Baltimore Orioles' Coby Mayo Needs To Be An Everyday Hitter Going Forward

Heading into the 2026 season, infielder Coby Mayo was not entirely certain what his role may look like heading into the year.

With third baseman Jordan Westburg dealing with an injury that sidelined him for the entirety of the season, Mayo likely knew a solid amount of playing time would ensue for him, especially against left-handed pitching. He got his opportunity, and not only stood out, but excelled at the plate. 

Mayo’s 2026 season consisted of many career-highs in his third year in the major leagues. Though he played nearly half of the Orioles’ games in 2025, his playing time went up in a big manner this season.

The 24-year-old played in 132 games with the Orioles this season. He had stayed healthy throughout and was not optioned to the Triple-A at all, and for good reason — he could not stop mashing left-handers.

Coming into the season, it was known that hitting left-handed pitching is Mayo’s speciality. He proved it even further as he became one of the league’s best hitters against southpaws. 

In 163 plate appearances against lefties, Mayo posted a 206 wRC+, the highest tally in the league among qualified hitters. Mayo also hit for a .322 batting average to go with a 1.105 OPS against southpaws, and showed off the power too — his 16 home runs against them were tied for the most with Matt Olson, who had over 100 more plate appearances than Mayo against lefties. 

While he excelled in that specialist role, he also made a name for himself in becoming an everyday player down the stretch of the season.

In 58 games played after the All-Star break, Mayo posted a .270 batting average and a .877 OPS combined against both handedness. He saw consistent starts against right-handed pitching, which was a new development for him as he had been platooned against lefty pitchers. 

As the Orioles head into the offseason with eyes on 2027, Mayo has to be infiltrated into the core of Baltimore’s offensive plans. He had proven his case and was a strong candidate to be an everyday player in 2026, taking advantage of his opportunities at third base. He also spent some time at first base, in the cases where Pete Alonso had played at designated hitter. 

With Westburg set to return in 2027, Mayo will likely split time between the two positions and at designated hitter, but the Orioles need to be prioritizing his bat in their order.