Everything points to Shane Baz being the breakout arm the Orioles need
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Shane Baz started to make a name for himself as a high school athlete in Texas. He was a force on the mound and also played for the United States national team in 2016.
He was committed to play baseball at Texas Christian University, but was a top prospect for the 2017 MLB Draft. He caught the attention of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who selected him 12th overall, and he would sign with them.
Baz would then be part of the trade with Tampa Bay, which sent Chris Archer to Pittsburgh for Baz and a few others.
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Everything points to Shane Baz being the breakout arm the Orioles need
Shortly after making his MLB debut, Baz would face some major obstacles. He had arthroscopic surgery in March of 2022 to remove bone chips from his elbow.
Later that year, he would undergo Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss the entirety of the 2023 season. In 2024, he faced some oblique issues, but did not have any more injury troubles last season.
Now, he will look to make the most of his new situation. He will be suiting up for the Baltimore Orioles, who spent the offseason aggressively filling holes.
He likely won't be the club's ace, but according to The Athletic's Eno Sarris, he is trending toward being a breakout arm in 2026.
"He also made an adjustment last year, going away from a slider that consistently landed middle/middle to a cutter he could throw to better parts of the zone. He's always had a good fastball/curveball duo, he's figuring out the rest of his arsenal and he's headed to a normal park situation in Baltimore. The stars are aligning."
Baz has ditched a slider that has gotten him into trouble in the past, instead focusing on a cutter he can better control. Take that and combine that with him going from Steinbrenner Field to Camden Yards, and Baz could surprise plenty this season.
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