O's call up top prospect Gunnar Henderson

CLEVELAND -- When Gunnar Henderson began the 2022 season, he sent a text to his girlfriend, Katherine Lee, vowing to make the big leagues before year’s end. He asked her to screenshot it just in case. He was just 20 years old then, not even a certainty for the Orioles’ 2023 Opening Day roster.

But now, here he is.

The Orioles have promoted their top prospect and announced that the No. 2 prospect in the game, per MLB Pipeline, will take the field at third base, bat sixth and wear No. 2 in his big league debut on Wednesday night in Cleveland. Screenshot in tow, Katherine Lee and members of Henderson’s family made it just in time from Alabama for his arrival to The Show.

• Waiting for a burger, Gunnar first got a callup

“But the road is just now starting,” Henderson said from the visitors’ clubhouse at Progressive Field. “The work keeps on going.”

The move adds a sorely needed spark to a team three games back of the final AL Wild Card spot and rewards one of this year’s most impressive Minor League players, one who’s still just 21 years old but is seen as having future star qualities. After beginning 2022 as MLB’s No. 64-ranked prospect, Henderson went on a torrid run that elevated him to No. 2 in baseball and No. 1 in the Orioles’ system -- the same spot Adley Rutschman reached before his promotion to the Majors in May.

• What you need to know about Gunnar Henderson

Adding to the excitement surrounding the club, the O's will soon welcome back left-hander DL Hall (their No. 6 prospect), who has been added to the taxi squad and could appear as soon as Friday night in Baltimore as a September callup. Both he and Henderson will continue the sea change in Charm City: that the next wave of talent has arrived.

“[Henderson’s] got huge upside,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “One of the best prospects in baseball, top prospect in baseball for a reason. Glad to see him here today.”

In order to make room on the active roster, Baltimore optioned infielder Tyler Nevin to Triple-A Norfolk. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, the club designated right-hander Denyi Reyes for assignment.

Henderson, who at 20 was the youngest player at Triple-A when he was promoted in June, posted a .947 OPS with 19 homers in 112 games across Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk this season. That performance fueled curiosity about whether Henderson could exceed expectations and make his big league debut in 2022, adding another darling -- this one tagged as "the flagship" -- of MLB Pipeline’s top-rated farm system to the Major Leagues.

Henderson’s promotion on Wednesday makes him the Orioles’ youngest position player to make his debut since Manny Machado did so at the age of 20 in 2012. As it stands, he’s the youngest player to debut this season and the second youngest to appear behind Rays phenom Wander Franco.

From the Orioles’ 2019 Draft, which was the first under Mike Elias, Rutschman, Henderson and Kyle Stowers -- their top three picks -- have all now reached the big leagues.

“It just shows you the depth and what we've done,” Hyde said. “These guys have done a great job of building this organization with the talent that we have down there. It's fun to see these guys graduate to the big leagues, and what a great experience for them to be playing in their first year.”

A natural shortstop who hits left-handed, Henderson figures to get the lion’s share of reps at third base given the emergence of Jorge Mateo at short, possibly setting up a platoon with Ramón Urías. Henderson, though, was tasked with making his first career professional starts at second and first base before his callup, and though it remains to be seen how flexible the club wants him to be during his first go, Hyde said second base may be extended as he goes -- especially considering Baltimore added first baseman Jesús Aguilar on a Minor League deal just minutes after announcing Henderson’s callup.

All the while, Henderson finds himself in not wholly uncharted territory. His promotion to Bowie late last season came while the Baysox were in a September postseason push. Bowie ultimately made the Double-A Northeast Championship series; Henderson homered in that matchup.

It’s the same game -- just under some brighter lights.

“Being able to do it again this year, and especially at the big league level, is going to be really awesome and really special,” Henderson said. “I can't thank God enough for putting me in this position. Really looking forward to it.”