spent his first professional season with the Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds in 2003, batting .283 with a home run and 28 RBI in 59 games. He played in 96 games with the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds in 2004, where he hit .299 with 11 homers and led the team with 64 RBIs despite missing the last month of the season playing for Greece in the Olympics. In 2005, Markakis started the year with the Single-A Frederick Keys and was named the top Orioles prospect by Baseball America. He won the Carolina/California League All-Star Game Home Run Derby, and followed that up by being named MVP of the All-Star game after hitting two homers. Markakis was promoted a short time later to the Double-A Bowie Baysox and was ultimately named to the Second Team in the 2005 Minor League All-Star Roster. He also received the Brooks Robinson Award as the organization's Minor League Player of the Year. 2006 Markakis began his first spring training with the Orioles in 2006 by reaching base in nine of his first ten plate appearances. He earned an Opening Day roster spot. Markakis made his major league debut on April 3, 2006, when he was used as a late-inning defensive replacement against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He received his first start and plate appearances two days later. Hitting second and playing left field, he drew three walks in his first three plate appearances and hit a 400-foot home run for his first major league hit in the 16–6 win. On August 22, 2006, Markakis went 3-for-4 with three home runs in a 6–3 Orioles win at Camden Yards. Not only was it his first three-homer game, became the 18th Oriole to do so and the first since 1999. The feat prompted a curtain call from the dugout, earning him a feat that The Washington Post'' called "an ovation that is rarely seen in these parts anymore. Curtain calls are for Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, not Camden Yards." Markakis finished his rookie season with a .291 average, 16 homers, 62 RBIs and two stolen bases in 147 games. On defense, he put up impressive stats in defensive ratings such as range factor and fielding percentage, ranking second among major league right fielders. 2007 Markakis began the season as the starting right fielder. He finished the season with a .300 average, 23 home runs, 112 RBI and 18