gloves with the Orioles from 1973 to 1976. The 17-year veteran, who later played for the California Angels, committed only five errors in 162 games in 1973. (Staff)

Part of the Orioles’ lockdown infields of the era, second baseman Bobby Grich won four Gold Glove Awards and made three All-Star teams with the Orioles from 1970 to 1976. In 1973, his .995 fielding percentage set a major league record. Grich was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1998.


1984-1993

Mike Devereaux

(MET--Orioles/13) BALTIMORE, Sept. 12--WATCHING IT GO--Baltimore Orioles batter Mike Devereaux follows through on his three-run home run in the third inning. (MainMetro)(20036stf/KARL M. FERRON) 1993
Mike Devereaux follows through on a three-run home run in 1993. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Mike Devereaux played all three outfield positions well during his time in Baltimore, where he played from 1989 to 1994 and in 1996. His best year with the Orioles was 1992, when he hit 24 home runs and had 107 RBIs. All told Devereaux homered 94 times and drove in 403 runs in orange and black. He joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2021.

Chris Hoiles

FT. LAUDERDALE, FLA--Mar 3, 1997--Orioles' catcher #23, Chris Hoiles, wearing a new catcher's mask. Photo by Kenneth K. Lam/staff
Orioles catcher Chris Hoiles gets ready to catch a pitch during spring training in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1997. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

An Orioles catcher from 1989 to 1998, Chris Hoiles hit 151 home runs and had 449 RBIs over 894 games with Baltimore. On Oriole Park at Camden Yards’ first opening day he recorded the first double and first RBI in ballpark history. In 1997, Hoiles was the only everyday catcher in the American League not to commit an error. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2006.

Gregg Olson

The Orioles selected Auburn right-handed pitcher Gregg Olson with the fourth overall pick in the 1988 draft. Olson was named the American League Rookie of the Year in 1989, saving 27 games for the Orioles. He made the All-Star team in 1990, when he had 37 saves and a 2.42 ERA. Olson finished with 217 saves in a 14-year career. He also played for the Braves, Indians, Royals, Tigers, Astros, Twins, Diamondbacks and Dodgers.
Right-handed pitcher Gregg Olson, above, was the Orioles’ last Rookie of the Year until Gunnar Henderson in 2023. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Saving 160 games for the Orioles from 1988 to 1993, first-round pick Gregg Olson was the first reliever to win the American League Rookie of the Year award, in 1989. He was an All-Star the following season, but a torn elbow ligament in 1993 altered the trajectory of his career. He joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2008.

Cal Ripken Sr.

Cal Ripken Sr Spring Training Florida .March 1980 ( Sun Staff /William Hotz)
Cal Ripken Sr. during spring training in March 1980, when he was a coach. (William Hotz/Staff)

Teacher of the “Oriole Way” of hard work, fundamentals and accountability, Cal Ripken Sr. was part of the Orioles organization for more than 3 1/2 decades, from his time as a minor league player in the late 1950s and early 1960s to Orioles manager for 169 games in the late 1980s and third base coach into the early 1990s. Along the way, the hard-nosed and principled leader was also a minor league manager, scout and bullpen coach. In 1987 he became the first in the majors to manage two sons on the same team. Ripken was inducted into the Oriole Hall of Fame in 1996.

Ben McDonald

Ben McDonald first Oriole effort is impresive Sun Photo Kenneth Lam Date Created: 1989-09-07 Copyright Notice: Baltimore Sun Folder Description: McDonald, Ben Folder Extended Description: Orioles Title: MCDONALD BEN Subject: MCDONALD
Ben McDonald, pictured in 1989, is now an Orioles broadcaster. (Kenneth Lam/Staff)

The first overall pick in the 1989 amateur draft, 6-foot-7 right-hander Ben McDonald pitched in 155 games for the Orioles from 1989 to 1995, going 58-53 with a 3.89 ERA. In 1993 he pitched seven complete games and struck out 171 batters, career highs for each. Now an Orioles broadcaster, McDonald spent most of his final year playing in Baltimore on the injured list with tendinitis, and subsequent injuries limited him to just two more major league seasons.

Storm Davis

Orioles pitcher Storm Davis in Game 4 of the World Series.Gene Sweeney Jr. Caption: 10/15/83
Orioles pitcher Storm Davis delivers in Game 4 of the 1983 World Series. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff)

Pitching for the Orioles from 1982 to 1986 and in 1992, right-hander Storm Davis mixed a fastball, curveball, slider and changeup. At 21 years old he won Game 4 of the 1983 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. His best season came the following year when posted a 3.12 ERA, had 10 complete games and was the least likely to surrender a home run among regular major league pitchers.

Johnny Oates

Orioles manager Johnny Oates is introduced before the game. July 13 1993
Orioles manager Johnny Oates is introduced before the 1993 All-Star Game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff)

A catcher for the Orioles in the early 1970s, Johnny Oates was the manager who led the team into the Camden Yards era, with his first full year at the helm coinciding with the ballpark’s opening. From 1991 to 1994 he won 291 games and lost 270. Since the move to Oriole Park, Davey Johnson is the only other Orioles manager with a winning record. Oates entered the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2010.

Mickey Tettleton

A mainstay on 1989 "Why Not?" Orioles, Mickey Tettleton led team with 26 home runs.
A mainstay on the 1989 “Why Not?” Orioles, Mickey Tettleton led the team with 26 home runs. (Staff)

A face of 1989’s “Why Not?” team, catcher Mickey Tettleton posted his best numbers as an Oriole that year, the middle of three seasons with the club. A 1989 All-Star beloved for his affinity for Froot Loops, Tettleton had a team-best 26 home runs drove in 65 runs.

Joe Orsulak

Joe Orsulak (Baltimore Orioles)
Joe Orsulak hit .289 in 1992. (Baltimore Orioles)

A workmanlike outfielder, the left-handed batting and throwing Joe Orsulak hit a team-best .289 in his fifth and final year with Baltimore in 1992. On opening day that year, he caught the first out in Camden Yards history.

Bill Ripken

Baltimore Orioles spring training invitee infielder Billy Ripken makes warmup tosses during the Orioles' spring training workout for pitchers and catchers Tuesday, Feb. 20, 1996. (Baltimore Sun/Karl Merton Ferron)
Infielder Bill Ripken warms up during a spring training workout on Feb. 20, 1996. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Second baseman Bill Ripken was known for his fielding and formed a formidable double play duo with his older brother Cal Ripken Jr. from 1987 to 1992 and briefly in 1996, when each brother also played third base. In 1990, Bill Ripken led the Orioles with 28 doubles and .291 batting average.


1994-2003

Cal Ripken Jr.

Cal Ripken Jr. bites his lip after his 2,131st consecutive game became official on Sept. 6, 1995, putting him past Lou Gehrig for the Major League Baseball record. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff Photo)
Cal Ripken Jr. bites his lip after his 2,131st consecutive game became official Sept. 6, 1995, putting him past Lou Gehrig for the major league record. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Playing his entire Hall of Fame career with his hometown Orioles, Cal Ripken Jr. redefined the shortstop position and exemplified the work ethic of the “Oriole Way” taught by his father, Cal Sr., winning the 1982 Rookie of the Year, 1983 World Series, 1983 and 1991 American League MVP awards and two Gold Glove awards along the way. The Harford County native’s record 2,632 consecutive games played transcended baseball and boosted the sport following the 1994-95 players’ strike. Despite beginning and ending his career at third base, the 6-foot-4 Ripken hit 345 of his 431 career home runs and had more than 70% of his 3,184 hits as a shortstop, a position historically played by shorter players not counted on for offense. Retiring after the 2001 season, the 19-time All-Star joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2003 and the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Mike Mussina

Mike Mussina delivers a pitch on opening day in 2000 at Camden Yards. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff. (Photo)
Mike Mussina delivers a pitch on opening day in 2000 at Camden Yards. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Right-handed starting pitcher Mike Mussina spent much of his Hall of Fame career with Baltimore and posted his best numbers with the Orioles. Baltimore’s first-round pick in the 1990 amateur draft, Mussina pitched for the Orioles from 1991 to 2000 with 15 shutouts, 45 complete games, five All-Star selections and four Gold Glove awards. “Moose” joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2012 and the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Brady Anderson

Baltimore, Md.--Oct. 6, 2001--Brady Anderson batting in the eighth inning. Staff photo by Karl Merton Ferron
Brady Anderson at bat in 2001. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Longtime leadoff hitter Brady Anderson played center field and left field for the Orioles from 1988 to 2001. The left-handed batter and thrower was an All-Star in 1992, 1996 and 1997. He exhibited speed and power, stealing more than 300 bases and slugging more than 200 homers while with Baltimore, including a then-club record 50 in 1996. Anderson was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2004.

Mike Bordick

BALTIMORE -- 6/12/02 -- Baltimore Orioles vs. San Diego Padres at Camden Yards: Mike Bordick completes a double play over Deivi Cruz after replacing Melvin Mora as short stop in the seventh inning. Mora was thrown out of the game for tossing his bat in the sixth inning. staff/Elizabeth Malby
Mike Bordick completes a double play in 2002. (Elizabeth Malby/Staff)

Taking over shortstop for Cal Ripken Jr., who shifted to third base, Mike Bordick played for the Orioles from 1997 to 2002, sustaining the franchise’s tradition of strong defense at the infield’s most demanding position. The trade that brought Melvin Mora to Baltimore sent Bordick to the New York Mets for the second half of his All-Star 2000 season, but Bordick signed back with the Orioles that winter. In his final year with Baltimore, Bordick set major league records for consecutive errorless games (110) and chances (543) by a shortstop. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2011.

Roberto Alomar

CAMDEN YARDS--Aug 19, 1998--Orioles' second baseman, Roberto Alomar, fields the ball against Tampa Bay Devil Rays' Bobby Smith, to get him out at first base for the third out in the first inning. Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/staff
Orioles second baseman Roberto Alomar fields a ball in a 1998 game against Tampa Bay. (Gene Sweeney Jr/Staff)

With Baltimore from 1996 to 1998, switch-hitting second baseman Roberto Alomar was a key member of the 1996 and 1997 American League Championship Series teams, the only Orioles squads to make the postseason after 1983 and before 2012. An All-Star each of his three seasons, Alomar also won two Gold Glove awards and a Silver Slugger award while with the Orioles. In 1996, he scored 132 times during the regular season, the third-most runs in the American League, and hit a game-winning home run in Game 4 of the American League Division Series. Alomar joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2013.

Rafael Palmeiro

SEATTLE, WA -- 07/15/2005 -- Baltimore Orioles batter Rafael Palmeiro against the Seattle Mariners Friday, July 15, 2005. Palmeiro nailed his 3,000 career major league hit in the fifth inning. (The Baltimore Sun/Karl Merton Ferron) ELECTRONIC IMAGE (DSC_0138.JPG)
Rafael Palmeiro recorded his 3,000th career major league hit on July 15, 2005, at Seattle. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Rafael Palmeiro finished his 20-year career with the Orioles, where he played for seven seasons. His connection to baseball’s performance-enhancing drugs scandal, including a positive steroid test his final year, has kept him out of Cooperstown, despite Hall of Fame-caliber numbers. Over two stints with Baltimore, from 1994 to 1998 and from 2004 to 2005, the sweet-swinging Palmeiro had three Gold Glove awards and one All-Star selection. Palmeiro was with the Orioles for 40% of his 544 career home runs and more than a third of his 3,020 career hits, including his 3,000th.

Harold Baines

CLEVELAND, OH.--OCT. 12, 1997--ALCS; GAME 4-- Baltimore Sun Staff Photo by Kenneth K. Lam. Top of the 3rd inning: Orioles' Harold Baines watches as he connected for the Orioles' 2nd home run of three given up by Jaret Wright.
Harold Baines watches his home run in Game 4 of the 1997 ALCS against Cleveland. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

Designated hitter Harold Baines batted over .300 and hit more than 100 home runs across seven seasons with the Orioles. The Eastern Shore native had stints with the Orioles from 1993 to 1995 and from 1997 to 2000, a span that included time with two other clubs. He was a contributor on the Orioles’ Division Series-winning 1997 team and was an All-Star in 1999. Baines joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2009.

Scott Erickson

BALTIMORE, MD.--JULY 16, 2002-- Seattle Mariners vs. Orioles: Orioles pitcher Scott Erickson pitched a complete game victory on the Mariners by score of 6 to 1. This is his first victory since April 28th when he deafeated the Royals. DIGITAL IMAGE DSC_7833.JPG photo by Kenneth K. Lam/staff
Scott Erickson during a complete game victory over the Seattle Mariners in July 2002. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

Right-handed starter Scott Erickson pitched for the Orioles from 1995 to 2000 and in 2002. His best season with Baltimore was 1997, when he went 16-7 and led the American League in innings pitched (251 1/3) and complete games (11). In 2002 he was the Orioles’ opening day starter and later that April pitched a shutout without recording a strikeout. Injuries led Erickson to miss the entire 2001 and 2003 seasons.

Arthur Rhodes

BALTIMORE, MD.--JULY 13, 1995-- The Orioles' Arthur Rhodes tips his cap to the crown at Camden yards after pitching over seven innings and giving only one run during his relief effort against the Royals. However, the Orioles' closer Doug Jones blew the save and lost the game by score of 9 to 8 in the ninth inning. photo by Kenneth K. Lam/staff
Arthur Rhodes tips his cap to the Camden Yards crowd after pitching over seven innings in relief against the Kansas City Royals in July 1995. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

Pitching for the Orioles for the first nine of his 20 major league seasons, Arthur Rhodes broke in as a starter in 1991 before being converted to a reliever in 1995. All told with Baltimore he was 43-36 with a 4.86 ERA, but Rhodes was 26-12 with a 3.82 ERA in his four full seasons in the bullpen. In the Orioles’ wire-to-wire year of 1997, Rhodes’ best in Baltimore, he was 10-3 with a 3.02 ERA and 102 strikeouts.

Randy Myers

BALTIMORE, MD. ---- APRIL 22, 1997 ---- Randy Myers throws against the Chicago White Sox, earning another Save. STAFF PHOTO/ John Makely.
Randy Myers saves a game against the Chicago White Sox in April 1998. (John Makely/Staff)

Left-hander Randy Myers was a key part of the Orioles’ late 1990s playoff runs as the team’s closer in 1996 and 1997. He saved 31 games his first year and 45 his second to lead the majors. An All-Star in 1997, he finished with a 1.51 ERA and recorded his 300th career save that July at Camden Yards.


2004-2013

Adam Jones

Sarasota,FL--2/20/18--#10 Adam Jones. Baltimore Orioles Spring Training at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Florida. Lloyd Fox,Baltimore Sun Staff--DSC_3435.JPG
Adam Jones in 2018. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)

A cornerstone of the Orioles’ 2010s renaissance, when they played in three postseasons and had the American League’s best record from 2012 to 2016, center fielder Adam Jones is fifth on Baltimore’s all-time list for hits (1,781), home runs (263) and extra-base hits (595). An Oriole from 2008 to 2018, Jones was an All-Star five times and won four Gold Glove Awards. A spiritual leader in the clubhouse and involved with several community causes, he introduced the tradition of pieing teammates in the face during live interviews and was the Orioles’ Roberto Clemente Award nominee three times. Jones officially retired as an Oriole in 2023.

Nick Markakis

Sarasota, FL -- 02/22//2014 -- Baltimore Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis (21) poses for the team's photo day at the Orioles' spring training facility Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff) [BBG ORIOLES 2014 SPRING TRAINING PHOTO DAY] (_DSC1886.dng)]
Nick Markakis in 2014. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Boasting a patient batting eye and strong throwing arm, right-fielder Nick Markakis played for Baltimore from 2006 to 2014. A steady presence, the left-handed batter and thrower appeared in at least 160 games in five seasons. Markakis posted a .358 on-base percentage while with Baltimore and has the seventh-most doubles (316) and eighth-most hits (1,547) in Orioles history. Defensively, Markakis was adept at playing balls off Camden Yards’ 21-foot-tall right-field wall, helping him earn two Gold Glove Awards and accumulate 93 outfield assists during his Orioles tenure.

J.J. Hardy

Sarasota, FL -- 02/20/2017 -- Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy poses for photo day portraits at the Ed Smith Stadium baseball complex. (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun Staff) [BBG 2017 ORIOLES PHOTO DAY HARDY (DSC_7945.JPG)]
J.J. Hardy in 2017. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Another link in the chain of dependable Orioles shortstops, J.J. Hardy played for Baltimore from 2011 to 2017. Hardy had 30 home runs and 80 RBIs his first season with the Orioles and topped 20 homers each of the next two years. A three-time Gold Glove Award winner while with Baltimore and a 2013 All-Star, Hardy joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2021.

Brian Roberts

Baltimore Orioles infielder Brian Roberts poses for a portrait at the Sarasota Sports Complex Thu, Mar. 1, 2012.
Brian Roberts in 2012. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Switch-hitter Brian Roberts was an Orioles second baseman from 2001 to 2003. The longtime leadoff hitter had a .349 on-base percentage with the Orioles, scored 810 runs and stole 285 bases, including 50 in 2007, when he led the American League. Roberts set the Orioles’ single-season doubles record with 50 in 2004 and broke his own record with 56 in 2009, leading the league each time. An All-Star in 2005 and 2007, Roberts joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2018.

B.J. Surhoff

CAMDEN YARDS--May 19, 1999--Orioles' #17, B.J. Surhoff, in a game against the California Angels. Photo by John Makely/staff (scanned 6/8/99)
B.J. Surhoff in 1999. (John Makely/Staff)

Left fielder B.J. Surhoff batted .291 over 7 1/2 seasons with the Orioles from 1996 to 2000 and from 2003 to 2005. In 1999, he was an All-Star and named Most Valuable Oriole, recording 28 home runs and 107 RBIs while leading the American League with 673 at-bats and playing in all 162 games for the second straight season. A versatile, blue-collar player, Surhoff played more than 100 games at third base for the Orioles and more than 50 at first base. He joined the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2007.

Matt Wieters

Sarasota, FL -- 02/21/2015 -- Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters during spring training at the Orioles' spring facility Saturday, Feb 21, 2015. [BBA ORIOLES 2015 SPRING TRAINING 0221 / _KF21433.JPG] (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun)
Matt Wieters in 2015. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff Photo)

A switch-hitting catcher, Matt Wieters played for the Orioles from 2009 to 2016. He was an All-Star four times with Baltimore and won two Gold Glove Awards. In more than 3,100 at-bats, he hit .256 with 117 home runs and 437 RBIs. Defensively, he was the American League’s third-best at throwing out would-be base stealers for three straight years from 2011 to 2013.

Zach Britton

Baltimore Orioles closer Zach Britton reacts after the Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, April 10, 2016, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun/TNS) ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, TCN - OUTS **
Orioles closer Zach Britton reacts after a win over the Rays in 2016. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

Left-handed pitcher Zach Britton joined the Orioles as a starter in 2011 before becoming closer in 2014, a role he held through mid-2018, when he was traded to the New York Yankees in the flurry of moves that began the Orioles’ rebuild. Britton saved 139 games for Baltimore, including an American League-best 47 in 2016 when he made his second straight All-Star appearance.

Melvin Mora

BALTIMORE, MD -- 09/06/2009 -- Baltimore Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora (6) at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Sunday, Sep. 6, 2009. Starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie went 7 innings, allowing 6 hits and striking out 6, without yielding any runs as the Orioles white-washed the Rangers, 7-0. (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun Staff) (_DSC0627.JPG) (full slug: SP BBA RANGERS ORIOLES: Xref no: 00064720A) ORG XMIT: 00064720A
Third baseman Melvin Mora winds up to throw during a September 2009 game against the Rangers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

Baltimore’s everyday third baseman from 2004 to 2009, Melvin Mora played the hot corner for the Orioles longer than any player except Brooks Robinson. Joining the team in 2000, Mora played shortstop and outfield early in his Orioles tenure. While with Baltimore, Mora had 158 home runs, 662 RBIs and 709 runs and was an All-Star twice. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2015.

Miguel Tejada

BALTIMORE , MD -- 4/4/04 - The Baltimore Orioles host the Boston Red Sox in their Opening Day game. Miquel Tejada turns a double play in the top of the 6th inning throwing out Jason Varitek as Boston's Gabe Kapler slides underneath him.Baltimore Sun Staff/ELIZABETH MALBY DIGITAL IMAGE #DSC_0005
Miguel Tejada turns a double play against the Red Sox in 2004. (Elizabeth Malby/Staff)

Shortstop Miguel Tejada played for the Orioles from 2004 to 2007 and returned in 2010. He was an All-Star three times with Baltimore and played in all 162 games each of his first three seasons with the Orioles, extending a consecutive games streak that continued into 2007 and, at 1,152 games, remains the longest since Cal Ripken Jr. ended his record streak in 1998. Tejada’s best year with Baltimore was 2004, when he hit 34 home runs and had 150 RBIs. Overall, Tejada batted .305 with a .836 on-base-plus-slugging percentage over 716 games with the Orioles.

Elrod Hendricks

Photo by Gene Sweeney, Jr./Staff 2003 Orioles' Spring Training. Elrod Hendricks.
Elrod Hendricks in 2003. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Staff)

Beloved by generations of fans, Elrod Hendricks was in an Orioles uniform for a record 37 seasons. With Baltimore for five of the club’s six World Series, Hendricks caught for the Orioles for 11 seasons in the late 1960s and the 1970s and was bullpen coach from 1978 to 2005 (Hendricks was a player-coach in 1978 and 1979). Affable and quick-witted, Hendricks was among the Orioles’ most prolific ambassadors, signing autographs, hosting baseball camps and portraying Santa Claus at the team’s Christmas parties. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2001. The sharply angled outfield wall next to the Orioles’ bullpen is named “Elrod’s Corner” in his honor.


2014-2023

Adley Rutschman

Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Friday., July 22, 2022. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff)
Catcher Adley Rutschman in July 2022. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

One of the most highly regarded catching prospects ever, Adley Rutschman has so far played up to the hype, both with his own performance and work with the Orioles’ pitching staff. His arrival on May 21, 2022, synchronized with the team’s turnaround. Since the switch-hitting Rutschman’s debut, the Orioles have the second-best record in the American League. Over his first two seasons, the 2022 Most Valuable Oriole and 2023 All-Star has an .808 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and 122 RBIs over 1,157 plate appearances.

Manny Machado

Sarasota, FL -- 02/20/2017 -- Baltimore Orioles infielder Manny Machado poses for photo day portraits at the Ed Smith Stadium baseball complex. (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun Staff) [BBG 2017 ORIOLES PHOTO DAY MACHADO (DSC_7951.JPG)]
Manny Machado in 2017. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

A decade before Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, Manny Machado was the Orioles’ hyped prospect. Debuting with Baltimore at 20 years old in 2012 and traded away during the teardown of the club in 2018, the third baseman met those lofty expectations. During his Orioles tenure, Machado was on four All-Star teams and won two Gold Glove Awards. With Baltimore, Machado had 197 doubles, 162 home runs and 471 RBIs. His 11.1 defensive wins above replacement — a category he led the league in his first full season — are the eighth most in franchise history.

Cedric Mullins

Orioles' Cedric Mullins dives into third base and later scores against the White Sox in the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.Aug. 30, 2023 Kenneth K. Lam
Cedric Mullins dives into third base in an Aug. 30, 2023, game against the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

The best defender among the Orioles’ veteran starting outfielders, center fielder Cedric Mullins has been with Baltimore since August 2018. An All-Star Game starter and Most Valuable Oriole in 2021, Mullins has 105 doubles, 17 triples, 68 home runs and 93 stolen bases over 546 games.

Trey Mancini

Orioles' Trey Mancini tips his helmut to fans' ovation as he comes up to bat against the Red Sox for the first time in the first inning of the O's 2021 season home opener at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 8, 2021.
Trey Mancini tips his helmet as he comes up to bat at home for the first time in 2021 after missing the 2020 season while undergoing cancer treatment. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

A fan favorite who was the Orioles’ longest-tenured player when he was dealt to the Houston Astros at the 2022 trade deadline, Trey Mancini batted .270 with a .334 on-base percentage, 137 doubles, 117 home runs and 350 RBIs in six seasons with Baltimore. Colon cancer caused the outfielder, first baseman and designated hitter to miss the entire 2020 season. Returning to hit 33 doubles and 21 home runs over 147 games in 2021, Mancini was named AL Comeback Player of the Year.

Buck Showalter

Sarasota,FL--2/20/18--Manager Buck Showalter. Baltimore Orioles Spring Training at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Florida. Lloyd Fox,Baltimore Sun Staff--DSC_2862.JPG
Buck Showalter in 2018. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)

Leading Baltimore to three playoff appearances starting with the 2012 team that ended a 14-year streak of futility, manager Buck Showalter was 669-684 in eight-plus seasons with the Orioles from 2010 to 2018. Regarded as one of the best managerial minds in the game, Showalter embraced Baltimore’s blue-collar mentality and the Orioles’ proud history. He was AL Manager of the Year in 2014 when the Orioles won the AL East.

Anthony Santander

Anthony Santander celebrates in dugout after scoring on a Ryan Mountcastle double in the fourth inning at Camden Yards. Rangers vs. Orioles Game 1 of ALDS Kenneth K. Lam
Anthony Santander celebrates in the dugout after scoring a run in Game 1 of the 2023 ALDS against the Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

With the Orioles since August 2017, switch-hitting right fielder Anthony Santander has played in 591 games for Baltimore, hitting 111 home runs, scoring 292 runs and driving in 333 runs in 2,450 plate appearances. He had his best season in 2023 when he drove in 95 runs and had a .797 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

Gunnar Henderson

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson catches a line drive from Boston Red Sox batter Rafael Devers as center fielder Cedric Mullins watches the play during an AL East division matchup of major league baseball at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Wednesday April 26, 2023. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff)
Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson catches a line drive from Red Sox batter Rafael Devers on April 26, 2023, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

A second-round draft pick of the Orioles in 2019, infielder Gunnar Henderson skyrocketed to the top of the organization’s prospect rankings in 2022, when he made his major league debut in late August at 21 years old. The next season, he lived up to his billing as all of baseball’s top prospect, posting a team-best .814 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, stealing 10 bases and playing plus defense at shortstop and third base en route to American League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Oriole awards.

Félix Bautista

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Félix Bautista (74) delivers against the New York Mets during the ninth inning of an interleague game of major league baseball at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Sunday Aug. 6, 2023. Baltimore blanked the Mets, 2-0, sweeping the three-game weekend series. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff)
Reliever Félix Bautista pitches against the New York Mets on Aug. 6, 2023, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

The electric start to closer Félix Bautista’s career has been paused after an elbow injury sidelined the 2023 All-Star and later prompted him to have Tommy John elbow reconstruction that’s expected to keep him out for all of 2024. Debuting with the Orioles in April 2022, the 6-foot-8 right-hander was the 2023 American League Reliever of the Year. Overall, he has a 1.85 ERA over 126 2/3 innings with 48 saves, 0.924 walks and hits per inning pitched and 14.1 strikeouts per nine innings.

Chris Davis

Sarasota, FL -- 02/20/2017 -- Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis poses for a photo day portrait at the Ed Smith Stadium baseball complex. (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun Staff) [BBG 2017 ORIOLES PHOTO DAY DAVIS (DSC_7995.JPG)]
Chris Davis in 2017. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

For a few seasons, Orioles first baseman Chris Davis was one of the more imposing hitters in the American League. With the Orioles from 2011 to 2020, the left-handed batter led the majors in home runs (53), RBIs (138) and total bases (370) in his 2013 All-Star season and again out-homered everyone with 47 long balls in 2015. An offensive decline followed, however, and, according to advanced metrics, for his last four seasons, the recipient of the richest contract in Orioles’ history cost his team wins.

Brandon Hyde

Orioles' manager Brandon Hyde speaks to the media before his first Opening Day. Baltimore Orioles' Opening Day vs. New York Yankees at Camden Yards.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde speaks to the media before his first opening day in 2019. (Kevin Richardson/Staff)

Hopping on at the ground floor of the Orioles’ rebuild, manager Brandon Hyde led with consistency and confidence, even in the depths of 100-loss seasons, to emerge with his team last year at the top of the American League. Hired before the 2019 season in large part for his ability to develop young, inexperienced players, the 2023 AL Manager of the Year proved himself a deft dugout decision-maker as the Orioles became more competitive. He tactfully deployed his bench and bullpen en route to 101 victories last year — almost half of them decided by two or fewer runs — to become the only Orioles manager other than Earl Weaver to reach 100 wins in a season.