Baltimore Orioles Weigh Roster Options Ahead of General Manager Meetings
As the baseball world drifts into a quiet holding pattern ahead of next week’s General Manager meetings, the Baltimore Orioles are reportedly open to listening on nearly every player on their major league roster. While baseball’s formal gatherings rarely produce blockbusters on the spot, they frequently lay the groundwork for seismic roster shifts during the winter months. For an organization that has underperformed for more than two years, some degree of significant change feels increasingly inevitable.
Back in the summer, discussions involving Jackson Holliday and Colton Cowser surfaced, though those talks preceded the eventual departures of Adley Rutschman and Taylor Ward. Little has transpired since then to suggest the front office is fully committed to keeping the current core intact. Still, moving players is one thing, and finding the right return is quite another. While the team is reportedly willing to listen on almost anyone outside of Pete Alonso, market realities dictate vastly different outcomes across the roster.
Assessing Trade Value Across the Major League Roster
Gunnar Henderson would command a huge return if he were ever put on the table. Even though he has not recently matched his MVP-level talent, he remains a Top 10 shortstop in MLB with two years of team control remaining, making a deal highly unlikely. The calculus is similar for players who recently got extensions, such as Samuel Basallo, Shane Baz, and Kyle Bradish. Trading those pieces right after committing big raises to them would defy logic.
Further down the depth chart lies a tier of players whose trade appeal is decidedly limited. Contributors like Tyler O’Neill, Ryan Helsley, Jeremiah Jackson, Christian Franklin, and Rece Hinds would primarily serve as roster clearance rather than pieces designed to immediately elevate the club’s 2027 competitive outlook. Conversely, a middle tier of moveable talent with upside—including Cowser, Blaze Alexander, and Coby Mayo—possesses skill sets that could tempt opposing front offices if the Orioles seek to package major league talent with minor league depth to upgrade their outfield or pitching staff.
Jackson Holliday as a Prime Candidate for a Change of Scenery
Among all potential trade chips, Holliday appears to fit the profile of a player who might simply benefit from a new environment. He has been a serviceable player for the Orioles, but he has yet to establish himself as a star. Because the franchise already possesses internal infield alternatives—such as Alexander or a returning Jordan Westburg—to cover second base, parting with Holliday becomes a plausible scenario. Carrying top prospect pedigree and having flashed enough potential to retain real market value, Holliday alone might not net an immediate marquee upgrade, but he offers a compelling starting point for negotiations.
Beyond the trade front, the broader organizational outlook remains measured. MLB roster rankings position the club middle of the road, a starting point for a franchise aiming to rebound by 2027. Meanwhile, activity in the international scouting market under Mike Elias has historically been selective, though past additions like Tomoyuki Sugano and Shintaro Fujinami show that the front office monitors these names when opportunities arise.
As the industry descends on next week’s meetings, the exact timing of any formal transaction remains uncertain, constrained in part by teams not knowing what the rules are going to be for 2027 yet. Yet with the organization signaling a willingness to reshape its roster, the coming days in the boardroom may reveal just how aggressive Baltimore intends to be.
