SARASOTA, Fla. — Cedric Mullins stood at his corner locker, arms crossed, and let out a loud chuckle.

“Has your career gone as planned?” he was asked.

“Absolutely not,” he responded, laughing as he composed his thoughts. “But, you know, I think that’s built up a lot of character on my side as well.”

See, for Mullins, a 13th-round pick out of Campbell University, a school that has produced only a handful of major leaguers in the last two decades, his career has been a series of unpredictable events. The team’s rebuild, a Crohn’s disease diagnosis, an end of his switch-hitting attempt, countless injuries and a 30-30 season have highlighted his tenure with the Orioles.

He knows this may be his final one in Baltimore. Mullins, a staple in the Orioles’ outfield since 2020, is entering his last year before free agency. The Orioles have not shown a willingness to offer competitive deals to extend or re-sign players, even if they are coming off their best season, as Anthony Santander was this offseason.

So this year Mullins will try to keep his focus on the game. But he plans to spend an extra second after big events — such as running down the orange carpet during the home opener — to take in the moment, in case it is his last with the Orioles.

“It’s one of those things I still might be in that moment going about things normally, but after the fact it could be a reflection on it as well,” Mullins said. “My overall mindset is, this team, it hasn’t dove into the future much at all.”

Mullins’ presence has been one of the lone stable aspects of the Orioles throughout the last decade. When he was drafted, the team was coming off an American League Championship Series appearance, its core intact and in their prime. By the time he was called up in 2018, the Orioles had sold off most of their top players and were on their way to their worst season in franchise history.

It was a passing of the torch. As Mullins took over for Adam Jones in center field, the organization welcomed in its first wave of prospects in the rebuild era.

For his first two seasons, Mullins’ success mirrored that of the Orioles. As the team lost 100 games in 2018 and 2019, Mullins found himself on the Norfolk shuttle as he struggled to stick in the majors.

It taught him important lessons, things he still references.

“There are a lot of things in this game that are out of your control,” he said. “I think it’s important to focus on things that you can control on a daily basis, positive attitude, solid work ethic. I think by the time you understand that early on it’s tough because you’re trying to solidly yourself.”

By 2020, things started to change for Mullins as he cemented himself as a major leaguer, even as he battled that entire season with chronic pain from Crohn’s disease. That offseason, he had 10 to 15 centimeters of intestine removed and lost 20 pounds.

He was ready to go when camp started in 2021, but he underwent another major transition. Something was still holding him back, and he knew he had to give something up to move forward. So, during spring training in 2021, Mullins said goodbye to switch hitting and committed to being a left-handed batter.

The results were immediate. He hit a career-high 30 home runs, stole 30 bases, made the All-Star team, won a Silver Slugger and finished ninth in American League MVP voting.

“Those adjustments came faster than I would have thought and, to have the year that I had, we were just going with it,” Mullins said. “I’m not going to break stride.”

It was by far his best season. But, as the team finally found success, Mullins couldn’t replicate those 2021 numbers, for various reasons.

His value has been felt in other ways, especially in his defensive masterpieces and clubhouse presence.

“The leadership component, that’s really come in the zone here the last few years of taking charge in the outfield,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Just overall game, I think there’s way more confidence. Now it’s for him to really stay healthy. Stay healthy, keep his legs healthy, so he can be the type of player he is.”

That last part is key. For him, staying healthy comes from consistency in how he treats his body outside the game. He’s worked on his nutrition in the aftermath of his Crohn’s diagnosis and has a better understanding of what his body needs and when to be in peak shape. Sleep is critical.

He’ll begin this season as the starting center fielder, but what comes after the final out remains to be seen. It will likely also depend on whether Tyler O’Neill’s option is picked up.

The Orioles have Colton Cowser on their roster, and he’s strong enough on defense to be a suitable replacement in center. They also have Enrique Bradfield Jr. climbing through the ranks, and his center field skills, in addition to his elite speed, are going to make him valuable.

Mullins understands how this business works. He’s watched that play out firsthand over the last decade. In 2018, he was the young guy coming in and taking someone’s spot. Since then, he’s watched the same thing happen year after year, most notably with Austin Hays when he was traded to Philadelphia last year and with Santander not re-signing this year.

“It’s crazy for me to look up and see them doing their thing on other teams,” Mullins said. “We always had the thought that we’d been in it for the long run, but we also knew that there was always an opportunity or chance that things would change.”

He doesn’t know what’s next and likely won’t for some time. So, for now, he’s going to keep his focus on the team and try to take a positive from every day, just in case this is the end.