Baltimore Orioles' Core To Be Prioritized Under New General Manager

On Tuesday morning, the Baltimore Orioles introduced Jared Banner as their new general manager as the team heads into the 2027 season.

Banner joins Baltimore with an ambition to bring the team back to postseason contention, as he enters his role at a crucial time for the Orioles. Shortly after the team made the postseason as the top seed in the American League in 2023, the Orioles have missed back-to-back postseasons from 2025-2026.

However, one thing has remained intact throughout that span — the Orioles’ core of players. Baltimore has been widely considered a team that has the capability of making a run, though inconsistencies have held the team back over the past couple of years. But at the end of the day, the roster has the makings of a very talented group.

The Orioles’ core is built on an array of young homegrown talent, with key additions mixed in. The organization now brings on Banner to embrace that core and build the roster back to its contending ways moving forward.

"It’s a ton of talent. That’s the thing that attracts me to it. And I’m excited to get going, to see what we can do with this group, because they’re so talented,” Banner said of the Orioles’ core, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. “The sky’s the limit. We’re going to create a high standard, and we’re going to protect that standard. And we’re going to get after it. I’m excited."

Banner will lead the organization’s player development, as well as their performance and coaching efforts. He will be partnered with Mike Elias, the Orioles’ President of Baseball Operations, at the helm of acquiring talent on top of various other duties. 

The 41-year-old is no stranger to being a baseball executive. Banner has spent 18 seasons working in baseball operations and was most recently the Chicago Cubs’ assistant general manager since 2024. He had been in the Cubs’ organization since 2020, also serving as their Vice President of Special Projects and Vice President of Player Development.

With the Cubs, Banner worked closely in bringing together a roster that put together a winning season in each of the last four years, while making the postseason in the past two seasons. 

Ultimately, Banner knows what it takes to win, and has high aspirations to bring that culture back to Baltimore as soon as he can. He also spoke highly of Elias and their ability to work strongly together going forward.

“In baseball circles, which is a long way from Twitter, we know that Mike is one of the best in the game,” Banner said, according to Kyle Goon of The Baltimore Banner. 

Though the Orioles’ core has much to improve on from last season, the makings of a contender are there while there are aspirations to bolster the team even further.

"The makings of a great team are here, and we're not too far off,” Banner said, according to Orioles on MASN.