How Orioles prospect Jordan Westburg's emphasis on pulling the ball has boosted his 2022 power surge

Barely two years into his professional career, Westburg is learning what big leaguers already know: pull-side power is the fastest way to make it.

Shortly after Jordan Westburg pulled himself out of an early-season slump with Bowie, he found himself chatting with a visiting hitting coordinator about what had helped him get back on track.

Westburg is like a lot of the Orioles’ college hitters – an all-fields approach and contact ability that means he’s happy to drive the ball the other way. But in the middle of May, Westburg explained his emphasis on identifying the balls he could pull and tapping into his pull-side power. 

A little more than a month later, that focus is still showing up, with every single ball the 30th overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft drives out of the ballpark helping build confidence in that approach and create a comprehensive offensive threat that is fast approaching major league consideration on the Orioles’ infield.