This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

HOUSTON -- Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander were sharing the outfield together during a Double-A Bowie game in the summer of 2018, when they came together in center as a pitching change occurred for the Baysox. Santander used the brief pause in the action to make a statement.

“This is the future, right here,” Santander said, gesturing toward his two fellow outfielders and back to himself.

Five years into the future, the trio was hugging and spraying champagne in the Orioles’ clubhouse as the team ended a seven-year postseason drought by securing a spot in October -- the culmination of a rebuild that kicked into full gear in late 2018, when Mike Elias was hired as general manager and Brandon Hyde was brought on as manager.

Sunday’s clinch celebration was a special moment for every member of the O’s organization. But it was especially sweet for players such as Hays, Mullins and Santander, each of whom endured some of the toughest years in club history and made it through to the other side.

The three took a picture together amid the jubilation and reflected on their path to that point, beginning with Santander’s declaration in 2018.

“We all remember that. We just talked about that in this moment,” Hays said. “We were in the Minors, we came up, we lost a lot of games and we got to see Mike and Hyde, and everybody turn this organization around. We’re still here, and we’re still a big part of it. It’s very special, very sweet.”

Hays, Mullins and Santander all arrived in Baltimore when Dan Duquette was still the GM. Mullins came first when he was selected by the Orioles in the 13th round of the 2015 Draft. Hays was taken in the third round of the ‘16 Draft, then Santander came over from Cleveland in the 2016 Rule 5 Draft.

Each outfielder had individual highs early in his big league career. Santander won the Most Valuable Oriole Award in 2020, when he posted an .890 OPS across 37 games of the pandemic-shortened season. Mullins received the honor in ‘21, when he had 30 homers and 30 stolen bases and was also named an American League Silver Slugger. Hays hit 22 home runs that same year.

But Baltimore had little team success. In 2019 -- the first year Santander, Mullins and Hays were all MLB teammates -- the Orioles went 54-108. After going 25-35 in ‘20, the O’s struggled even more in ‘21, finishing 52-110.

No matter how well Baltimore’s outfielders performed at that time, it was much too early in the rebuild process for the club to emerge as a contender.

“It was a zillion miles away at that point,” Elias said. “They lived through all the losses.”

Now, Santander, Mullins and Hays are experiencing the wins. They continue to play integral roles for the Orioles in 2023, often comprising their starting outfield on many nights (such as Tuesday in Houston).

Santander is tied for the team lead in home runs (27) and has a .798 OPS in 143 games. Mullins has a .766 OPS with 15 homers and 22 doubles in 105 games. Hays was a first-time All-Star and has 36 doubles, 16 homers and a .792 OPS.

That’s why Elias heaped large praise upon the trio during Sunday’s celebration.

“This is their team,” Elias said.

Santander, Mullins and Hays have now soaked in the atmosphere of a champagne-filled, postseason-clinching party. Next, they’ll get their first tastes of playoff baseball. And they cannot wait.

“It’s been amazing, exciting,” Santander said. “I’m enjoying this moment right now. I feel like I have no words right now. It’s been fun.”

“It’s just a great feeling to be able to persevere,” Mullins said. “We’re celebrating, and we’re going to continue to move forward from here.”