Video shows ex-Royals player call his mom after learning he made All-Star Game
Sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders for a player.
That has been the case for the Baltimore Orioles’ Ryan O’Hearn, who was selected by the Royals in the eighth round of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft.
O’Hearn made his big league debut in 2018, just a few days after turning 25. While showing promise during his rookie season, O’Hearn struggled at the plate the next four seasons, batting .219 with an 83 OPS+ in 342 games.
And so, on Jan. 3, 2023, O’Hearn was traded to Baltimore for cash considerations, and he’s thrived with the Orioles.
O’Hearn, a first baseman, outfielder and designated hitter, has a .280 average and 127 OPS+ since joining the Orioles. On Thursday, O’Hearn was named the starting designated hitter for the American League in the All-Star Game.
One of the first people O’Hearn called was his mom, and the Orioles shared video of the cool moment.
“I can’t wait to tell my dad. My mom’s freaking out,” O’Hearn said on the Orioles website. “It’s been such a journey in my career. For the majority of it, I never thought something like this was in the cards. Still kind of in shock.”
He added: “I spent a lot of time just trying to keep my head above the water in the big leagues and just stick around as long as I possibly could. To be able to say, ‘I’m a major league All-Star?’ I’m blown away.”
This story was originally published July 3, 2025 at 10:48 AM.
