Is Anthony Santander the Next Baltimore Orioles Superstar?
By Steve Rudden
Not many Baltimore Orioles fans knew who Anthony Santander was when they selected him in the 2016 Rule 5 draft, but he’s turning some heads at Orioles spring training.
The Baltimore Orioles organization must know something that we don’t about Anthony Santander. They’ve done whatever they can do to keep the next Orioles superstar in the organization.
I know it’s only spring training, but I see a lot of potential in Santander, and I think the Orioles do too. He’s a switch-hitting outfielder with power. So far in Orioles spring training, he’s batting .326 with three home runs and 14 RBIs.
The Orioles must keep him on the roster for another 45 days before they can send him down to the minors. If not, Santander will have to go back to the Cleveland Indians.
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Buck Showalter is pretty good at evaluating talent, and something about Anthony Santander has caught his eye. It would be an excellent thing if Trey Mancini, Austin Hays, and Anthony Santander manned the outfield in a few years.
That trio could be the next core of the Baltimore Orioles franchise once Dan Duquette leaves. I’m hoping that Santander turns out to be a steal in the Rule 5 draft.
Sure, Baltimore has selected some decent players in the Rule 5 draft, but none have had Santander’s potential. Let’s just hope he’s over the injury bug and can stay healthy for the rest of his career.
Santander is young enough that he can be part of the young core of Orioles that are vying for spots on the 2018 Roster.
Next: Orioles to Start 2018 Season Without Their Slugger
It’s going to be exciting to see what this Orioles team looks like in the next 3-5 years even if they lose Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop, and Adam Jones. Here’s to seeing what Anthony Santander can do for the Orioles in 2018 and for years to come.