The Orioles outfield is completely remade going into the 2026 season, with Colton Cowser now the full time CF and Taylor Ward brought in to man LF. However, the Orioles outfielder I am most excited to see take the field in 2026 is rookie Dylan Beavers.
The 24-year-old former Cal Golden Bear comes into 2026 after a 2025 season that saw him take a massive leap as a player. Beavers finished the 2024 season as the Orioles No. 8 prospect, seemingly destined to remain stuck behind Heston Kjerstad and Enrique Bradfield Jr. in the O’s prospect pecking order. Instead, Beavers parlayed a Triple-A season that saw him hit .304 with a .934 OPS, 15 HRs and 31 SBs into an August MLB debut and clear status as the Orioles best OF prospect.
However, his rise to Top 100 prospect status and encouraging Major League cameo doesn’t guarantee him a starting spot with the 2026 O’s. With Ward and Cowser set for a lion share of the playing time in left and center, Beavers is set to battle it out with Tyler O’Neill for the RF job.
If O’Neill can stay healthy, the two may form a platoon with Beavers playing against right handed pitchers and TON playing against lefties. Beavers was particularly strong against righties in his short debut, posting a .798 OPS with eight extra-base hits in 90 ABs. If he can improve upon those numbers, he may force manager Craig Albernaz to give him the every-day RF role.
Major projection sites seem differ on how they think Beavers’ season will play out:
- ZiPS: .249/.336/.414 with 17 HR and 15 SB in 550 PA
- BRef: .247/.347/.407 with 8 HR and 5 SB in 269 PA
FanGraphs’ ZiPS projection paints a picture of Beavers playing a major role in the Orioles outfield, getting close to a 20/20 season while taking a slight step back from the .375 on-base percentage he posted in 2025. It helps that ZiPS projects the oft-injured O’Neill to only play 89 games in 2026.
Baseball Reference projects Beavers as more of a part-time player who splits time all season with O’Neill. Each projection service projects the 24-year-old to take a jump in his batting average, while taking a dip on on-base percentage and maintaining his slugging output.
If Beavers outperforms the modest projections, he could become the exact hitter the exact hitter the Orioles need at the top of their lineup. In his 35 games last season, he posted an elite chase rate and BB%, suggesting the .375 OPS is something that he can maintain as he gains more Major League exposure. He also showcased near elite speed that could make 25+ SB a real possibility. If everything breaks right, the O’s could have a faster version of Nick Markakis patrolling RF for years to come.