If Coby Mayo Can Play Average ML 3B Defense

[Sports Guy]

Just now, Frobby said:

He’d be the 4th OF probably.  

Does he have the arm to play the corner OF spots?

Much rather trade him than turn him into a 4th OFer.

[CaptainRedbeard]

Trades could of course change everything, but at this point I feel the most likely scenario for 2026 CF is Cowser. He’s looked great in the OF this year and won’t be old enough then to start losing speed. I think we’re going to see him play plenty of CF when Mullins is out of the lineup the rest of this year and next year.

Cowser’s not likely to be a plus CF, but good enough that it could be the optimal alignment with the other corner OF options. They could get a season or two out of Cowser in CF until he starts to lose a step and Bradfield or somebody else is the longer term solution. 

Beavers is also looking ready for AAA now and should eventually be able to provide the plus LF defense we need at OPACY while Cowser is in CF. 

[oriolediehard]

Mayo is injured, rib injury.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/05/al-east-notes-mata-mayo-gausman.html#google_vignette

Orioles fans received some tough news from down on the farm on Friday, when the club announced that top third base prospect Coby Mayo suffered a fractured rib and has been placed on the minor league injured list. The Orioles indicated that Mayo will be out for “several weeks” due to the injury. It’s a frustrating setback for the 22-year-old, who is a consensus top-30 prospect in the sport and has impressed with a .291/.359/.605 slash line in 42 games at the Triple-A level this year. It was certainly plausible that the club could turn to Mayo as a starting option at some point in the near future given his fantastic play and the struggles of fellow top prospect Jackson Holliday, though this injury surely represents a setback for Mayo’s timeline to be called up to the majors.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, MCO'sFan said:

Do you agree that if they do that, Holliday won't be up anytime soon? Seems almost a little desperate to me. What has changed to do this now, in the middle of the season and after he struggled so much in his brief MLB time? Has Mayo's defense improved that much? Have they soured on Mullins that quickly? 

I don’t think it’s desperate at all.   Having more options is always a good thing, and we know the O’s value defensive versatility.  I can think of many SS types who ended up in CF.   Jackson Merrill, who was a top 10-20 prospect as a SS coming into this season, is now the starting CF for the Padres and a good candidate for NL ROY.   Trea Turner played mostly CF for the Nats in 2016 after his call-up, despite having played SS almost exclusively in the minors.  Robin Yount was moved from SS to CF.  So, I see no harm in experimenting with this.  For now though, this is just a rumor so far as I’m concerned.  

[Sports Guy]

Btw, this could also be nothing more than them trying him out there for versatility reasons..just shagging fly balls and what not..ala Westburg in the past.

May not mean they envision him as a starter out there.

[Greg Pappas]

I broached the experiment of Holliday in CF some months ago.  It seems to be something that could make sense.  I still expect he'll be our 2B moving forward, but having such versatility is never a bad thing.  

Edited May 20 by Greg Pappas

[HowAboutThat]

1 hour ago, Satyr3206 said:

played

You know, for $24 a year, a measly lousy 24 bucks a year, you can edit your comment.

And you can also support @Tony-OHwho has done more work online to create an Orioles environment than literally anybody else in the entire Internet universe.

[HowAboutThat]

Meanwhile, I have a question about Mayo’s defense.  Everybody implies that it’s dreadful. I guess I can understand that he’s not Manny or Brooks, but how bad is it?

Are we hoping he’s at least as good as George Brett, about whom someone once said,(paraphrasing), “his defense is so bad it’s like he carries his bat to the base instead of his glove.“?

I love defense, and I see absolutely no reason to move Westburg away. if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

It seems far more advisable to plunk Mayo at first and do something with the guys we currently have there?

 

[Satyr3206]

6 minutes ago, Philip said:

You know, for $24 a year, a measly lousy 24 bucks a year, you can edit your comment.

And you can also support @Tony-OHwho has done more work online to create an Orioles environment than literally anybody else in the entire Internet universe.

I was a Plus member for a long time. I am going through a Divorce. Maybe that explains things.

[HowAboutThat]

5 minutes ago, Satyr3206 said:

I was a Plus member for a long time. I am going through a Divorce. Maybe that explains things.

I’m very sorry. Such a tragedy. I hope you both find peace.

[Frobby]

8 minutes ago, Philip said:

Meanwhile, I have a question about Mayo’s defense.  Everybody implies that it’s dreadful. I guess I can understand that he’s not Manny or Brooks, but how bad is it?

Are we hoping he’s at least as good as George Brett, about whom someone once said,(paraphrasing), “his defense is so bad it’s like he carries his bat to the base instead of his glove.“?

I love defense, and I see absolutely no reason to move Westburg away. if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

It seems far more advisable to plunk Mayo at first and do something with the guys we currently have there?

 

Short answer is, I don’t think anyone here watches enough of Mayo to really know.  Maybe @Tony-OHand a couple of others do.  I think while opinions vary on whether he’s average or bad, nobody seems to dispute that he’s not as good as Westburg or Urias.   

When it comes to defense, I pretty much need to see for myself.   I haven’t been impressed the few times I’ve seen him (which is maybe five times, scattered over three years).  I don’t consider that an adequate sample on such to judge, but it’s adequate to have some concerns.   
 

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

Obviously. I’m not saying he can come up right now and compete with the bat. Just saying that I don’t think they make this decision without knowing more about Bradfield’s bat.

If Bradfield ends the year in Bowie and he is hitting well, he enters the CF picture very soon. 

I guess I don't see Bradfield season this year having any impact on whether you start giving Holliday center field experience. Holliday is a good enough athlete to be able to move back and forth between CF and 2B. Giving him that experience and seeing how he looks only adds to his versatility and opens up potential PAs for Mayo once he's healthy and back hitting like he was.

[Moose Milligan]

22 minutes ago, Philip said:

Meanwhile, I have a question about Mayo’s defense.  Everybody implies that it’s dreadful. I guess I can understand that he’s not Manny or Brooks, but how bad is it?

Are we hoping he’s at least as good as George Brett, about whom someone once said,(paraphrasing), “his defense is so bad it’s like he carries his bat to the base instead of his glove.“?

I love defense, and I see absolutely no reason to move Westburg away. if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

It seems far more advisable to plunk Mayo at first and do something with the guys we currently have there?

 

George Brett won three Gold Gloves.

[Tony-OH]

25 minutes ago, Philip said:

Meanwhile, I have a question about Mayo’s defense.  Everybody implies that it’s dreadful. I guess I can understand that he’s not Manny or Brooks, but how bad is it?

Are we hoping he’s at least as good as George Brett, about whom someone once said,(paraphrasing), “his defense is so bad it’s like he carries his bat to the base instead of his glove.“?

I love defense, and I see absolutely no reason to move Westburg away. if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

It seems far more advisable to plunk Mayo at first and do something with the guys we currently have there?

 

Mayo's issues on defense is mostly throwing accuracy. He moves well enough and his are not bad, but his throwing can be a bit of an adventure at times. We all know he has plus-plus arm strength, but making that accurate throw to second base to to start a double play or get a force play or just when he needs to really gun it to first can get loose him. 

Do I think he can overcome it? I don't know honestly. Some guys never end up with the accuracy needed to play a consistent infield position. He would be a downgrade defensively from Westburg for sure, who's consistency is what makes him so good over there. 

Knowing how much the Orioles put into being good defensively on the dirt, I just don't know if they are going to really ever give him a chance at 3B unless he starts getting more consistent on those throws. 

I still think RF may end up being where he will need to play at the major league level if Mountcastle is still here at 1B next year. 

[Frobby]

6 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

George Brett won three Gold Gloves.

+54 Rtot for his career, so somewhat above average by that measure.   Among his HOF contemporaries, Mike Schmidt was +129, Wade Boggs was +95.   Personally I would not have said Boggs was better than Brett, but Schmidt certainly was.  

Brooks was +293, if anyone’s wondering.  Beltre second at +168.  Sorry, Adrian.