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BALTIMORE -- Colton Cowser did not win the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year Award on Monday night. However, that does not change the fact that the 24-year-old Orioles outfielder had a strong rookie campaign this season, one worthy of recognition.

The runner-up to Yankees right-hander Luis Gil in AL Rookie of the Year voting, Cowser wasn¡¯t even a lock to make Baltimore¡¯s Opening Day roster when he reported to Spring Training in mid-February. Not only did he win a job, but he then played his way into the everyday lineup and finished the season fourth on the O¡¯s with 3.1 wins above replacement, per Baseball Reference.

It was an impressive breakthrough after Cowser struggled during his 26-game MLB debut in 2023.

¡°I think the big thing for me was being told, ¡®It¡¯s never a bad thing to struggle in the big leagues your first time around,¡¯ and understanding that,¡± Cowser said on MLB Network on Monday. ¡°Going into last offseason, the hitting coaches, hitting staff, gave me a couple of things to work on just to make myself a little bit more consistent with lower body and mindset and approach, and I think those things catapulted me into this year.¡±

With Cowser¡¯s strong rookie season in the books, let¡¯s count down his five most memorable moments from 2024.

5. Spoiling a potential duel with a mammoth blast
The series finale between the Phillies and Orioles on June 16 at Camden Yards was expected to be a pitching duel, with aces Zack Wheeler and Corbin Burnes each tabbed to start. However, the O¡¯s pounced on Wheeler early, with Cowser playing a key role.

The longest of Cowser¡¯s 24 home runs this season came in the second inning of this contest, when he blasted a Statcast-projected 443-foot two-run shot to center. That made it a 3-0 lead for Baltimore, which went on to win, 8-3.

4. Off the bench to win it
The Orioles brought in Cowser as a defensive replacement in right field for the top of the eighth inning during a June 12 clash vs. the Braves at Camden Yards. In the bottom of the frame, the rookie outfielder broke a tie with his bat.

Cowser belted a go-ahead two-run homer off right-hander Joe Jim¨¦nez, and Baltimore held on to win, 4-2.

3. A homer into the Kauffman fountains
A day after he unknowingly ¡°yeeted¡± a Craig Kimbrel milestone save ball into a fountain at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Cowser came back and got a wet form of redemption.

Cowser¡¯s third-inning solo homer in an April 21 win vs. the Royals appropriately landed in another one of Kauffman¡¯s trademark fountains.

¡°We preferred him hitting one into the fountain instead of throwing one into the fountain,¡± manager Brandon Hyde said then.

2. A game-ending robbery in Chicago
Named an AL Gold Glove finalist for his tremendous glovework, Cowser¡¯s best defensive gem may have been the game-ending catch he made to cap the Orioles¡¯ 6-4 win over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 24.

Cowser made a leaping grab to pull back what would have been a Tommy Pham home run, and he then immediately let out his emotions to celebrate the victory.

1. His first MLB home run ... and his second!
Baltimore¡¯s April 9-11 series at Fenway Park in Boston was supposed to be remembered for the arrival of Jackson Holliday, MLB Pipeline¡¯s No. 1 overall prospect at the time who debuted in the middle contest of the three-game set. But Cowser stole the show instead.

In the series finale, Cowser slugged his first MLB home run, leading off the fifth with an opposite-field blast over the Green Monster. He later went deep again, capping a six-run 10th with a three-run homer as the O¡¯s won, 9-4.

¡°As soon as Jackson got called up, I was messing around and I was like, ¡®If Jackson hits a home run before me, I¡¯m going to be pretty upset,¡¯¡± Cowser joked then.