With consistently loud exit velocities, Ryan O'Hearn has had big year for Orioles

ANAHEIM - Some of us probably don’t notice it much. But Ryan O’Hearn’s 4.5 walk rate is lowest among the 10 Orioles with 200 or more plate appearances in 2023. We don’t notice it because he is productive and thriving in so many other areas.

He hits the ball about as consistently hard as anyone on the team and has the stats to prove that. But O’Hearn won’t take all the credit for his big offense this year. Not even close. He praises the O’s hitting coaches and even notes the shift ban helping him too.

“I’ve always hit the ball hard,” O’Hearn said in an interview at Angels Stadium. “I just think the direction of where the ball is going is better now. That’s God-given and I have always put the work in. There is no secret to it – just hard work.

“I’ve probably hit the ball harder in year’s past. The hardest ball I’ve ever hit was in 2019, but I beat a lot of balls into the ground. When you do that with the shift, you don’t get many results. Guys playing short right field would throw you out.

“I think it’s a combination of the shift going away and just becoming a more complete hitter. Hitting the ball all over the field. Better launch angles have made me more consistent and able to put up better numbers.”

The day MLB ruled teams could no longer shift was meaningful to some power lefty hitters like O’Hearn.

“I threw a party," he quipped. "No, I’m kidding. But it helped guys like me. I just want to be a complete hitter. I know I have the ability to hit home runs, but I’m not trying to hit home runs.”

As a rookie playing 44 games for Kansas City in 2018, O’Hearn produced a robust .950 OPS. But then from 2019 through 2022 with the Royals – in 901 plate appearances – his OPS was just .633 and that registered an OPS+ of a well-below average 70.

This year, over 90 games with Baltimore, he is batting .303/.336/.498/.834 with 18 doubles, one triple, 11 homers and 50 RBIs. He already has posted career bests in doubles and RBIs. His 126 wRC+ leads the Orioles.

Something happened to O’Hearn on Jan. 3, 2023, that would change his career. He was acquired via trade by the Orioles from Kansas City for cash considerations. He was drafted by the Royals in 2014 and it was the only team he ever knew. Until the O’s added him.

He was excited for a fresh start.

“I was grateful for the opportunity and still am. I have always believed in myself and thought something like this could happen. It’s been a blessing,” he said of being an Oriole.

Only Gunnar Henderson, just barely, hits the ball harder than O'Hearn. His average exit velocity is 92.2 mph to Henderson's 92.4. And only Henderson tops him in hard-hit rate, 53.8 percent to 53.1. O'Hearn ranks in the top eight percent in the majors with his average exit velo.

O’Hearn gives big props to the three O’s hitting coaches for tapping into aspects of his offense that have led to a big year.

“I think I have taken something from every hitting coach I’ve ever had," O'Hearn said. "I think it’s been a combination of so many things over the years that got to me this point. But there is no doubt that Ryan Fuller, Cody Asche and Matt Borgshulte have helped me out and made a massive impact on my career. Just by being really good at what they do and working with me every day. Constantly making adjustments. A constant process of making sure we are doing the right things. I owe a lot to all my hitting coaches I’ve had, but especially those three.”

O's gain ground: Without even playing Thursday night, the Orioles gained a half-game on Tampa Bay when Seattle beat the Rays 1-0. It was Seattle's 14th shutout of the year.

So, the Rays (85-56) are now a season-worst four games back of the Orioles (88-51). Should the Birds win just one of the four games the teams play starting Sept. 14, they will win the season series tiebreaker. If they do that, the Rays need to finish one game ahead of the Orioles to win the AL East. A tie would go to Baltimore.

IronBirds MVP: Right-handed pitcher Kyle Virbitsky, who is 5-1 with a 4.07 ERA in 24 games this year, has been named the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds MVP for the 2023 season. In 97 1/3 innings, he has walked 39 with 95 strikeouts and a 1.22 WHIP. In five August starts, he went 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA.

On Jan. 26, 2023, Virbitsky and Cole Irvin were traded from Oakland to the Orioles for minor league infielder Darrel Hernaiz. 

IronBirds win, thanks to Basallo: It was another big night for Aberdeen's 19-year-old catcher Samuel Basallo. He hit a walk-off homer in the last of the ninth as the IronBirds beat Greenville, 6-5. After Aberdeeen allowed four runs in the top of the ninth and the game was tied, Basallo took care of it in the home half for Aberdeen. 

In five games this month, the No. 47 MLB prospect via MLBPipeline.com is 11-for-19 with five homers and 12 RBIs.

In 25 games with Aberdeen since his promotion from Low Single-A Delmarva, he is batting .326/.439/.652/1.091 and for the year he has a .934 OPS with 19 homers and 83 RBIs.

Here is a look at his walk-off blast.