Orioles’ top prospect homers in MLB debut

Major League Baseball teams are giving their top prospects a chance this season, and it’s been paying off.

The Baltimore Orioles called up their top prospect, Gunnar Henderson, to the big league club Tuesday night and plugged him into Wednesday’s lineup against the Cleveland Guardians.

He responded with his first homer in the big leagues. 

In his second at-bat of the game (and his career), the 21-year-old infielder blasted a solo home run into right-center field, losing his helmet on the swing.

BRAVES’ VAUGHN GRISSOM HOMERS OVER GREEN MONSTER FOR FIRST BIG LEAGUE HIT

Henderson is the ninth player this year to hit a home run in an MLB debut, and the 16th to hit a dinger for a first big league hit this season.

Henderson was the 42nd overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft and played in the 2022 MLB Futures Game in Los Angeles this summer. 

In 65 games with Triple-A Norfolk this year, he slashed .288/.390/.504 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI.

The Orioles sit three games back for the final wild-card spot.