O, The Places You’ll Go: Here’s How The 2024 Orioles Were Built
Image credit: Jud Fabian (96), Heston Kjerstad (13), Dylan Beavers (84) and Jackson Holliday (87) (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Below, we offer a timeline of how the 2024 Baltimore Orioles—one of baseball’s most intriguing clubs this season—were built over the past several years.
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2018
Oct. 3: Orioles fire president of baseball operations Dan Duquette following a 115-loss season. He led Baltimore to three postseason appearances, but trades of Manny Machado, Zack Britton, Kevin Gausman and Jonathan Schoop that summer signaled a looming rebuild.
Nov. 16: Orioles hire Mike Elias as executive vice president and GM. He previously worked as scouting director and assistant GM for the Astros. Elias inherits a few key players, including Austin Hays, John Means, Cedric Mullins II, Anthony Santander and prospects Grayson Rodriguez, Ryan Mountcastle and DL Hall.
Dec. 14: Elias hires Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde as manager. Hyde endures four seasons of constant losing before breaking through in 2022, when he is the Baseball America MLB Manager of the Year.
2019
June 3: Elias leads off his first draft with the Orioles by selecting Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with the No. 1 overall pick. He follows with Alabama prep shortstop Gunnar Henderson at the top of the second round.
Dec. 4: Elias sends Dylan Bundy, one of his few inherited trade chips, to the Angels for four low-level pitchers. One of those pitchers is Kyle Bradish, who develops into the 2023 club’s ace.
2020
June 10: The Orioles draft Southeastern Conference hitting stars Heston Kjerstad and Jordan Westburg with their top two picks. Both reach Baltimore in 2023. High school third baseman Coby Mayo, drafted in the fourth round, is poised to join them this year.
2021
Jan. 15: Orioles sign 16-year-old Dominican catcher Samuel Basallo, signaling a new commitment to Latin America after decades of neglect. He quickly blossoms into a top prospect.
2022
Jan. 12: Orioles announce they will push back the left field wall at Camden Yards as far as 30 feet in spots, while raising the height by five feet. The new configuration helps neutralize the park’s home run factor.
Jan. 18: Rutschman ranks as the No. 1 prospect in baseball.
July 17: Orioles draft High School Player of the Year Jackson Holliday No. 1 overall.
Aug. 1: With the Orioles living on the fringes of the AL wild card race, Elias sells rather than buys at the trade deadline. He trades veterans Trey Mancini and Jorge Lopez for a bevy of young pitchers, among them key 2023 reliever Yennier Cano and prospects Chayce McDermott, Cade Povich and Seth Johnson.
Sept. 28: Henderson wins Minor League Player of the Year.
2023
Jan. 17: Henderson ranks as the No. 1 prospect in baseball.
Sept. 25: Holliday wins Minor League Player of the Year.
Oct. 1: Orioles conclude a 101-win season as the No. 1 seed in the American League. Rangers sweep them in Division Series.
Nov. 13: Henderson wins AL Rookie of the Year, netting the Orioles a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick in 2024.
2024
Jan. 18: Holliday ranks as the No. 1 prospect in baseball, giving the Orioles an unprecedented three No. 1’s in a row.
Feb. 1: Orioles trade for ace Corbin Burnes by sending prospects DL Hall and Joey Ortiz plus a 2024 supplemental first-round pick to the Brewers.
