SARASOTA – Dylan Beavers got the right break and corrected the angle after taking his first few steps straight back. He tracked Raynel Delgado’s fly ball to the center field fence, glancing back one time before locking eyes again on the object of his pursuit. He timed his leap at the base of the warning track.

The only thing he didn’t do was make the catch.

Beavers was a tad late and came down without the ball, and Delgado hustled to third base with a triple. The next batter flied out to end the top half of the fourth inning in the Orioles’ 4-3 win over the Rays Wednesday afternoon in Sarasota.

Tre’ Morgan flied out to Beavers before Delgado batted. The 33rd overall pick in the 2022 draft, and the Orioles’ No. 2 prospect per Baseball America, was manning the middle of the outfield for the second time in three games after making all of his 34 starts last season at the corners.

“Spring training is such a great spot to kind of get guys exposed to different areas, so for him to be able to go out in center field and get at least comfortable with it is gonna be big for him and for us,” manager Craig Albernaz said on Monday. “And also, spring training, we talked about the way at-bats line up, so it just kind of happened that way.”

Asked again about Beavers yesterday, Albernaz said the club intends to move him around the outfield, which obviously includes center.

“Really relying on his athleticism to show,” Albernaz said.

The position isn’t new to Beavers, whose Baseball-Reference page lists him as a “right fielder, center fielder, left fielder.” He’s played all three in college and professionally, and he made 26 starts in center with Double-A Bowie in 2024.

“Feel pretty comfortable out there,” he said earlier this week. “I haven’t gotten a ton of reps out there, but for not playing it a ton, I didn’t feel too bad (Monday). It’s just a little bit different of an angle. It’s a little harder to read how well they hit it straight on, as opposed to being in the corner. But I like it.”

New first base coach Jason Bourgeois, also the club’s outfield and baserunning instructor, was doing his in-game interview on MASN when Beavers tried to rob Delgado. A spectacular catch also would have required perfect timing on the broadcast.

“The goal for Beavs was to dominate all three positions – learn them, learn angles, learn the hittters’ tendencies here, and that’s what we’re here for, to give these guys the advance reports on these hitters. He has all the capabilities to play all three,” Bourgeois said.

“When it comes to center field, it’s just knowing where you are, spatial awareness, not giving up. He’s gonna let his athletic ability take over. Most importantly, he’s gonna communicate with the guys who are next to him. And we’re gonna be closing out a lot of games here on the defensive side.”  

The expectation is for Beavers to share right field with Tyler O’Neill and occasionally spell Taylor Ward in left. Leody Taveras signed for $2 million in part to back up Colton Cowser in center. But the Orioles like versatility and could also use Beavers on days that Cowser returns to left or sits.

“Potentially,” Beavers said. “Wherever they can get me in the lineup, I’ll figure it out there.”

Fly balls in Florida can be maddening. It’s a tough location to brush up on your fielding skills.

“(Monday) wasn’t ideal,” Beavers said. “It was pretty windy, and obviously the high skies. But I’d rather get my feet wet in a tougher environment so that in a better ballpark I would be that much more comfortable.”

“That anxiety kind of builds for me. I’m not gonna lie to you,” Bourgeois said.

“When you talk about Arizona and Florida, and this is one of those clear days of what spring training is supposed to look like, I know the crowds love it, but it can be hectic on an outfielder. I tell you. You’ve got a low backdrop, high sky. If you noticed the game (Tuesday), Leody had some trouble out there, but a lot of pre-pitch communication right now, a lot of trust goes into that. We’ll play it as is.

“We’re gonna have our battles during the season, as well. Low backdrops like when you go to Chicago and Wrigley, you’ve got those low backdrops behind home plate. But for the most part they’re high and it matters on the time of day. We’ll just have to adjust.”

Tropicana Field will be open for business again after repairs made following the destruction caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024. Bourgeois will need to make sure that Beavers and others know the unique ground rules, like if a fly ball hits one of the four catwalks – also known as the A, B, C and D rings.

“That’s one of those outlier stadiums, right? You just don’t see it a lot,” Bourgeois said.

“That is in our advance reports, stadium to stadium. It doesn’t matter if it’s the perfect ballpark with not a lot of difficulties out there on the track or in foul territory. That’s something we thoroughly look into and make sure the guys know.”