Baltimore Orioles: 2014 Season Grades – Infielders

Oct 5, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop (6) makes a throw to first as Detroit Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos (9) slides into second during game three of the 2014 ALDS baseball playoff game at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

After a fantastic spring training, there was no way the Baltimore Orioles could not make this young man their regular second baseman. Schoop just turned age 23 last week.

I will confess to not seeing this coming at all. Schoop really struggled in the Arizona Fall League last year, so I would not have expected him to break through as he did.

Everyone talks about Schoop’s unusual size and strength at second base. He glove is good, and his arm makes plays that others could not. (I would love to see just how fast Schoop and Machado could throw a ball on a radar gun!) It was a great defensive season for Jonathan.

Schoop had some significant ups and downs at the plate. He finished the season with a paltry average of .209, though he did add 16 home runs and 18 doubles in his 137 games played.

There is no doubt that a great deal of talent is inside this true athlete of a baseball player. Perhaps a full season under his belt will translate into a greater year in 2015. One could imagine him improving to a .250 hitter or better with a home run total in the mid 20s.

The ball really jumps off his bat, and it often looks like he is just a “click” away from squaring up a lot of pitches that barely make it past him. It won’t always be that way, and his future is bright.

Considering both the defense and the homers, along with his youth; and factoring the low batting average, we’ll give him a “B-” for the season.