Not satisfied, Westburg looking to 'make strides' before Opening Day

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Don’t mistake Jordan Westburg’s comfort level for any type of complacency.

At this time last year, Westburg was a prospect who had never played in the Majors and was feeling his way through his first experience at a big league camp. This time around, the 25-year-old Orioles infielder has known what to expect, allowing him to be more himself in the clubhouse, he believes.

However, Spring Training is still a time to focus on the work, in Westburg’s eyes.

“It’s a little bit different that I’m trying not to put as much pressure on myself. I certainly feel like I’m not,” Westburg said. “But at the same time, there is that pressure to perform. That’s the game of baseball. It’s very much results-based. You’ve got to get the job done.”

From Westburg’s point of view, he hasn’t done that quite enough through the first two-plus weeks of the Grapefruit League campaign. He was candid about that while discussing his overall spring performance this weekend.

After going 1-for-4 in Sunday's 11-6 split-squad win over the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Westburg is 6-for-25 (.240) with one double, one triple, one home run, two RBIs, five runs scored and a .749 OPS in eight games.

Not bad numbers, especially for early spring, when hitters are still trying to get their timing down and get reacclimated to facing big league-caliber pitching. But they’re not up to Westburg’s lofty standards for himself.

“I feel like, right now, I’m swinging at everything, maybe being a little too aggressive. I just need to get back to being me,” Westburg said. “Maybe it’s early in the spring and I’m freaking out a little bit too early, but that’s just who I am. I want to compete.”

Westburg still has two more weeks filled with exhibition contests to fine-tune his offensive approach before Opening Day on March 28 vs. the Angels at Camden Yards. Although he entered camp with the mindset of needing to win a job, he’s a safe bet to break camp with Baltimore.

It helps that Westburg is a plus defender at three infield spots. He played mostly second base when he reached the Majors last year -- making 35 of his 53 starts there -- but he’s made only one appearance at the position this spring. Westburg made his fifth Grapefruit League start at third on Sunday, and he’s also made a pair of starts at shortstop.

“Wherever you put Jordan, man, it seems like he catches the ball,” said third-base coach Tony Mansolino, who works with O’s infielders.

Westburg also shows a consistently high effort level that has stood out to manager Brandon Hyde.

“I love Jordan’s makeup. He’s tough, super competitive, loves to play, total team guy,” Hyde said. “We saw that right away when he came up last year, and he’s only gotten better.”

The No. 30 overall pick in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2020 MLB Draft, Westburg was called up to the big leagues for the first time late last June. He stuck on the Orioles’ roster the rest of the season, slashing .260/.311/.404 with 17 doubles, two triples, three homers and 23 RBIs in 68 games.

Baltimore will likely count on Westburg to make starts at both second and third this year, but he could initially bat near the bottom of the lineup, which is stacked with potent hitters. That could change as the season progresses.

Westburg has shown his offensive potential in the Minors. He racked up 39 doubles, 27 homers and 106 RBIs while posting an .851 OPS in 138 games between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk in 2022. Then, he opened the ’23 season by slashing .295/.372/.567 and slugging 18 homers in 67 Triple-A contests.

In 2024, Westburg’s bat could be more productive at the big league level. He’s determined to make it happen.

“I feel like I’m not doing enough right now. I feel like I’m not getting the job done in the box,” Westburg said. “I feel like, on defense, I’m fine. I feel really comfortable on defense, I’m really confident in my abilities to play any of those three positions.

“But at the end of the day, you’ve got to hit to be in the lineup, right? Hopefully, I can make strides before Opening Day.”