Norby homers for first MLB hit: 'The coolest thing I've done playing baseball'

TORONTO -- After going 0-for-3 in his MLB debut on Monday night at Rogers Centre, Connor Norby was better rested and more at ease entering his second game as a big leaguer.

The Orioles’ No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, was anxious in a different way on Tuesday.

“I kind of had a feeling today during BP, like I felt more normal,” Norby said. “You still get butterflies, you get amped up before games. Obviously, I was still amped up.”

Following three more hitless at-bats -- putting him at 0-for-6 to begin his career -- Norby broke through in a way he’d later describe as “unreal.”

In the eighth inning of Baltimore’s 10-1 win at Toronto, Norby swatted a two-run homer for his first Major League hit, connecting on a 2-1 slider from right-hander Nate Pearson left over the heart of the plate and jolting it over the left-field wall.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Norby is the 12th player in Orioles history (since 1954) to homer for his first MLB hit. The most recent had been Heston Kjerstad, Baltimore’s No. 4 prospect, who homered last Sept. 15 vs. the Rays.

Norby’s Statcast-projected 370-foot homer wasn’t a no-doubter, and because of that, he wasn’t sure if he had gotten all of it.

“I actually dropped my head before I even touched first, I think, and I didn’t see the ball go over the fence,” said the 23-year-old Norby. “So if it didn’t, I would have probably kept running. But based off the reaction I heard, I thought it was over.”

The reaction when Norby returned to the dugout may have been even louder.

After crossing home plate, Norby received a hug from Colton Cowser, his former Triple-A Norfolk teammate who scored from first base on the homer. Then, Norby walked through the dugout and received high-fives from players who were cheering loudly moments earlier.

“That was awesome. The whole dugout was going nuts for him,” said first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who slugged two homers in the victory. “Super happy for the kid.”

Norby saw only four pitches in each of his three plate appearances on Monday. His first two at-bats resulted in strikeouts, as he struggled to make contact against Kevin Gausman, until he flied out to left in his third AB vs. the righty, which gave him more confidence for Game 2.

“A little anxious, of course, and how can you not be?” manager Brandon Hyde said.

But Norby felt he was being more aggressive on Tuesday, which is usually his recipe for offensive success.

“That’s my thing, if I’m swinging and I’m in swing mode, I’m usually setting myself up pretty well,” Norby said. “If I’m in take mode, like yesterday, it’s probably not going to be too good.”

Although Norby’s parents, Dave and Jill, didn’t make it to Toronto this week, they’ll soon be getting a new memento. Norby got the ball back and said he will be giving it to them to put in a case so that he doesn’t lose it.

It will likely forever be the most special item that has been in Norby’s possession.

“Unreal. That was the coolest thing I’ve done playing baseball, for sure,” Norby said. “I got a lot of sleep last night. I don’t know how much sleep I’ll get tonight now after that one.”