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Baltimore Orioles: How long can one of the best infields in the league stay together?

By Brian Pinter

Apr 11, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop (6) misplays a popup during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop (6) misplays a popup during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 5, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop (6) singles in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

Baltimore Orioles’ Jonathan Schoop

Schoop is under team control until 2020 but will be year-two arbitration eligible in the offseason. Since his debut in 2013, Schoop has locked down second base longer than anyone in the past 17 years not named Brian Roberts.

Schoop’s power numbers have increased over the last two seasons, going from 15 home runs in 2015, to 25 last season. He’s capable of hitting 30 home runs in a season. It may be because of that, Schoop is known as a free swinger.

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His pitches-per-plate-appearance average is 3.51 over the past four seasons, which is lower than the MLB average of 3.84. Over the previous two seasons, Schoop has hacked at the first pitch in almost half of his plate appearances (42.7% in 2016, 45.3% in 2015).

Still, his defense is what is solid, and that will never be an issue. Schoop has committed 24 errors in 378 games at second base and has been a part of 270 double plays, starting 78 of them.

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