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Baltimore Orioles: Why Trey Mancini, Jonathan Schoop are vital to O’s

By Christopher Church

Jun 24, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles right fielder Mark Trumbo (45) and designated hitter Seth Smith (12) and second baseman Jonathan Schoop (6) and third baseman Manny Machado (13) and first baseman Trey Mancini (16) high five after beating the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles right fielder Mark Trumbo (45) and designated hitter Seth Smith (12) and second baseman Jonathan Schoop (6) and third baseman Manny Machado (13) and first baseman Trey Mancini (16) high five after beating the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Baltimore Orioles rising stars Trey Mancini and Jonathan Schoop have played exceptional as the Orioles season takes a downward spiral.

The Baltimore Orioles arrived back home Friday amid the worst collapse since Orioles manager Buck Showalter joined the team. Beneath the Orioles implosion emerges two rising stars named Trey Mancini and Jonathan Schoop. Not only have the two up-and-coming stars played terrific throughout the O’s miserable stretch, but also a major component in the Orioles 37 wins this season.

Even in the midst of the Orioles collapse that has them tied for last-place in the American League East standings, Mancini and Schoop, both 25-year-old, have found a way to excel as the Orioles fight to stay relevant in the American League playoff picture. Mancini’s role has evolved into the starting first baseman in place of the injured Orioles slugger Chris Davis, who received two PRP injections on June 20 to help kick-start his recovery.

The first official day Mancini took over at first base for the injured Davis on June 13 Mancini held a slash line of .298/.344/.532. Since taking over, Mancini has hit .420 with 10 home runs and 10 RBIs. Lastly, the 6-foot-4 rookie has hit a team-high .365 in June, which is the second-best batting average among AL rookies only behind Seattle Mariners right fielder Ben Gamel.

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Outside of AL rookies and Baltimore Orioles team stats, Mancini ranks near the top among AL players for hits in June with 31 hits. Among Mancini and the best players in June is the 25-year-old Schoop.

If Mancini expects to grow with the Orioles, he will have to become accustomed to the outfield with first baseman Chris Davis at the position for the foreseeable future after Davis inked a seven-year deal worth $161 million.

Entering Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, no other second basemen in MLB has more homers than Jonathan Schoop with 15 home runs. Furthermore, Schoop leads all second basemen in home runs (9) and RBIs (29) in the past 30 days, along with a .333 batting average.

Schoop, who is hitting .295 on the season and .337 in June, earned a pay raise in 2017 and isn’t an unrestricted free agent until 2020.

It’s evident that Schoop is making strides in his game after he hit 15 home runs in 321 plate appearances to this season where he’s already hit 15 home runs in 298 plate appearances. Nonetheless, Schoop’s recent surge has gone unnoticed nationally as Schoop currently isn’t in the top five for second basemen in the voting for the 2017 MLB All-Star game.

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Both at the age of 25, the young duo of Mancini and Schoop ranks among the most important players in the Orioles organization, not just right now but also for the future.

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