Coby Mayo’s Breakout Has Complicated Baltimore Orioles Infield Plans

The Baltimore Orioles have a good problem brewing at third base in the future. As the club wraps up a disappointing season that will see them finish near the bottom of the American League East, its 2027 infield picture has only grown more crowded. 

Coby Mayo’s late breakout has complicated Jordan Westburg’s eventual return. With Pete Alonso locked in at first base, the hot corner is where the two young players overlap.

Westburg is the more established name, at least when he is on the field. That has been the biggest issue. His 2026 season was over before it truly began. 

He arrived at spring training with an oblique issue, then took a PRP injection for a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow. After imaging on his elbow in spring training and a failed rehab, recurring discomfort forced season-ending Tommy John surgery in May.

Injury problems are not new for Westburg, either. A hand fracture cut into his 2024, and a run of hamstring, finger and ankle problems limited him to 85 games in 2025. 

Even so, the bat has always been stellar. Across 260 career games, Westburg has slashed .264/.312/.456 with 38 home runs and a 116 OPS+. He also has earned an All-Star selection.

Mayo, meanwhile, has taken off at third base with Westburg sidelined. The 24-year-old struggled early, hitting .172 in April, before catching fire in the second half. He even put together a multi-homer game in early September. 

He has hit .227 with 24 home runs and 63 RBIs, trailing only Alonso for the team lead in long balls. His raw power has been on full display.

That sets up the 2027 question: who plays third? Both hitters bat right-handed, so a conventional platoon is off the table. 

Westburg holds the defensive edge, provided his arm bounces back from surgery. Mayo carries the higher power ceiling.

The likeliest answer is flexibility. Westburg has logged time at second base in his career and could slide there, handing third base to Mayo every day. Alternatively, Mayo can rotate through designated hitter and potentially a corner outfield spot.

For now, Westburg’s health remains the biggest factor. If he returns on schedule, his glove gives Baltimore a steadier defensive presence. If not, Mayo has already shown he can carry the load offensively. 

Either way, the Orioles will enter 2027 with a good problem at third base, and that is something a franchise coming off a disappointing season can feel good about heading into the offseason.