How Colton Cowser can bounce back from an unpleasant 2025 Orioles season

Colton Cowser had an awful, injury-riddled 2025 season for the Baltimore Orioles. Can he bounce back? Host Connor Newcomb recaps Cowser’s campaign and discusses how he can turn it around this year.

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10 comments

  3. There are dozens of pitchers in the league who threw a changeup 1% of the time, who threw most of that 1% to Cowser in 2025. The league adjusted to him and if he has the talent, he will adjust to them in 26.

  4. Weak spot on the field and in the line-up… He got found out as a hitter, has shown zero ability to hit in the clutch or a pressure situation, strikes out a TON, and yes, can catch the ball when it is hit right at him, but doesn't have CF range to help in the gaps, which we need with Ward and O'Neill.
    Doyle would be a great get! Bader would be a sizable upgrade too.
    Hope he can be a piece in a trade for a starter, where a team can put him in the corner. O's can't look to compete in '26 with a center fielder who is, at best, okay as a fielder and terrible as a hitter. If he rebounds as a hitter, it isn't realistic to think he gets anywhere close to his rookie year, now that the league found him out. Maybe looking at a .225 hitter who strikes out a ton, doesn't really walk and doesn't make contact to move runners over or hit a SAC fly. He just doesn't help the O's actually compete this year.
    Ideally, we can trade for Doyle.
    If not, sign Bader to a 2yr deal until Bradfield proves he's ready.

  6. We can't just give him a complete pass because he was dinged up. He was historically bad in 25 and looks more like he got found out. It can't all be because he had some injuries. A lot of major leaguers have injuries throughout the season. In two seasons, he has shown zero ability to hit anything off-speed or hit in the clutch at all. We should be looking to upgrade our weakest link on the field and in the line-up and Cowser is both.

  7. .655 OPS last year for Cowser. Idk, id like to be hopeful, but the regret of not trading him when he was a high prospect is strong.

    Feels like routine at this point with our top prospects other than Gunnar who is the only one who turned out to be a superstar

  8. If he stays and is the CF, he should bat no higher than 8th and we just hope someone accidentally throws him a meatball fastball down the middle and then you just have to pray that no one ever hits a ball in the gap… Not a recipe for success.

    Bader is a much better defender and can hit in the clutch and has productive outs (Cowser's outs are not productive) without striking out nearly as much. 2yrs/$20-24mil

    Doyle is one of the best defenders in MLB, and also moves runners over when he does get out. With our line-up, that's all we need him to do and he would be a HUGE help in the outfield.
    Bat him 8th, let him go get it in Center.
    Point is, Bader or Doyle make you better in 2026 and that can't really be argued, so let's go get better.

    Connor-do you think Cowser, Mounty, Kramer and a couple prospects gets Peralta?

  9. When a young player gets hurt at the very beginning of the year, most then have a very down year. See gunner…
    I think he absolutely has a great chance of a not good but great bounce back year. Moooooo

  10. Really look forward to having Colton Cowser full-time in CF. I realize he has flaws(who doesn’t!), but I think he’ll grow into his role, especially with the ‘26 coaching staff to help him. Great report. Go Os!

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