Orioles’ Outfield Experiments Need a Defensive Standard

Baltimore is discussing outfield work for some infielders. Blaze Alexander’s 2026 record illustrates both the appeal of flexibility and the limits of a position listing.

The Orioles are exploring another way to get their infield bats into the lineup: give some of those players work in the outfield. The useful question is how much defensive responsibility each can actually handle.

In his November 13 report, MASN’s Roch Kubatko writes that manager Craig Albernaz has contacted some infielders about winter outfield work and position changes during exhibition games. Mike Elias described internal, collaborative discussions with players but did not publicly identify the specific candidates. These are exploratory conversations, not announced permanent moves.

Alexander offers an existing example

Blaze Alexander already has a recent Baltimore record across the diamond. MLB’s official 2026 fielding splits list 21 appearances at second base, 56 at third and 12 at shortstop, plus eight in left field, eight in center and six in right. Those are position appearances; adding them does not establish a count of distinct games.

The outfield workload was modest: 42 innings in left, 42 in center and 37 in right, for 121 combined innings. His starts totaled 14 across those three positions, with six in center and four in each corner. That is evidence of actual use, rather than a hypothetical ability to stand somewhere new.

It is also a reason to be precise about what “can play the outfield” means. Fourteen starts spread across three spots describe a different assignment from taking one position every day. A bench option, an occasional matchup start and a regular job demand different levels of confidence.

No errors does not settle the question

Alexander’s listed outfield totals include 33 putouts, no assists and no errors. That produces a 1.000 fielding percentage at each spot. It does not, by itself, tell us the difficulty of the balls he reached or establish how he would perform over a much larger workload.

MLB describes Outs Above Average as a range-based measure of outs saved. This article makes no OAA claim for Alexander or any prospective convert.

The broader evaluation should ask practical questions. Does the player take a clean route? Can he handle balls near the wall and throws to the correct base? Does his presence force another defender into a less suitable assignment? A lineup gains little if finding room for an extra bat repeatedly creates an avoidable defensive problem.

Use spring work to answer a defined question

Kubatko’s report says Elias remains comfortable keeping the infield group together while also listening to trade inquiries. The discussions do not establish that a particular player will be traded or moved. Readers should resist turning a spring possibility into a settled depth chart.

Our view: Baltimore should give each experiment a clear purpose. Preparing an emergency option calls for a different workload from testing a player for regular starts. The club should also preserve enough repetitions at the player’s established position to retain that option.

A useful spring report would identify the position, the repetitions and the situations being tested. A few routine catches would be a beginning. Consistent reads and dependable decisions against varied chances would offer a stronger reason to keep going.

That distinction complements our earlier look at Baltimore’s broader outfield search. Internal flexibility can create choices. Whether it supplies a dependable everyday answer still has to be demonstrated on the field.

Sources and credits

Research cutoff: November 13, 2026, 8:07 a.m. Eastern. Reporting: Roch Kubatko, MASN, November 13, linked above. Statistics: MLB’s official 2026 Alexander fielding splits. Metric definition: MLB glossary, linked above. Evaluative recommendations are Birdland Today’s analysis.

Photograph: Blaze Alexander batting for the Kane County Cougars at Northwestern Medicine Field on June 12, 2019. Joseph Gage, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized for display; photo adaptations retain that license. Archival minor-league image.