The Orioles outfield is undergoing a change of leadership. Cedric Mullins is starting his last year of arbitration, Anthony Santander will soon be a free agent, and Austin Hays was moved this past season. By Opening Day 2026, there might have been a full-fledged youth movement on the grass. Dylan Beavers might be a crucial element if it does. Beavers, who attended the University of California, Berkeley, was chosen by the Orioles with the 33rd overall pick in the 2022 draft. He could play all three outfield positions, had some swing-and-miss issues, and was thought to have five-tool talent at the time. He has been in his professional career for two years, and not much has changed.
Beavers started 2024 in Double-A Bowie, exactly where he left off in 2023. He had finished 2023 with a strong 34-game performance for the Baysox. He had a 150 wRC+, two home runs, and a.321/.417/.478 slash over that period. Even while it was encouraging, he wasn’t ready to leave Double-A just yet. Beavers found it more difficult, but the O’s brought him back to the level this past season.
In an effort to unlock additional power, Beavers seemed to have changed after a scorching April (.329/.415/.471). He hit five home runs in May and increased his slugging percentage to.481 while walking at a comparable pace. However, while his strikeouts skyrocketed (16 in April, 29 in May), his average dropped to.221. As long as it lasts the whole season, that’s not a horrible trade-off. Growth isn’t always linear, though. Beavers only hit two home runs and hit.180/.284/.315 during their June skid. With just seven walks to 21 strikeouts and another pair of home runs in July, he increased his batting line to.243/.313/.400. On-base performance improved in August (.362 OBP), but power dropped back to a slugging percentage of.318. It was in September where things finally started to click.
Beavers hit three home runs, three doubles, and a triple in 17 games over the last month of the season, posting a.283/.348/.517 slash line. Although the five walks to 21 strikeouts ratio was not ideal, it was accompanied by what appeared to be a more effective strategy all around. Beavers played in six games with the O’s highest affiliate after being promoted to Triple-A Norfolk in September. With a double, one walk, and ten strikeouts, he was 5-for-20. Although there is obviously work to be done, it also provides a beginning point for 2025 for the athlete and the organization.
The Beavers finished the season with a final line of.242/.342/.408 with 15 home runs, 20 doubles, five triples, and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 125. Beavers’ 118 wRC+ for the season, as determined by FanGraphs, was well above the league average but did not scream for a promotion like he did in late 2023. Scouting reports indicate that the Beavers’ experience is evident. Although Beavers is infamous for being “streaky” and having “timing issues that lead to slumps,” MLB Pipeline calls him “polished” and occasionally deserving of comparisons to Christian Yelich.
Beavers scout reports frequently point to strikeout rates as a weakness. He does receive set-down strikes, but they are not very severe. This season, he walked 13.2% of the time while striking out in 22.6% of his Double-A plate appearances. Even if you factor in some anticipated major league inflation, those kinds of figures don’t seem too concerning. However, you should bring some pop with it because it’s in that region.
Beavers’ ability to run is another aspect of his offensive strategy. Although he moves well for anyone, he is especially swift for a 6-foot-4 person. He has been able to influence the bases in the professional levels as a result. In 2023, he stole 27 suitcases but was apprehended ten times. He collected 31 stolen bases on 34 tries in 2024, showing an improvement in both volume and effectiveness. At the very least, there is reason to think he is a 20-20 hitter if he makes it to the major leagues and receives adequate playing time.
Beavers has played four defensive positions before. As a professional, he has mostly played right field, although he also sees regular action in center and left, and in 2024, the organization moved him to first base. “Beavers is passable in center field, quite good in the outfield corners, and he’s begun to play first base (where he’s crude),” according to FanGraphs’ evaluation of his glovework. According to reports, Beavers has an above-average throwing arm and moves just as well in the field as he does on the bases.
Beavers does not seem like a significant change from the Orioles’ Colton Cowser, despite the fact that their general strategies may differ. Two young, athletic outfielders who are left-handed hitters and right-handed throwers with five-tool potential but strikeout issues. That might be a very effective corner outfield combination if they both reach their full potential.
Beavers will most likely return to Triple-A starting in 2025, either with the Orioles or another team. There is no rush to make a move because Beavers won’t be Rule 5-eligible until the next offseason. However, the Orioles will eventually need to relieve the log jam in the outfield, which includes Beavers, Cowser, Heston Kjerstad, and the rapidly improving Enrique Bradfield Jr. They also reportedly have an aggressive mindset heading into this offseason, intent on making an impression in the playoffs. That might open the door to swaps involving attractive players like Beavers.
