Spring training has officially kicked off for the majority of MLB teams, and they are all excited to see what players of theirs will step up and put them above preseason expectations.
For the Baltimore Orioles, not much talent was brought in this offseason, which means they will have to hope for several of their younger guys to take the next step in reaching their individual potentials.
Last season, the Orioles saw a few players break out to make considerable impacts on the club.
Steve Pearce is the perfect example of a breakout player who was not expected to do much in the 2014 season.
Last season, Pearce hit for a .293 batting average, nearly 40 points higher than his career average, and hit 21 of his 38 career home runs while helping the Birds to an ALCS appearance.
Orioles ace Chris Tillman was another player who broke out in a big way.
Tillman posted a career-best 3.34 ERA when pitching a full season’s worth of starts and managed to pass the 200-inning milestone for the second time in two seasons.
Who will be this year’s breakout performers for the Orioles?
Let’s take a look into the three best candidates to do so.