Outfield prospects leaning on friendship

Cheerful competitors Cowser, Kjerstad and Stowers are locked in a close roster battle

SARASOTA, Fla. — They’re not quite “The Three Stooges,” but the trio of outfield prospects at Orioles spring training has its own style of comedy.

Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad and Kyle Stowers are known to banter with one another — and everyone else — no matter the time or place.

In the clubhouse, they’ll crack jokes when others are giving interviews. During batting practice, they’ll compete over who can hit the ball the farthest. Away from the field, they’ll go head-to-head in just about anything, including at PopStroke mini golf where they’ll show off why they’re professional baseball players and not golfers.

Cowser said their competitive friendship allows them to still treat baseball as a game instead of just a job. In a way, he said, they’re no different than a few friends playing on the same little league team.

“We compete with anything we do outside the field,” Cowser said. “It’s just been instilled in us at a young age.”

However, it’s on the diamond, at least in the eyes of Baltimore’s brass, where the trio’s biggest competition lies. Cowser, Kjerstad and Stowers — each left-handed hitters — all won’t break camp on the Orioles’ opening day roster. It’s likely only one of the three will, earning the fourth outfielder job behind starters Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander.

But each of them said they’re putting their friendship over the

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“Any team sport is kind of a little bit weird because you’re going to end up competing against your friends,” Kjerstad said, noting the trio became closer last year while they were all with Triple-A Norfolk. “But we’re also rooting for each other and trying to help each other become better players.”

“We all get the best out of each other,” Stowers said.

Manager Brandon Hyde said it’s good for young players to have friendly competition with one another, whether they’re up for the same roster spots or not. He noted that all three are good enough to be major league players — each has already debuted — and that they’d be more likely to get significant playing time on weaker MLB teams.

“We’re just so much more talented than we’ve been in the past,” Hyde said. “To have these guys at this level for a lot of teams right now they would probably have more major league time, honestly. But we’re a talented group, that’s what good major leagues have.”

The three work well as friends perhaps more because of their differences than their similarities. Kjerstad said Stowers is “more reserved” and Cowser is “goofy.” Cowser said he and Stowers are close to opposites — the former a free spirit from the south, the latter an “even-keeled” and “wise” California kid who attended Stanford. Cowser described Kjerstad as “opinionated,” while Stowers said most of the banter among the group is initiated by Kjerstad.

“He loves to chirp,” Stowers said.

“If you’re going to mess with him,” Cowser said, “you better expect to be messed back with.”

While they have their differences on the field, they’re slightly more similar as players. None of them are great defenders, although Cowser is seen as the best with the glove, mostly playing center field in his minor league career. All three are still young with growing to do, although Stowers is the oldest at 26 with the most experience at Triple-A (783 plate appearances). All have above-average power, but Kjerstad grades out with the best power, according to external prospect rankers.

Cowser acknowledged that Kjerstad has the “most consistent, easy power” in the group. Kjerstad was diplomatic enough not to say himself when asked who would win a home run derby between the three.

“I think if you asked any one of us, we would all say ourselves,” he said. “That’s just the way we are.”

All three prospects joined the organization as high draft picks out of college, one each year from 2019 to 2021.

Stowers was a secondround pick in 2019 and emerged in 2021 to become one of Baltimore’s 10 best prospects. He debuted in 2022 and played occasionally down the stretch as the Orioles chased a wildcard spot and then made the opening day roster in 2023. But he was quickly optioned to Triple-A, and in 30 major league at-bats last year, he recorded just two hits. Stowers said it was the “most challenging year of my career,” as he missed time with a shoulder injury and a broken nose from a hit-by-pitch. He’s fallen in prospect rankings and is now the club’s 16th-best prospect after being ranked ninth a year ago, as 13 players in the organization have jumped him. However, the slugger still showed his power last year, hitting a home run in 8.1% of his minor league at-bats. He’s been even more impressive this spring with seven long balls in 40 at-bats — four off lefties to begin the spring and then three off righties in one game Sunday.

Cowser said Stowers is the type of teammate he can go to for help or to set him back on the right path.

“If I ever need to talk to him about anything, I know I’m going to get a straightforward answer and really good advice,” said Cowser, who is living with Stowers and a few other Orioles players this spring. “He’s awesome to have in a clubhouse. He’s got a really good mindset.”

Kjerstad was next to join the organization as the No. 5 overall pick in 2020. He didn’t make his professional debut until June 2022 because he missed time with the heart condition myocarditis and a hamstring injury. He handled Double- and Triple-A with aplomb last year and made his big league debut in September — posting a .748 OPS in 32 plate appearances. But his defense remains a question, as he barely played in the field last season for the Orioles and is considered a below-average defender by external prospect rankers. Kjerstad, a consensus top 100 prospect, was one of the best hitters in MLB spring training last season, but he’s struggled this spring with a .575 OPS. The 25-year-old entered camp seen as the favorite among the three to earn a roster spot, but the stellar performances of Stowers and Cowser has anyone attempting to guess the opening day roster scratching their head.

Cowser is considered the best prospect of the three, ranked No. 19 on MLB Pipeline’s top 100 list. The Sam Houston State standout was drafted No. 2 overall by the Orioles in 2021 and quickly showed that he was worth it. He’s briefly struggled at each new level before breaking out, but he’s still waiting for his next chance in the show. Cowser slumped after making his MLB debut last summer, hitting just .115 in 26 games.