Colton Cowser ready to contribute for Orioles after callup

This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Colton Cowser is back in the big leagues. He may be here for the rest of the season, or he might only stick with the Orioles for a few days. But the 23-year-old outfielder is ready for his second opportunity in The Show, regardless of how long it lasts.

“Whenever my name is called upon, I’m going to be ready,” said Cowser, who joined Baltimore ahead of Friday’s series opener at Arizona. “I’m just going out there and playing my game.”

That was the issue with Cowser’s first stint in the Majors: He wasn’t playing his game.

Cowser, the Orioles’ No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 14 overall prospect, never quite looked like himself during his first 26-game cup of coffee from July 5-Aug. 13. He slashed .115/.286/.148 with only two extra-base hits (both doubles) among his seven knocks. He had four RBIs and 13 walks, but he also struck out 22 times in 74 plate appearances.

Baltimore wanted Cowser (the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft) to get consistent at-bats -- something that wasn’t happening near the end of his initial big league stint -- and allow him to regain his confidence. In 13 games after getting optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, he slashed .245/.351/.469 with five doubles, two homers and five RBIs.

“Going from the big league level down to Triple-A, it was eye-opening to see the differences when it came to the games,” Cowser said. “I think it was good to go back down there and really see the difference of how I played down there than how I played up here when it came to mentally approaching the game.”

Cowser’s return to the Majors may have come sooner than the Orioles had originally anticipated. MLB active rosters expanded from 26 players to 28 on Friday, so teams were required to add one pitcher and one position player. Baltimore needed a bit more outfield depth because Aaron Hicks remains on the injured list with low back soreness, and Cowser can play all three spots at a high level.

With Cowser already on the 40-man roster, it made sense to call him up. But Hicks could return within the next few days, putting Cowser and fellow backup outfielder Ryan McKenna in jeopardy of being optioned.

Is it possible Cowser might not be traveling with the Orioles from Phoenix to Anaheim? Or is the team hopeful he can stick in the Majors for good this time?

“I think we’re day to day right now with everybody,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’ll see.”

If Cowser gets ample playing time to show he learned from his earlier experience in the big leagues, he could be the next rookie to break out. Infielders Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg and right-hander Grayson Rodriguez have also each had growing pains during their 2023 rookie seasons, and now, they’re all contributing for Baltimore amid a pennant race.

Henderson is confident in Cowser’s abilities and believes he can become an impactful player for the O’s down the stretch.

“I know he was able to just take a deep breath and just allow himself to get back mentally,” Henderson said. “I feel like it’s going to be good for him, and everybody will be able to really see what he can do now. ...

“He has great bat-to-ball skills. He’s going to spray it around the yard, and whenever you miss, he’s going to hit a homer. It’s going to be really fun to watch.”