How Cobi Maio became the victim of an ‘unexpected prank’ in spring training
The vibrations are perfect for Baltimore Orioles in early departure Spring Trainingas they have a new and improved roster looking to redeem the team from their disappointing campaign in 2025. In fact, the vibes are so good that Orioles find new and hilarious ways to keep the players on their toes – and Coby Mayo was the ‘victim’ of the prank on Saturday.
Mayo, who played 70 games at first base this season, still is looking for his new home in the diamond after the Orioles signed shortstop Pete Alonso earlier in the offseason. He had plenty of experience at third base, though it looked like he would fit right in with the team at his familiar first base when he got the call from manager Craig Albernaz in their 7-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
However, Mayo ended up playing shortstop and Gunnar Henderson moved to third base. This was it an unexpected development for Maio, as reported by MLB.com’s Jake Rill, and Albernaz simply wanted Maio to “have fun” with the experience.
Maio’s defensive versatility will be tested and there’s no better way to improve at a specific position than to get valuable reps in live play. It’s unlikely the Orioles will ever deploy him there when the games start counting in the regular season, but this will still be some irreplaceable experience that may come in handy in the future.
Cobi Maio to take next step for Orioles?
Mayo was supposed to be part of the Orioles’ vaunted young core that would get this team over the hump. Alas, the team’s enticing prospects haven’t exactly set the MLB world on fire, and Mayo has struggled so far early in his big league career.
The 24-year-old posted a .687 OPS last season, and as an infielder who primarily played first base, this just wouldn’t cut it. But he’s still young enough that he could be the Orioles’ breakout star if he keeps working.
2026-03-01 06:19:00
