Coby Mayo Is Rewarding the Orioles for Their Patience
After struggles early in his career, Coby Mayo has developed into one of the most promising bats across the league, especially against LHP.
After a strong August, the Baltimore Orioles looked like they were playing their best ball when it mattered most. Colton Cowser’s game-winning catch in Colorado was primed to be the catalyst the team needed to chase down the third AL Wild Card spot.
Now, two weeks into September, that hope has been squashed. A four-game sweep by the Boston Red Sox in Camden Yards (do not mention Adley Rutschman’s home runs…), may have squashed any hopes the team had on returning to the postseason.
While the door to the playoffs is not completely closed, the Orioles margin for error is extremely slim. Each loss is another nail in the coffin for the 2026 Orioles.
While things may look bleak for the team, one young Oriole is having a stellar second half: Coby Mayo. The 24-year-old has seeemingly found his power stroke in the majors in his first full season of MLB experience.
So, while the O’s likelihood of reaching October baseball shrinks, what does the team have in Mayo heading into next year?
Mayo Mashing
Throughout his minor league career, the 2020 fourth-round pick out of Majory Stoneman Douglas High School was a masher. Across 435 games, Mayo recorded a .905 OPS with a .531 slugging percentage.
However, the righty struggled in his MLB playing time in 2024 and 2025. In 85 games in 2025 the then-23-year-old posted a .388 slugging percentage and 95 WRC+. With Jordan Westburg doing well at the time, fans began to wonder if Mayo would remain in Baltimore.
With all of those rumors swirling around, Mayo got his chance at playing everday after Westburg suffered a season-ending elbow injury before the season even started. The young slugger would have a chance to earn his spot in Baltimore’s future.
In his first season breaking spring training with the team, Mayo has undoubtedly been the best hitter against left-handed pitching across the entire league and arguably been the O’s second best hitter, period.
Against southpaws the 24-year-old has been Barry Bonds-like. In 140 at-bats, Mayo is slashing .321/.383/.729 with a 1.112 OPS and league-leading 16 home runs.
In addition to the eye-popping numbers, Mayo has also been making use of his 6-foot-5-inch frame to hit some long home runs. Back in August the former Florida Gator commit took Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan deep to a part of Tropicana Field hitters rarely venture.
I would also be remiss to not mention that Mayo has cleared the fountains in Kauffman Stadium and into the second deck at Camden Yards. The young slugger has some serious pop.
Mayo has really displayed his talent post-All Star Break. Following the Midsummer Classic, he has slashed .269/.328/.563 compared to a .193/.264/.395 slash line in the first half of the year.
A meteoric turnaround in the second half has shown fans what kind of player Mayo can be. If not for Pete Alonso, you could debate that the young gun has been the Orioles most impressive hitter.
While other players not performing up to expected standards may be contributing to that last point, you have to give the youngster his flowers. If not for his bat in the second half, this team would have been in way worse shape in the wild-card race.
Building Off of 2026
There is no doubting that this season has been a failure for the Orioles, regardless of whether or not they can find a way into the playoffs again. After their aspirations were set on competing at the top of the American League, squeaking in with the last wild-card spot does not fulfill those goals.
In order to correct course in 2027, several core players are going to have to step up. The first names that come to mind may be Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday and Kyle Bradish, but Mayo fits in that category as well.
Don’t get me wrong, Mayo’s 2026 has been a pleasant surprise in contrast to the frustrating season. Fans have finally seen the side of the 24-year-old that once made him one of the top prospects in the minor leagues.
However, Mayo still has room to grow as a hitter, especially if he is going to be an everyday guy in the middle of the lineup. The most immediate way that he can find that next gear is improving against right-handed pitching.
While Mayo has slugged his way to being one of the best hitters in the league against southpaws, his numbers against righties leave lots to be desired. In 243 at-bats Mayo is slashing .169/.237/.313 with 88 strikeouts, good enough for a 54 wRC+.
The Floridian has improved against righties since the All-Star break, slashing .204/.275/.441 in addition to a 45-point jump to a 99 wRC+.
If Mayo can take another positive step against righties in 2027 while continuing to mash lefties, the Orioles will have a serious threat in the heart of the lineup.
Taking the Next Step
As the Orioles continue to fight for the playoffs through the final weeks of the season, each loss turns more heads to next season. Even though there is a lot of off the field stuff that needs to be addressed for us to even have baseball in 2027, Orioles fans will likely spend the offseason thinking of ways to improve the team to get them back in the playoffs.
The O’s offense has struggled to consistently produce for the better part of two seasons. One week the team can out-slug any opposing lineup. The next week, they’re lucky to score more than two runs a game.
While the front office deliberates on trades or free agent signings that can help improve the lineup, Mayo’s 2026 should cement him as a staple of the lineup. Having his bat against left-handed pitching is worth it even if he does not make an improvement against righties.
This season should provide a big boost in confidence for the slugger. Staying mostly healthy has helped Mayo grow tremendously, turning him into a valuable piece for the team instead of a potential trade chip.
If Mayo is ableto build off a good 2026, the Orioles are going to have a scary bat in their lineup as they aim to return to October baseball.
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Written by
Tommy is an avid fan of baseball, especially in the Charm City. Tommy covers the Orioles for Just Baseball with the dream of working full time…