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Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Monday that Mateo took reps at second base over the winter before arriving at spring training, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports. "We're going to keep our options open with him. He really increases the versatility we have on this club," Hyde said of Mateo.
Mateo played all but 20 of his 863 defensive innings in 2023 at shortstop, with the rest coming in center field. After the Orioles retained him on a $2.7 million salary for 2024, Mateo projects to open the season as the team's everyday shortstop, though he may not be long for the job with top prospect Jackson Holliday unlikely to require much finishing time in the minors before making his MLB debut. Given the likelihood that he'll transition into a utility role once Holliday is ready for big-league action, Mateo has been getting exposure to the keystone, in addition to continuing to take reps at shortstop and center field. While he has a path to steadier playing time earlier in the season, Mateo should provide fantasy value on the bases after recording 32 steals in 37 attempts in 2023, but his light power, poor plate skills and likely spot at the bottom of the Baltimore lineup make him mostly a one-category play.
