While Hanlon was not able to immediately turn the Orioles into a winning club, he quickly evaluated the talent available and looked for new talent elsewhere.
 By 1894, only three players from the 1892 opening lineup (John McGraw, Wilbert Robinson and pitcher Sadie McMahon) remained on the roster.
 Hanlon's efforts to revamp the club included the following:
Shortstop John McGraw had played only 33 major league games with a .270 batting average before the 1892 season.
 Under Hanlon's tutelage, McGraw became one of the best players in the game, compiling batting averages of .340 in 1894, .369 in 1895, and .325 in 1898.
McGraw was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Catcher Wilbert Robinson was with the Orioles when Hanlon arrived, but had compiled a .216 batting average in six prior seasons.
 With Hanlon's guidance, Robinson hit .334 in 1893, .353 in 1894, and .347 in 1896.
 Robinson was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In September 1892, Hanlon showed nerve in trading George Van Haltren to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Joe Kelley and cash.
 Van Haltren was the Orioles' best hitter, a veteran who had hit compiled a .324 batting average from 1889 to 1891.
 Kelley was a rookie outfielder who hit .239 for the 1892 Pirates.
 Kelley promptly became one of the best players in the game, batting .393 in 1894, .365 in 1895 and .364 in 1896.
 Kelley was later inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Prior to the 1893 season, Hanlon purchased infielder Heinie Reitz from the San Francisco Metropolitans (California League) for $300.
 Reitz had compiled a .243 batting average for San Francisco in 1892, but blossomed with Hanlon's Orioles.
 He led the National League's second basemen in fielding percentage three times, led the National League in Defensive Wins Above Replacement in 1897, placed fourth in that category in 1894, and led the National League with 31 triples and hit .303 in 1894.

In June 1893, Hanlon acquired shortstop Hughie Jennings in exchange for Tim O'Rourke in a trade with the Louisville Colonels.
 O'Rourke had been a consistent .300 hitter before the trade, but never hit above .282 after the trade.
 Jennings had compiled a .242 average with Louisville in three seasons before the trade.
 At Baltimore, Jennings led the league in fielding percentage every year from 1894 to 1897, and he hit .335 in 1894, .386 in 1895, and .401 in 1896.
 Jennings was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In August 1893, Hanlon purchased outfielder Steve Brodie from the St. Louis Browns for a price reported to be between $800 and $2500.
Brodie became a key player in the Orioles' pennant-winning clubs, batting .366 in 1894 and .348 in 1895.

In January 1894, Hanlon negotiated a remarkably one-sided trade with the Brooklyn Grooms, acquiring Dan Brouthers and Willie Keeler in exchange for Billy Shindle and George Treadway.
Brouthers was an established slugger who had been teammates with Hanlon in Detroit.
Brouthers hit .347 and drove in 127 runs for the 1894 Orioles.
 Keeler had played only 41 games before joining the Orioles, but under Hanlon's guidance, Keeler hit .371 in 1894, .377 in 1895, .386 in 1896, and won batting titles in 1897 and 1898 with averages of .424 and .385.
 Shindle hit .274 in five seasons with Brooklyn, while Treadway hit .301 for two seasons in Brooklyn and was then out of the major leagues.
 Brouthers and Keeler were both inducted into the Hall of Fame.

In June 1894, Hanlon made a final key move, purchasing Kid Gleason from the St. Louis Browns for $2,400.
Gleason hit .231 in six major league seasons before joining the Orioles.
 He proved to be a solid fielder at second base and hit .349 for the Orioles in 1894 and .309 in 1895.

For his efforts in building Baltimore's championship teams, Hanlon developed a reputation for having a keen eye for talent.
 The Sporting News later wrote that he had "an almost uncanny ability to judge players, a faculty of imparting to them his remarkable store of knowledge, a genius for inspiring his men to rise to the heights and a personality that enabled him
While Hanlon was not able to immediately turn the Orioles into a winning club, he quickly evaluated the talent available and looked for new talent elsewhere.  By 1894, only three players from the 1892 opening lineup (John McGraw, Wilbert Robinson and pitcher Sadie McMahon) remained on the roster.  Hanlon's efforts to revamp the club included the following:
Shortstop John McGraw had played only 33 major league games with a .270 batting average before the 1892 season.  Under Hanlon's tutelage, McGraw became one of the best players in the game, compiling batting averages of .340 in 1894, .369 in 1895, and .325 in 1898. McGraw was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Catcher Wilbert Robinson was with the Orioles when Hanlon arrived, but had compiled a .216 batting average in six prior seasons.  With Hanlon's guidance, Robinson hit .334 in 1893, .353 in 1894, and .347 in 1896.  Robinson was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In September 1892, Hanlon showed nerve in trading George Van Haltren to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Joe Kelley and cash.  Van Haltren was the Orioles' best hitter, a veteran who had hit compiled a .324 batting average from 1889 to 1891.  Kelley was a rookie outfielder who hit .239 for the 1892 Pirates.  Kelley promptly became one of the best players in the game, batting .393 in 1894, .365 in 1895 and .364 in 1896.  Kelley was later inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Prior to the 1893 season, Hanlon purchased infielder Heinie Reitz from the San Francisco Metropolitans (California League) for $300.  Reitz had compiled a .243 batting average for San Francisco in 1892, but blossomed with Hanlon's Orioles.  He led the National League's second basemen in fielding percentage three times, led the National League in Defensive Wins Above Replacement in 1897, placed fourth in that category in 1894, and led the National League with 31 triples and hit .303 in 1894.
In June 1893, Hanlon acquired shortstop Hughie Jennings in exchange for Tim O'Rourke in a trade with the Louisville Colonels.  O'Rourke had been a consistent .300 hitter before the trade, but never hit above .282 after the trade.  Jennings had compiled a .242 average with Louisville in three seasons before the trade.  At Baltimore, Jennings led the league in fielding percentage every year from 1894 to 1897, and he hit .335 in 1894, .386 in 1895, and .401 in 1896.  Jennings was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In August 1893, Hanlon purchased outfielder Steve Brodie from the St. Louis Browns for a price reported to be between $800 and $2500. Brodie became a key player in the Orioles' pennant-winning clubs, batting .366 in 1894 and .348 in 1895.
In January 1894, Hanlon negotiated a remarkably one-sided trade with the Brooklyn Grooms, acquiring Dan Brouthers and Willie Keeler in exchange for Billy Shindle and George Treadway. Brouthers was an established slugger who had been teammates with Hanlon in Detroit. Brouthers hit .347 and drove in 127 runs for the 1894 Orioles.  Keeler had played only 41 games before joining the Orioles, but under Hanlon's guidance, Keeler hit .371 in 1894, .377 in 1895, .386 in 1896, and won batting titles in 1897 and 1898 with averages of .424 and .385.  Shindle hit .274 in five seasons with Brooklyn, while Treadway hit .301 for two seasons in Brooklyn and was then out of the major leagues.  Brouthers and Keeler were both inducted into the Hall of Fame.
In June 1894, Hanlon made a final key move, purchasing Kid Gleason from the St. Louis Browns for $2,400. Gleason hit .231 in six major league seasons before joining the Orioles.  He proved to be a solid fielder at second base and hit .349 for the Orioles in 1894 and .309 in 1895.
For his efforts in building Baltimore's championship teams, Hanlon developed a reputation for having a keen eye for talent.  The Sporting News later wrote that he had "an almost uncanny ability to judge players, a faculty of imparting to them his remarkable store of knowledge, a genius for inspiring his men to rise to the heights and a personality that enabled him 
Ned Hanlon (baseball)