Steve On Baseball Podcast

ABERDEEN, Md. - The most recent Orioles’ top draft pick is outfielder Vance Honeycutt of the University of North Carolina. The club selected him No. 22 overall last summer.Honeycutt brings the O’s organization a nice blend of solid offense and defense. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year in both 2023 and 2024. As a hitter he led the ACC with 28 homers, added 28 steals, scored 88 runs and hit .318 with an OPS of 1.124 for a talented 2024 Tarheel squad that made the College World Series.He began his pro career last Aug. 22 at Low-A Delmarva and ended the season with High-A Aberdeen. He is back with the IronBirds this year to begin his first full professional season.In this wide-ranging interview, we discussed his time at UNC, his inside-the-park homer in the Spring Breakout game, the pressures of being a top draft pick and a lot more.Thanks to IronBirds broadcaster Michael Marcantonini for the play-by-play cuts used in this podcast. Hope you enjoy Episode No. 3 of the Steve On Baseball Podcast. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive each new post, support my work, and get alerted for every story, video, game blog and podcast, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Hope to add you to the list and thanks!Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Steve Melewski at steveonbaseball.substack.com/subscribe

Koby Perez, the Orioles’ vice president of international scouting and operations, was one of the first people Mike Elias hired when he joined the Orioles before the 2019 season.The club needed to build up an international program of young and talented prospects almost from scratch and Perez was the man for the job. Perez has worked in pro ball for the Cardinals, Phillies, then Indians now Guardians and with the Orioles since January of 2019.How did the club build a formidable international program? Perez discusses that and so much more in this in-depth interview all about the O’s international program. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive each new post, support my work, and get alerted for every story, video and podcast, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Hope to add you to the list and thanks! Get full access to Steve Melewski at steveonbaseball.substack.com/subscribe

Trying something new today with a video entry. Not live, but recorded as I take a look at the O’s overall, but mostly break down the hot start of center fielder Cedric Mullins and not-hot start of right-hander Charlie Morton who pitches tonight.The O’s host Cleveland to start a three-game series.During this video, I note how the results against Morton’s curveballs have been very different this season compared to last. At times this season hitters are cleaning up on that pitch. What once was his best pitch is not now. He needs to find that offering to get his season turned around.I also discussed Mullins’ hot bat. And note that, over his last 39 games, he has been the 30-30 Cedric.Take a moment to watch and leave a comment.Also my audio-only podcast is now available on both Apple and Spotify. Yahoo for that. Episode one with Dan Connolly is out now, since last Friday. Later this week I break out a great conversation with O’s vice president of international scouting and operations Koby Perez. He talks about the building up of the O’s international program. One that can now boast of 11 top 30 prospects.This Substack space is getting better! Get full access to Steve Melewski at steveonbaseball.substack.com/subscribe

The Orioles have to sit on their 5-8 record at least for another day after tonight’s rainout at Camden Yards. The game, with the O’s set to host the Toronto Blue Jays, will now be made up as part of a split-admission doubleheader on Tuesday July 29.It was an eventful day in my world today despite the rainout with the debut of my podcast.It was exciting for me to push it out there today and have so many find it!So with no game, I shot this video (car cam!) to discuss a few O’s notes and the pod debut.You can find today’s podcast with former Baltimore Sun writer and columnist Dan Connolly right here.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Steve Melewski at steveonbaseball.substack.com/subscribe

Dan Connolly covered the Orioles starting in 2001 and just about for every year since up to present day. He is not covering baseball this season, but is still working and going strong as the Senior Writer for Select Medical.Connolly was named the Maryland Sportswriter of the Year in both 2013 and 2023 and has seen a lot and covered a lot in his time on the O’s beat for the York Daily Record, the Baltimore Sun, BaltimoreBaseball.com and The Athletic. Among his peers he is liked for his sharp wit and respected both for his talents as a writer and reporter. The “Connolly lean” will be mentioned in this podcast, known only to the writers that cover the team every day. We will detail this inside joke and more in this fun discussion with Connolly about covering the Orioles.Hope you enjoy this debut podcast!Coming very soon, podcast episodes with O’s international scouting head Koby Perez and long-time Baltimore Sun writer and columnist Peter Schmuck. So excited that this pod made it to the finish line. It was harder to get here than I thought but with the help of many people, here we are! Get full access to Steve Melewski at steveonbaseball.substack.com/subscribe

I took a quick look at the Orioles through five games and their 3-2 start.Yep thus far the hitting has outperformed the pitching as the Birds have tonight off and host Boston on Wednesday night in the second of a three-game series.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Join me here for coverage of the Orioles and their minor league system all during the 2025 season. Get full access to Steve Melewski at steveonbaseball.substack.com/subscribe

What a day for fans around Birdland. The O’s bashed six homers and beat Toronto 12-2 to get off to a great start for their 2025 season. Talked about the win in this live video.Join me for my next live video in the app Get full access to Steve Melewski at steveonbaseball.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s live I discussed Gunnar Henderson’s impending move to the injured list, Cade Povich being named the No. 5 starter and a whole lot more. Join me for my next live video in the app Get full access to Steve Melewski at steveonbaseball.substack.com/subscribe

With just seven spring training games left after today, we take a look at a few O’s topics in my latest live video.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Steve Melewski at steveonbaseball.substack.com/subscribe

Join me for my next live video in the app Get full access to Steve Melewski at steveonbaseball.substack.com/subscribe