Tim Federowicz is more than halfway through his first season replacing Buck Britton as manager of the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. He inherited a team and a specific responsibility.

Telling a player that he’s going to the majors.

And Friday night, informing one of the top prospects in the organization that he’s flying to Houston to join the Orioles. That it’s finally happening.

“Um, real quick,” Federowicz said in the visiting clubhouse at VyStar Ballpark in Jacksonville. “Got a lot of questions about this the last couple weeks, so I’m just gonna answer in front of everybody. Dylan Beavers, you’re going to The Show.”

The Orioles posted the video on social media, which showed Beavers stand up, tip his cap, walk through the celebratory gantlet of back slaps and embrace Federowicz.

“It’s really cool,” Federowicz said yesterday. “I really didn’t know what I was gonna do. I’ve been thinking about it for a couple days as I knew it was bound to come. He’s such a well-liked guy in the clubhouse. I felt like it was only right to do it in the clubhouse with the guys to get their reaction.”

The Orioles notified Federowicz earlier in the day and he set it up. The scene had to be nailed in one take.

“Obviously, they want the videos, so you have to plan all that out,” he said. “But we kind of knew for a while that he’d get called up at some point, so it wasn’t too much of a surprise.”

The next round of hugs would happen at Daikin Park. Many of Beavers’ Orioles teammates knew him from the minors and in spring training.

Federowicz knew this day was coming.

“He’s just been consistent,” Federowicz said. “He’s a great teammate. He’s been one of our best hitters all year long. I remember in the middle of the season he was still hitting .300, but he was like, ‘Man, I need to get that OPS up. I’m not hitting for much power.’ And then all of a sudden he’s got close to 20 home runs. He’s just a good all-around player.

“Defense is probably where he still needs a little bit of work, but he can run, he can steal bases, he takes his walks as a leadoff guy. He gets on base. And then he started to hit for power. And at that point I was like, ‘This kid is getting close.’”

It's an 80-grade personality.

“Very light-hearted," interim manager Tony Mansolino told the assembled media. "A guy a lot of the players like messing with. He’s a guy that’s already been requested to have his locker put between two players. I won’t say who.”

Beavers didn’t leave the Orioles much choice except to promote him. The 33^rd-overall pick in the 2022 draft was batting .304/.420/.515 with 14 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs, 51 RBIs, 68 walks, 74 strikeouts and 23 stolen bases in 94 games. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the No. 3 prospect in the organization. Baseball America rated him 83rd in baseball, his first appearance in a Top 100 list.

“It’s what I’ve been working for my entire life,” he told the media.

Waiting until yesterday sealed Beavers’ rookie status for 2026 and the potential draft perks, as long as he receives fewer than 130 at-bats.

Norfolk teammates kept getting the call. The Orioles went through outfielders like an addiction, the total number of players used at the position rising to a club-record 16 last night. Beavers had to stay patient.

“He was getting a little antsy,” Federowicz said. “Obviously, the fans don’t help, the social media doesn’t help, because he gets to read all that stuff, and then having to hear everybody else talk about him, why he’s not there. It gets a little frustrating, but I think he handled it great.

“He was really excited. He just wanted to know when it was going to be.”

Anyone who’s been around Beavers doesn’t worry how he’ll handle failure if it comes at him early, and as it often does to young players. Examples will surround him.

“I think it’s gonna help that he kind of learned himself a lot down here,” Federowicz said. “It’s good that he spent most of the year here, because he got to go through his little mini slumps. And the key to the great hitters is they’ve got to be able to get out of these in one game, a couple at-bats. Get right back to it.

“He kind of started to find those triggers toward the end of the year where the dips weren’t as long as they were. Like the beginning of the year, he struggled for two weeks and then he’s able to get it done in just a week or a couple games. He kind of figured out himself a little bit more. I think it’s gonna help him in the long run.”

Roberto Mercado managed Beavers with Double-A Bowie (now Chesapeake) in 119 games in 2024 and watched him post a .343 on-base percentage and .413 slugging with 19 doubles, five triples, 15 home runs and 50 RBIs. He also stole 31 bases in 34 attempts and received a late bump to Norfolk.

The impressions made stretch on and off the field.

“A great teammate,” Mercado said yesterday. “Guys love being around him. Had kind of an infectious personality that would gravitate to everybody, got along with everybody. And as a player, continued to grow and learn and worked his tail off. Was super adjustable and made some big adjustments this offseason that obviously propelled him to have a great Triple-A season.

“He continues to improve his defense. He can steal bags, he can hit home runs, he can hit doubles, he can affect the game in so many different ways. Super pumped for him. I texted him earlier and I’m sure he’s getting blown up by everybody, but pretty cool to see over the years how his maturity evolved and just every aspect of the game, as well as personally.”

Mercado would sit with Beavers in his hotel room in away games and talk about baseball and anything else that interested the California native.

“Just a solid human being,” Mercado said, “and I’m so happy for him and his family and for the opportunity to be in the big leagues.”