After Orioles pitchers and catchers reported to Sarasota, Florida, on Wednesday, the membership could have its first official exercise Thursday, and spring coaching can be in full swing.
With their rebuild thought of full, the Orioles begin spring coaching with their eyes on a playoff berth, with a lot of the core group behind final 12 months’s surprising 83-79 end returning.
With spring coaching underway on the Orioles’ Ed Smith Stadium advanced, right here’s what it’s essential know.
Important dates
First pitchers and catchers exercise: Thursday
Position gamers report date: Monday
First full-squad exercise: Tuesday
First spring coaching recreation: Feb. 25 vs. Minnesota Twins
Last spring coaching recreation: Feb. 27 vs. St. Louis Cardinals
First regular-season recreation: March 30 at Boston Red Sox
Home opener at Camden Yards: April 6 vs. New York Yankees
Broadcast schedule
The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network will broadcast 4 Orioles video games: March 6 towards Philadelphia (MASN), March 18 at Boston (MASN2), March 21 towards Boston (MASN) and March 27 towards St. Louis (MASN). Last 12 months, MASN aired three Orioles spring coaching video games.
Twelve video games, together with the March 18 recreation, can be broadcast on the Orioles Radio Network: Feb. 25 vs. Minnesota, Feb. 26 at Detroit, March 3 vs. Pittsburgh, March 4 vs. Atlanta, March 5 at Tampa Bay, March 11 at Toronto, March 12 vs. Boston, March 18 at Boston, March 19 vs. Pittsburgh, March 24 vs. New York Yankees, March 25 at Pittsburgh and March 26 vs. Philadelphia.
Who’s gone?
Most of final season’s roster is again in 2023, although Baltimore did lose a handful of veterans who have been credited with creating a successful mindset within the clubhouse.
Starting pitcher Jordan Lyles, second baseman Rougned Odor, catcher Robinson Chirinos and first baseman Jesus Aguilar grew to become free brokers after the season, with the Orioles declining an $11 million possibility in Lyles’ contract and paying him a $1 million buyout. The right-hander, who led the Orioles in innings in 2022, signed a two-year contract with the Kansas City Royals. Aguilar signed with the Oakland Athletics, whereas Odor and Chirinos are nonetheless out there.
Who’s new?
The Orioles signed three main league free brokers and made two vital additions through commerce, whereas the membership additionally added a number of different opening day candidates via minor league contracts, waiver claims and smaller swaps.
Baltimore changed Lyles and Odor by signing one other skilled starter in Kyle Gibson and one other left-handed-hitting second baseman in Adam Frazier. With the gamers respectively receiving $10 million and $8 million on one-year offers, they’ve the best salaries on the staff.
The Orioles additionally reunited with reliever Mychal Givens, who made his debut with Baltimore in 2015 and was traded to Colorado throughout the 2020 season, on a one-year contract with a mutual possibility for 2024. Givens provides a veteran presence to a bullpen that was surprisingly profitable in 2022.
James McCann, acquired from the New York Mets for Dominican Summer League prospect Luis De La Cruz, replaces Chirinos as younger star catcher Adley Rutschman’s backup. As a part of the deal, the Mets are paying $19 million of the $24 million owed to McCann over the following two seasons.
In a commerce with Oakland, the Orioles parted with infield prospect Darell Hernaiz, their fifth-round draft choose in 2019, to accumulate left-handed starter Cole Irvin and minor league pitcher Kyle Virbitsky. Irvin, a sturdy starter like Gibson, has 4 years of staff management remaining.
Rule 5 draft choose Andrew Politi is competing for a bullpen spot; he should stay within the majors all 12 months or be supplied again to the Boston Red Sox. Several gamers not on Baltimore’s 40-man roster have been invited to spring coaching after becoming a member of the group this offseason, with probably the most outstanding being Nomar Mazara, Franchy Cordero, Ryan O’Hearn, Lewin Díaz, Daz Cameron and Darwinzon Hernandez.
What roster spots are up for grabs?
Assuming well being, as many as 18 of the Orioles’ 26 season-opening roster spots may already be thought of locked up. The competitors for those remaining needs to be fierce.
Although it’s unclear whether or not both can be Baltimore’s opening day starter, Gibson and Irvin will occupy two of the Orioles’ rotation spots. With government vp and common supervisor Mike Elias saying the staff plans to have a five-man rotation, that leaves three positions for a gaggle of 10 candidates. Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells and Austin Voth all had lengthy stretches of effectiveness within the Orioles’ 2022 rotation. Elias has mentioned steadily that Grayson Rodriguez, the group’s prime pitching prospect and among the best in baseball, could have each probability to earn a beginning spot this spring, and fellow pitching prospect DL Hall may additionally crack the group with a powerful camp.
It’s anticipated that a number of the beginning candidates who fall in need of the rotation wind up within the bullpen, the place Givens joins nearer Félix Bautista, Dillon Tate, Cionel Pérez and Bryan Baker because the gamers whose efficiency in 2022 probably lands them on the roster. Keegan Akin and Joey Krehbiel, who adopted robust first halves with troublesome second halves, will even compete for spots alongside Politi and the nonroster invitees.
Rutschman and McCann can be Baltimore’s catchers if wholesome, however there’s seemingly a spot out there in each the infield and outfield. Ryan Mountcastle is again at first base, and Frazier can be a part of an infield rotation that additionally options prime total prospect Gunnar Henderson and two robust defenders in Jorge Mateo and Ramón Urías. Many of the Orioles’ offseason strikes introduced gamers who may doubtlessly be left-handed enhances to Mountcastle, with Díaz, O’Hearn and Cordero every having a path to the roster, whereas Terrin Vavra, a pure second baseman, spent the offseason coaching at first base to grow to be part of the competitors, as effectively.
Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander and Austin Hays are again as Baltimore’s main outfielders, with Ryan McKenna’s function as a defensive alternative, pinch-runner and fill-in starter additionally set to be reprised. But the Orioles are in search of a left-handed bat right here, as effectively, with Kyle Stowers up towards Cordero, Mazara and O’Hearn for the job.
Will any prime prospects make the staff?
All of the Orioles’ prime 10 prospects, in keeping with Baseball America, can be in main league camp. That tally contains Henderson, Rodriguez, Hall and Stowers, and except a spate of accidents forces the Orioles’ hand, they’re probably the one prime prospects positioned to interrupt camp with the staff.
It may not be lengthy, although, earlier than a number of the others joins them. Outfielder Colton Cowser and infielders Jordan Westburg, Joey Ortiz and Connor Norby all ended final 12 months at Triple-A, with Westburg having greater than 400 plate appearances at that degree and Ortiz already on the 40-man roster.
Other well-regarded minor leaguers in camp are 2022 first total draft choose Jackson Holliday, power-hitting infielder Coby Mayo, 2020 second total choose Heston Kjerstad, left-hander Cade Povich (the centerpiece of final 12 months’s commerce that despatched All-Star nearer Jorge López to Minnesota) and infielder César Prieto, the primary product of the Orioles’ revamped worldwide pipeline to obtain an invitation.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com