Orioles prospect Coby Mayo recalled from minors to make MLB debut against Guardians

CLEVELAND (AP) — Coby Mayo, one of the top prospects in baseball, was recalled by the Baltimore Orioles on Friday to make his major league debut against the Cleveland Guardians.

Mayo batted .301 with 20 homers and 61 RBIs in 77 games with Triple-A Norfolk, leading the International League with a .586 slugging percentage. The 22-year-old was in the lineup against the Guardians, playing third base and batting eighth.

“I remember being in first grade and writing that I wanted to play in the big leagues,” Mayo said after arriving at Progressive Field. “When the game starts is when the dream comes true.”

A fourth-round selection in the 2020 draft, Mayo was promoted to fill in for All-Star third baseman Jordan Westburg, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a broken right hand.

Manager Brandon Hyde said he didn’t want Mayo to put additional pressure on himself because of the situation. He said Mayo would be the primary third baseman.

“I’m not looking for him to replace Jordan Westburg. I just want Coby to be himself,” Hyde said. “Not to try too hard to contribute too much, but to be part of a winning team.”

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Mayo is a career .286 hitter in 378 games over four minor league seasons, seeing action at all five levels of Baltimore’s organization.

The Orioles entered Friday in a first-place tie with the New York Yankees in the AL East, two games behind the AL-best Guardians. Infielder Livan Soto was optioned to Norfolk in a corresponding move.