Orioles call up top-15 prospect Coby Mayo

Field Level Media|published: Fri 2nd August, 16:27 2024

Mar 16, 2024; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Coby Mayo (86) scores a run during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Infielder Coby Mayo, one of the top prospects in baseball, will make his major league debut Friday night for the Baltimore Orioles.

The Orioles called him up from Triple-A Norfolk and penciled him into the lineup against the Cleveland Guardians. He will play third base and bat eighth.

In a corresponding move, the Orioles optioned infielder Livan Soto to Norfolk.

Mayo, 22, has an OPS of .929 across parts of four minor league seasons since being taken by the Orioles with a 2020 fourth-round pick out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

Rated as the No. 15 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Mayo is batting .301 with 20 home runs and 61 RBIs in 77 games this season at Norfolk.

His call-up likely is a response to an injury to All-Star infielder Jordan Westburg, who landed on the 10-day injured list Thursday. Westburg sustained a broken right hand when he was hit by a pitch in Wednesday's win against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Soto, 24, was acquired in a trade-deadline deal earlier this week from the Cincinnati Reds. He started one game for the Reds this season and was 0-for-3.

Soto was designated for assignment by the Orioles early in training camp, claimed again on April 11 and then DFA'd again by Baltimore on April 16 before the Reds picked him up.

On Friday, the Orioles will face the Guardians in the second game of a four-game road series. Baltimore is tied with the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East after a 10-3 loss to the Guardians on Thursday.

--Field Level Media

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