Here¡¯s a bit of Orioles trivia that might surprise you: Who hit their longest home run of the 2020 season? Was it Anthony Santander? Was it Ryan Mountcastle? How about team home run leader Renato N¨²?ez?
No, no and no. The answer is Cedric Mullins, who claimed the honors with his 427-foot shot off Yankees righty Michael King on Sept. 4.
¡°I fully expect someone to beat that this year,¡± Mullins said from Sarasota, Fla., on Thursday, chuckling. ¡°I¡¯ve never been the biggest guy on the field, but I had a little pop.¡±
Perhaps Mullins will eclipse it himself. The at-bats figure to be more consistent now that Mullins re-emerged the way he did last summer, rebounding from a lost 2019 that saw him begin the year in the Majors and finish it in Double-A. Over 48 games in ¡¯20, he showed more flashes of the toolsy table-setter the O¡¯s still believe he can be, blending plus speed and sneaky power with impact defense in center field.
The result was a unique mix of results: not only the Orioles' longest homer of the year, but an MLB-leading nine bunts and a team-best seven stolen bases. While bunting and stolen-base attempts continued to plummet across baseball, Mullins led something of a small-ball revival in Baltimore with his ability to make things happen from either atop of or the bottom of the O's order.
¡°My confidence level definitely went way up. It showed me that I can play this game and that I do have that ability,¡± Mullins said. ¡°For me, this year it¡¯s about showing what I did last year was me as a baseball player, and that I¡¯m ready to come back and compete the same way.¡±
Added Mullins: ¡°The best version of me is someone who is gritty, someone who is always looking to make things happen on the field. When I can use my legs, that¡¯s when the real, full me comes out.¡±
That¡¯s why, Mullins says, bunting will always be an integral element of his game, despite any broader trends affecting the sport at large. The baserunning ability also serves as a separator; his seven 2020 steals (in nine attempts) are more than triple the total of the next-closest returning Oriole, Austin Hays, who swiped two. Mullins also clearly rated as the O¡¯s best defender, compiling five outs above average per Statcast.
On the flip side, there are skills Hays rates better at, like arm strength, versatility and hitting for power more consistently. Therein lies the heart of one of this Orioles camp¡¯s most compelling position battles. Mullins¡¯ strong 2020 didn¡¯t guarantee him a starting job; he and Hays will compete for at-bats this spring, and they will possibly form a platoon afterward. That Hays profiles at all three outfield positions could lead to more reps for Mullins in center, especially if he replaces Mountcastle in left or Santander in right late in games.
There is no question that, defensively, the O¡¯s best outfield features both Mullins and Hays, playing side-by-side.
¡°I like well-rounded players, and I like traditional baseball,¡± manager Brandon Hyde said. ¡°I like guys who can strike people out and hit homers also. But I do like guys who can bunt for a hit, hit behind runners ¡ all the stuff that¡¯s part of winning baseball. Really good clubs have a mixture.¡±