Orioles to recall top infield prospect Coby Mayo from Tides, source says

Coby Mayo is getting another shot.

The Orioles are recalling their top infield prospect from Triple-A Norfolk, a source with direct knowledge of the move told The Baltimore Sun.

The club scratched third baseman Ramon Urias from the lineup with hamstring discomfort ahead of its game against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night, and Mayo is the lone healthy infielder available on the 40-man roster who isnt already in Baltimore.

Mayo, 23, is the No.

27 overall prospect in the sport, according to Baseball Americas rankings.

He made his MLB debut with Baltimore last season and hit .098 with 22 strikeouts in 17 games across two separate stints down the stretch.

However, he has been among the most prolific power hitters in Triple-A since 2023, hitting .276 with 40 home runs and a .915 OPS across 178 games for the Norfolk Tides the past three seasons.

I think hes really close, executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias said of Mayo on Friday before Urias injury was announced.

Im really happy with where he is.

It seems like hes in a good spot, the production that were seeing out of him, the quality of his at-bats, the work that hes putting in.

Hes going to be a big part of this team.

Sometimes injuries force our hand like they did last year and we cant control the timing.

We really want Coby to have the right pathway and hes certainly putting himself in a really good position for that.

The 2020 fourth-round draft pick was among the Orioles final spring-training cuts and he expressed frustration over returning to Norfolk, where hes played more games than any of the clubs previous top 100 prospects did during the Elias era.

Hes played both third and first base in Triple-A, but the presences of fellow right-handed hitters Jordan Westburg and Ryan Mountcastle have blocked any potential paths to regular playing time.

Westburg is currently on the injured list with a hamstring injury and, while he isnt expected to miss significant time, Mayo will only have to contend with veteran Emmanuel Rivera for starts at third base in the meantime.

Mayo has faced questions over his ability to play third at the MLB level and whether it will be his long-term defensive home.

What isnt in question is his offensive potential.

Mayo shook off a slow start in Triple-A and entered play Saturday hitting .252 with six home runs, 22 RBIs and an .892 OPS in 28 games.

He has mashed against left-handed pitching, an area the Orioles have struggled mightily with over the first month of the season.

MASNSports.com first reported that Mayo was on his way to Baltimore..

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