Prospect Schoop homers, scores three runs in debut

BALTIMORE -- Jonathan Schoop, the Orioles' top position-player prospect, made his Major League debut Wednesday night, batting eighth and playing second base against the Blue Jays. He went 2-for-3 with a single in his first at-bat and a homer in the sixth inning of a 9-5 win.

"For a long time, I was dreaming for this moment, and now I get a chance to be in there," Schoop said before the game.

The 21-year-old Schoop learned he would start while sitting at his locker earlier in the afternoon, as manager Buck Showalter -- who was talking to shortstop J.J. Hardy -- gestured to the rookie and said nonchalantly, "You and J.J. today."

"He's been very good at watching, alert, he's seen every pitch," Showalter said of Schoop, who joined the team as a September callup earlier this month.

"One thing about Jonathan, Jonathan loves baseball. He's engaged. You look for that a lot with young players. He's engaged in the game, he's got a great face. I don't know what player he's going to be, but he smiles easily. Doesn't take himself too seriously, but he's also serious about the right things, maybe to a fault. He wants to be a contributor up here at some point in his career."