With Opening Day just over three weeks away, we’ll take a look at a member of the 2015 Orioles every day as they try to defend their American League East title this season.
March 9 – Adam Jones
March 10 – Chris Tillman
March 11 – J.J. Hardy
March 12 – Zach Britton
March 13 – Chris Davis
March 14 – Wei-Yin Chen
March 15 – Jonathan Schoop
OF Travis Snider
Opening Day age: 27
Contract status: Under club control through the 2016 season
Minor-league options remaining: None
2014 stats: .264/.338/.438, 13 HR, 38 RBI, 37 R, 1 SB, 359 PA
Why to be impressed: After years of trying to find his way in the majors, the former first-round pick exploded in the second half of last season, posting an .880 on-base plus slugging percentage to help Pittsburgh to its second straight playoff appearance. Much has been made about the departure of Nick Markakis, but Snider’s .438 slugging percentage last year was much higher than the veteran’s .386 mark.
Why to be concerned: Snider has experienced more failure than success in his major league career and even his breakout 2014 campaign included an underwhelming .660 OPS in the first half. The former Toronto Blue Jays prospect is traditionally a slow starter with a .677 career OPS before the All-Star break, so he’ll need to play good defense to remain in good graces if history repeats itself this year.
2015 outlook: With other outfield options in the mix such as Alejandro De Aza, Steve Pearce, David Lough, and Delmon Young, Snider will need to make the most of his opportunities to become a fixture in the lineup. Executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette hopes Snider experienced his breakthrough in the second half of 2014, but it’s too difficult to know what to expect from a young player who’s had such highs and lows. The Orioles hope he can match or be an upgrade to Markakis’ production for a fraction of the price, but Snider could also fizzle out yet again after showing positive signs last year.
