Orioles should consider converting Stowers to 1B

[Three Run Homer]

I think this idea is worth pursuing and it certainly seems like Cowser will force his way into the O's outfield sooner or later.  But I don't want to start next season with Santander as the regular RF.  Based on my limited observation of Stowers, I do think that he's better than Santander in the outfield.  

[Hazmat]

50 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Vavra is small and most teams don't like small guys at 1B. He could be a potential option but I'm not sure his bats plays as a regular without a little more pop. Urias might be an option as well, but again, not sure the bat profile there though he's putting up similiar numbers to Mountcastle this year.

With a potential middle infield logjam, would Norby be a viable candidate for 1B?  He's certainly shown the pop for it so far.  

[emmett16]

I like the idea a lot.  I have not been a big fan of his defense.  Every single game I've gone to see him play there has been at least one ball hit to him that I thought he should have had.  It's an eye test and just my two cents, but he has not impressed me in the outfield.  He's not a butcher by any stretch of the imagination, he's just not going to make as many plays as our current guys or some of the plus defenders coming up.   At the very least having some versatility moving forward cannot hurt.  

[mikezpen]

I see Mountcastle seems to have slipped and nobody loves him. Trade him for...whatever. Problem is, other teams can see what's going on, too. They don't love him either and you're not gonna get anything in return. Last year, he was one of the best young sluggers in the game. I don't know what's happened to him. But I wouldn't want him dumped over the off-season for a couple of Dominican 17 year-olds or a pair of grade C pitching prospects.

 

[interloper]

I think we should be a tad more patient with the 25 yr old Mountcastle than we are. I'm just as disappointed in his season as anybody, but he's young and he's still an impact bat at times. He has the fastest home run pace since coming up than any other Oriole in franchise history. I'm not saying that counts for much if he's not doing much in between those home runs, but I'm just saying. 

Is it a sophomore slump or is this who he is? I would like to find out next year. I'm not ready to say this season defines the player. 

[Sports Guy]

5 minutes ago, mikezpen said:

I see Mountcastle seems to have slipped and nobody loves him. Trade him for...whatever. Problem is, other teams can see what's going on, too. They don't love him either and you're not gonna get anything in return. Last year, he was one of the best young sluggers in the game. I don't know what's happened to him. But I wouldn't want him dumped over the off-season for a couple of Dominican 17 year-olds or a pair of grade C pitching prospects.

 

You definitely don’t trade him just because.

However, if he can be part of a trade for a good young starter, you have to do it.

[Tony-OH]

30 minutes ago, Hazmat said:

With a potential middle infield logjam, would Norby be a viable candidate for 1B?  He's certainly shown the pop for it so far.  

Norby's bat could profile at 1B for sure. He could be a guy that ends up there though he has more value as a 2B.

[Ripken]

I was actually thinking about this the other day.  Lots of bats coming and certainly a few players will be moved.  I may be Ryan's biggest fan here but he's really been disappointing.  Give up on him?  Certainly not yet... but we have to look for options going forward if he doesn't figure things out.  Stowers was a guy I considered for 1B.  He's tall, lefty, good arm but maybe not as athletic as some other OFs.  The Marlins sure seem like an interesting trade partner with all the talk around their needs at CF and 1B.  Mountcastle and Mullins for some real pitching (as we've discussed) is intriguing for sure.

[Ripken]

27 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Norby's bat could profile at 1B for sure. He could be a guy that ends up there though he has more value as a 2B.

Maybe, we have several IF prospects... though he's 5'10" so I don't love him at 1B either.

[2001OriolesFan]

I think we need to look at the prospects list to see the future at 1B.  There are two great candidates for our future 1B player who also have plus power, size and slows. 

Corby Mayo is 6-5 has a loud bat.  Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 70 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50.   The arm  (70 !) says third base, but the field (45) says maybe not.  The Run=40 says forget about the outfield but the power (60) suggests firstbase.  

Quote

"Standing 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Mayo makes louder contact than almost any other player in the O’s system. He uses a clean swing path and freakish raw strength to flat-out crush the ball, "  ...

The other good prospect for a future 1st baseman is Heston Kjerstad,  6-3.  He missed a year or more of development due to a medical condition and the Covid pandemic.  Power of 60 (you want that from 1B, but a run of 45, which is not up to "Baltimore Orioles outfielder speed". The FIELD grade of 50 sounds better to me than Mayo's 45.  He missed 2 years but has jumped several levelsin 2022 and I would expect we could see him at AA and AAA by the end of 2023.   Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50    

Quote

"He was seen as the best left-handed power bat among college hitters in his Draft class, with significant strength and bat speed and well-above average raw power to all fields........

I like the idea of big boppers at 1st base and that is the place to put the slower players but more power full hitters.

 

So that leaves what to do at 1st base in 2023.  Right now Nevins is the backup 1Baseman, and the O's are starting to tinker with Santander as a potential backup.  Nothing wrong with that.  Nevins does not look like a long term answer and I expect he will not be on the 25 man roster in 2023.  I think that plan should be to hang on the Mountcastle for 2023,  get Sandtander some reps as a backup and then evaluate Mayo and Kjerstad as replacements in late 2023 and 2024- if they can push out Montcatstle. ....  No harm in giving the funny glove to Stowers for a look-see.https://www.mlb.com/prospects/orioles/

 

 

[RZNJ]

Physically, and being LH, Stowers makes sense for 1B.   It's odd that the Orioles who are so big on positional flexibility haven't played him there at all in the minors.

I still say, that with all of the middle IF prospects, that I can see Westburg winding up at 1B.   The idea of having a player who can actually play a passable SS as the 1B is appealing to me.   With Henderson, Ortiz, Mateo, Norby, not to mention Hernaiz and Holliday on the way, I could see one of those guys getting converted to 1B.   Norby is another guy who makes some sense despite being on the shorter side.   He's not noted as a top defensive IF but that's mostly do to his arm and average range.   At 1B, he might be above average.    The ultimate goal, defensively, is to have 3 CF's in the outfield and 4 SS's in the infield.

Henderson 3B

Mateo SS

Ortiz 2B

Westburg 1B

That could be a helluva defensive IF.

Edited August 30, 2022 by RZNJ

[DrungoHazewood]

2 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Vavra is small and most teams don't like small guys at 1B. He could be a potential option but I'm not sure his bats plays as a regular without a little more pop. Urias might be an option as well, but again, not sure the bat profile there though he's putting up similiar numbers to Mountcastle this year.

It's funny, Vavra is listed at 6' 1", 200, and that's considered small.  Eddie is listed as 6' 2", 190, although no doubt he got heavier as he aged.  Palmeiro was 6', 180. Players have gotten bigger, Mountcastle doesn't look gigantic, but is 6' 4", 230.  In the old days you were thought of as massive if you were 6' and 200 pounds, like Anson, Thompson, and Brouthers. Gehrig was 6', 200.

I think Vavra could handle first defensively, but I don't know that he'll hit enough.  His minor league OBP is a combination of .300 average and a good walk rate.  In today's majors very few players hit .300 and with limited power his walk rate will probably drop by a fair amount.  And he's already 25. I think he'll be lucky to OPS .800, and if I had to guess I'd think he'll settle in more like .750. 

[mikezpen]

I see little in the way of power bats in the system-WHO ARE ACTUALLY HITTING. Mayo...Kjerstad...? This is another reason I wouldn't trade Mountcastle now.

[RZNJ]

3 minutes ago, mikezpen said:

I see little in the way of power bats in the system-WHO ARE ACTUALLY HITTING. Mayo...Kjerstad...? This is another reason I wouldn't trade Mountcastle now.

Westburg, Henderson, Cowser, Norby.    Mountcastle hit 25 homers in 127 games in AAA.   Westburg, Henderson, and Norby are all going to be in that range.   Cowser's power is emerging.  Stowers?      I see plenty of power in the system actually hitting.

[MCO'sFan]

2 hours ago, 2001OriolesFan said:

I think we need to look at the prospects list to see the future at 1B.  There are two great candidates for our future 1B player who also have plus power, size and slows. 

Corby Mayo is 6-5 has a loud bat.  Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 70 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50.   The arm  (70 !) says third base, but the field (45) says maybe not.  The Run=40 says forget about the outfield but the power (60) suggests firstbase.  

The other good prospect for a future 1st baseman is Heston Kjerstad,  6-3.  He missed a year or more of development due to a medical condition and the Covid pandemic.  Power of 60 (you want that from 1B, but a run of 45, which is not up to "Baltimore Orioles outfielder speed". The FIELD grade of 50 sounds better to me than Mayo's 45.  He missed 2 years but has jumped several levelsin 2022 and I would expect we could see him at AA and AAA by the end of 2023.   Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50    

I like the idea of big boppers at 1st base and that is the place to put the slower players but more power full hitters.

 

So that leaves what to do at 1st base in 2023.  Right now Nevins is the backup 1Baseman, and the O's are starting to tinker with Santander as a potential backup.  Nothing wrong with that.  Nevins does not look like a long term answer and I expect he will not be on the 25 man roster in 2023.  I think that plan should be to hang on the Mountcastle for 2023,  get Sandtander some reps as a backup and then evaluate Mayo and Kjerstad as replacements in late 2023 and 2024- if they can push out Montcatstle. ....  No harm in giving the funny glove to Stowers for a look-see.https://www.mlb.com/prospects/orioles/

 

 

I have thought about Mayo moving to 1B but it would be a waste of that arm. It may be the best fit though. I hadn't heard anyone suggest Kjerstad at 1B but you make a strong argument and I think I like it.