"I never truly felt like myself” – Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser says rediscovering himself after 2023 demotion has helped the slugger this season

Baltimore Orioles slugger Colton Cowser has been turning heads this season. The young slugger has found himself at the plate early this year, hitting .276 with eight doubles and six home runs.

He, alongside Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, has helped the O's get off to a stellar 23-11 start. They currently sit atop the competitive American League East division.

While Cowser is seeing the ball well this year, that was not the case last season. He struggled and was sent down to the minors. However, it was a chance for him to figure out what he needed to do differently moving forward, as he told MLB analyst Chris Rose.

"I think the biggest challenges for me was when I was in the big leagues last year, I never truly felt like myself," - said Cowser.

The jump from the minor leagues to the big leagues can be drastic, and it can take a toll on a ton of players. Cowser constantly felt like something was off last season, which did not help him at the plate.

"It felt like I was always kind of tense, couldn't put a finger on what it was. So, I think when I got sent down, it was like, I wanted to figure out what I was doing differently' - said Cowser.

After being sent down, Cowser figured it out not just at the plate, but in the outfield as well. Now, he and the O's look like the complete package.

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Colton Cowser is not the only youngster leading the Orioles this year

Baltimore Orioles - Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser (Image via USA Today)

The Orioles have been among the most exciting teams to watch early into the 2024 season. They are led by a group of youngsters who are quickly making names for themselves in this league.

Alongside Colton Cowser in the outfield, Gunnar Henderson has been nothing short of spectacular. He currently has 10 home runs, one shy of tying Shohei Ohtani as league leader.

Third baseman Jordan Westburg has also been a menace at the plate this season, hitting .286 with six home runs. Baltimore has hit the most home runs out of any club so far this season with 54, three more than the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Baltimore has crushed expectations coming into the 2024 season. If they can keep this up, they may find themselves hoisting their first World Series trophy since 1983.