TORONTO — The Orioles are signing infielder J.D. Davis to a minor league deal, a source with direct knowledge told The Baltimore Banner, a week after Davis was released by the New York Yankees.
Davis provides depth to the corner infield positions. He can also play corner outfield, although he hasn’t done so in a major league game since 2022. Davis is a former third-round pick in the 2014 draft of the Astros, when Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias was part of the Houston front office.
Davis has played sparingly this season with the Oakland Athletics and Yankees. He was designated for assignment by the Athletics in June and traded to New York. He hit .236 in 39 games for the Athletics and .105 in seven games for the Yankees.
At his best, Davis flashes power. For the New York Mets in 2019, Davis hit 22 homers with an .895 OPS. He hasn’t reached those heights since.
Baltimore could use the infield depth after two key injuries and a trade left them without Jordan Westburg (broken hand), Jorge Mateo (dislocated elbow) and Connor Norby (sent to the Miami Marlins). That prompted the Orioles to call up infield prospects Coby Mayo and Jackson Holliday for everyday roles.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported Davis’ signing.
