This O's leader is 'at his best right now'

BALTIMORE -- The praise for Cedric Mullins’ play early in the 2025 season has been coming from all corners of the Orioles’ clubhouse.

“He’s at his best right now,” infielder Ramón Urías said.

“When Ceddy’s locked in, he can carry us,” first baseman Ryan O’Hearn said. “I know he’s going to keep doing what he’s doing and put the team on his back.”

“He’s always ready to play. He shows up every day, puts in his work,” outfielder Heston Kjerstad said. “He’s definitely one of the leaders in this clubhouse.”

Overall, the O’s have been a bit sluggish and inconsistent. Mullins has not.

Let’s break down the various aspects of the 30-year-old center fielder’s strong start.

All-around play on the field
Entering Saturday, Baltimore was 10-14, with Mullins leading the club in hits (23), doubles (five), home runs (six), RBIs (20), walks (17), stolen bases (five), batting average (.295), on-base percentage (.433), slugging percentage (.590) and OPS (1.023).

To put it simply: He’s doing everything offensively.

“He’s honestly been kind of carrying the offense, keeping us going,” Kjerstad said. “Even when the rest of the lineup is not going, he’s still producing.”

Oh, and Mullins is again playing at his typical high level in center field, too.

“Just playing an incredible brand of baseball right now in every single facet,” manager Brandon Hyde said.

Mullins’ offensive production dropped in 2023 (.233 average, .721 OPS in 116 games), then again in '24 (.234 average, .710 OPS in 147 games). But he was often banged up or dealing with various ailments, including injuries to his left quad and groin.

It’s important to remember how high Mullins’ ceiling can be when he’s healthy and playing at his best. In 2021, he was an All-Star and an AL Silver Slugger who recorded the first 30-30 season in O’s history, with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases.

“I think he’s going to try again on having that kind of season and showing people it was not just a lucky season,” Urías said.

Leading by example
Now the longest-tenured player on Baltimore's roster, Mullins’ quiet voice carries a lot of weight with his teammates. A holdover from the rebuilding years of 2018-22, he is bringing optimism during the club’s bumpy start to the '25 campaign.

“I continue to preach coming in the next day with a positive attitude, a positive mindset,” Mullins said. “Come in with an approach to be better the next day. I’m challenging the guys to continue to do that, even through the struggle, and watch things turn around slowly.”

More impactful than Mullins’ words may be his actions -- ones Hyde is hoping the younger players on his roster can emulate.

“I hope that they’re looking at him,” Hyde said. “He’s competing every at-bat, every pitch. There’s a lot of fight in his at-bats. Hope guys are watching. ...

“He’s not the most talkative guy, but he’s willing everybody with the way he’s playing.”

The long-term future
Mullins’ hot start is coming during the final year of his contract with Baltimore. It’s possible he could be gone next winter, following the same path as his former outfield-mates Austin Hays (traded to Phillies in July 2024, now with Reds) and Anthony Santander (signed with Blue Jays in January) and leaving a spot for younger players to fill.

The Orioles could want to try to keep Mullins, especially if he continues to play at this level. But he’s also likely playing himself toward a larger contract in the process.

There reportedly haven’t been any extension talks between the two sides, but Mullins has made his affinity for his eight-year tenure with the O’s known.

“Just being drafted by Baltimore and just knowing what Baltimore and the city’s offered me and my family over the course of my career has been nothing short of amazing,” Mullins said. “So to have those [contract] negotiations take place, it’s all in timing. But right now, I’m focused on the day to day of bringing wins to the clubhouse.”