What to Expect from Orioles Infielder Jordan Westburg

The Baltimore Orioles continue to march towards a playoff birth, but will now do so with one of the team’s top prospects. Infielder Jordan Westburg, drafted by the O’s three years ago, is set to make his MLB debut in Baltimore. Here’s a look at what baseball fans can expect from the 24-year-old.

A Look at Westburg

Earlier this month, we noted that fantasy players needed to monitor Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg for a possible promotion this summer. Well, that promotion came for the 24-year-old.

Drafted 30th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft by the Orioles, Westburg fits the mold of what kind of players the O’s have targeted in the MLB Draft in recent years: a smart hitter with an impressive blend of power and ability to get on-base.

The former Mississippi State University star broke out as a sophomore in the Cape back in 2019, when he hit .326 with four home runs that summer for Hyannis. Westburg did quite well the following spring with MSU before COVID ended the 2020 campaign, and continued that success in the Orioles farm system after MiLB play resumed the following year.

Westburg posted a .285/.389/.479 slash line with 15 home runs and 47 extra base hits in 2021, then blasted 28 homers last season between Bowie (AA) and Norfolk (AAA) one year later. Through 67 games with the Tides in 2023, Westburg batted .295 with 18 home runs and 35 extra base hits.

The 24-year-old has the tools to be an everyday player in the Majors. Westburg projects to have above-average power at the next level, as he possesses a ton of natural strength and bat speed.

He also demonstrated the ability to draw walks in the Minors, including at the upper levels. Just this season alone, Westburg posted a BB% near 10% in AAA.

Westburg has primarily played short in his career, but does have experience at both second and third. That versatility should serve him well at the MLB level.

A Look at the Orioles

It’s safe to say that the O’s future is bright. Between the likes of Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, and Westburg in the Majors and prospects Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad, and Jackson Holliday in the Minors, Baltimore has built a pipeline that should keep the Orioles in contention for the next 5-10 seasons.

But for right now, the promotion of Westburg will give the O’s a chance to see what they have in the former first round pick. And it’s not hard to see why Baltimore would want to see what the 24-year-old can offer, given his production in AAA and what the O’s have received from the shortstop position this season.

Jorge Mateo posted a great April for Baltimore, but has been unable to replicate that success since the start of May. Mateo’s .159 average since May 1 is third-worst in the Majors (min. 100 PA), with Nick Maton (.158) and Joey Gallo (.157) the only two with a poorer average in that span. While the 28-year-old is a stout defender and a constant threat to steal when on the base paths, it’s hard to make good use of that speed when his OBP over the last two months is a league-worst .193.

Westburg, from an offensive standpoint, projects to add more value to the Orioles lineup. He’ll play multiple positions, and his power makes him an intriguing name to watch moving forward.