Coby Mayo's Offseason Routine Sets Stage for 2027 Orioles Season

Coby Mayo is using the 2026 offseason to address specific weaknesses in his swing, a routine that produced a strong second half for the Baltimore Orioles this year. He slugged 24 home runs and posted a .941 OPS in September after moving to first base during the 2025 season.

Mayo's 2025 season began with a slump that reached its lowest point in early May. He committed a game-ending throwing error in a loss to the Miami Marlins on May 7 and entered the May 11 game against the New York Yankees with a .495 on-base plus slugging percentage. That night, he hit a go-ahead home run and began a defensive improvement process that included a throwing program to refine his arm action.

The turnaround produced an .844 OPS and 21 home runs in the 344 plate appearances that followed. Mayo also adjusted his batting stance on advice from the Orioles' hitting coaches. He moved closer to the plate to avoid chasing outer-half spin, a change that contributed to a 1.105 OPS against left-handed pitchers, the best mark in Major League Baseball. Sixteen of his 24 home runs came against opposite-side pitching.

Despite that success, Mayo identified hitting right-handed pitching as the primary focus for his winter training in Florida. He posted a .858 OPS against righties in September, but his second-half mark against that group was .723. He plans to use the time at TBT Training to handle a wider variety of pitches, including high-velocity fastballs and breaking balls.

This approach mirrors a pattern established throughout his minor league development. After struggling in the 2022 season, he spent the winter in Double-A and returned with improved swing mechanics. He repeated the process in Triple-A following the 2023 season. Mayo, a fourth-round pick in 2020, made his professional debut with Low-A Delmarva in late 2021.

Colton Cowser, who played with Mayo during those early minor league seasons, noted that the third baseman requires time to solve problems but possesses the confidence to overcome them. Cowser observed that Mayo has displayed exceptional hitting ability since those early days.

Mayo returns to third base for spring training following Jordan Westburg's elbow injury. He described his current mindset as a refusal to let negative performance affect his daily preparation, stating that he focuses on living in the present and getting better each day.