With spring training for the Baltimore Orioles in full swing in Sarasota, Florida, many questions have come up surrounding how manager Craig Albernaz will set up the lineup heading into the 2026 season. Several positions are locked down with Gunnar Henderson at shortstop, Pete Alonso at first base, and the tandem of Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo behind the dish. However, the emerging question from camp is about who will be the Orioles’ every day right fielder this season. Here are the vying players and their cases for the spot.
Tyler O’Neill
Despite struggling with injuries and production in his first year with the Orioles, Tyler O’Neill is still the likely front runner to be the most frequent right fielder in their lineup for 2026. The Orioles signed O’Neill last offseason in a deal that will see him under contract with the team through 2027 after he exercised his player option earlier this offseason. His contract would’ve made him the highest paid player on the team if it weren’t for the free agent signings of Pete Alonso and Chris Bassitt, earning $16.5 million this year. Teams don’t pay players not to play.
O’Neill, 30, is a two-time Gold Glove winner as a left fielder during his time with the St. Louis Cardinals and has averaged 30 home runs per 162 games played during his eight-year career thus far. In 2025 with the Orioles he only played in 54 games, totaling nine home runs, a batting average of .199, with -0.6 WAR. This spring however, he has lit up the box score. O’Neill has seven hits in 11 at-bats with a home run and two walks as well so far in camp. Despite his slow start to his tenure with the Orioles, O’Neill is making sure people remember why the team paid him in 2025 as he tries to secure his spot in right field for 2026.
Heston Kjerstad
Heston Kjerstad, much like Tyler O’Neill, struggled in 2026 to stay on the field and produce while playing. In the 2024 season the former second overall pick in the 2020 draft had success at the big league level. Kjerstad batted .253 with an OPS of .745 and an OPS+ of 116 which led to fans clamoring for him to get consistent playing time to settle in to the big leagues. However, in 2025 he hit .192 with an OPS of .566 in 2025 over 54 games. The signs have been there, but the consistency hasn’t.
This spring has been seen as make-or-break for the 27-year-old and he has not disappointed. There have been conversations about wether or not Kjerstad will even make the Opening Day roster. It would be hard to keep him off though as Kjerstad is second on the team in hits this spring only behind O’Neill. Kjerstad has also limited his swings and misses only striking out once so far in camp. With a lot of uncertainty swirling around the former Arkansas Razorback, Kjerstad has made sure nobody will forget that he still has something to prove for the Orioles.
Dylan Beavers
With the injury bug hitting the Orioles corner outfield last season, the Orioles called upon Dylan Beavers to make his major league debut in August. Beaver’s immediately seized his opportunity hitting .305 in his first 20 big league games including a walk-off single against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In those same 20 games Beavers had five doubles, an .894 OPS, and 16 walks showing off his discipline. The Orioles needed someone to step up in the outfield and Beavers did. In only 35 games in 2025 Beavers earned 1.0 WAR and garnered two defensive runs saved in right field. For reference, Kjerstad and O’Neill had -1.6 and 0.6 WAR respectively and both had -8 DRS last year.
Beavers’ play in 2025 catapulted him to the organizations’ No.2 overall prospect according to MLB.com. He may not have the experience of O’Neill and Kjerstad, but his numbers in 2025 do the talking and could very well see the 6’5″ outfielder starting a majority of games as the Orioles right fielder.
Looking Ahead
The Orioles will take on Team Netherlands Tuesday at 1:05 pm at Ed Smith Stadium in preparation for the World Baseball Classic. Trevor Rogers will make his third start of spring training opposite 20-year-old Dutch lefty and Cinncinati Reds prospect Ryjeteri Merite.
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