Mike Baumann

Evaluators have long suggested Baumann might be better served as a reliever since his command has been too shaky to hold down a starting role. Baltimore actually made that transition last spring, deploying the 28-year-old in shorter stints out the bullpen. He still made many multiple inning appearances (20), but the move to relief resulted in higher velocity on Baumann's 4-seam fastball, which he threw 96.4 mph on average while topping out close to triple digits. The right-hander also found success with his curveball to raise his strikeout rate from the teens to a still-below-average 22.3%. Baumann's 10 wins were 2nd-most among qualified relievers, but his walk issues remained (12.1%) and the contact he gave up was often smoked. Look for him to continue pitching out of the O's bullpen in 2024 as he attempts to improve his control. Read Past Outlooks