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The Orioles officially set their spring training report dates Thursday, with pitchers and catchers reporting to Sarasota, Florida, on Feb. 15, and position players reporting Feb. 20.
Now it’s just a question of which players will be reporting.
Every member of Baltimore’s 40-man roster will be there, of course, but each spring training offers an opportunity for prospects not yet on the active roster and veteran fringe players to make a case for their additions.
The Orioles should have plenty of them, with an official announcement of the invitees likely coming later in the month. For several years, Baltimore has invited about 20 non-roster players to join the major league camp, at least before they’re reassigned later in the spring to minor league camp.
A similar group will be there in 2023, made up of some of the Orioles’ top prospects as well as recent minor league free agent signings. With opportunities for a backup first baseman and outfield role, some non-roster invites might have a chance to crack the Opening Day roster.
Perhaps the best chance to do so is at first base, with a surplus of left-handed hitting players competing for one spot. Executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias has added three such players this offseason on low-risk, low-budget deals.
He traded cash to the Kansas City Royals for Ryan O’Hearn, then designated O’Hearn for assignment to reclaim Lewin Díaz off waivers. Díaz was promptly designated for assignment when the Orioles traded for left-hander Darwinzon Hernandez.
The hope there is that O’Hearn and Díaz pass through waivers, accept their minor league assignments and compete for a role in spring training. Elias also signed Franchy Cordero to a split contract, giving the Orioles a potential backup first baseman and corner outfielder in one.
None of those three players are the flashiest. Baltimore opted to not pursue first baseman Brandon Belt heavily in free agency because the team didn’t feel they had a large enough role to offer, a source said, before Belt agreed to a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. Eric Hosmer attracted interest from the Orioles, but he ended up signing with the Chicago Cubs.
That leaves Cordero (career -0.6 wins above replacement), Díaz (career 0.1 WAR) and O’Hearn (career -2.8 WAR) as the likeliest options. As a member of the Boston Red Sox, Cordero played the most games last season (84), hitting eight homers with a .219 average. O’Hearn clubbed one long ball in 67 games and Díaz managed five along with a .169 average in 58 games for the Miami Marlins.
They create one of the more intriguing spring training competitions, although there are other likely non-roster invites.
Each year, the Orioles bring a group of pitchers to evaluate alongside their major league roster. Right-hander Cole Uvila could be one, especially after the reliever didn’t allow a homer in his 44 innings for Triple-A Norfolk last season.
Left-hander Nick Vespi underwent successful hernia surgery last week, and while the Orioles anticipate Vespi to be available early in the season, there could be room in the bullpen for a non-roster invite. Baltimore signed veterans Wandisson Charles, Eduard Bazardo, Kyle Dowdy and Ofreidy Gómez to minor league deals, and each could push their way into bullpen debates.
Ryan Watson, Zac Lowther, Kyle Brnovich and Chris Vallimont — all prospects who don’t crack the organization’s top-30 rankings on MLB Pipeline — can make a case for time later in the season, especially if injuries arise.
The Orioles’ opening day catching tandem is secure with Adley Rutschman and James McCann, but Anthony Bemboom and Mark Kolozsvary should also wind up in major league camp, along with Maverick Handley and other younger players. With so many pitchers needing to throw, catchers are necessary.
There’s a good chance for infield prospects Connor Norby, Jordan Westburg and Coby Mayo to join veteran minor league signing Josh Lester as non-roster invites.
And despite Baltimore’s starting outfield appearing set, Nomar Mazara — a former top prospect who joined as a free agent this offseason — should compete for time in the outfield during spring training. Daz Cameron, a waiver claim from the Detroit Tigers, and prospects Colton Cowser and Robert Neustrom should also be in the mix.
The chances for one of Baltimore’s non-roster invitees to crack the Opening Day squad are slim. There are few unclaimed spots on the Orioles, and the main reason that many prospects are invited is to give them an early taste of a major league setup, not necessarily to carry them through to the end of camp.
It’s the nature of a non-roster invite, with the goal of a major league breakthrough still off on the horizon for prospects or reduced to a twilight for certain veteran players. But a chance is better than none at all.
andy.kostka@thebaltimorebanner.com
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Andy Kostka is an Orioles beat writer for The Baltimore Banner. He previously covered the Orioles for The Baltimore Sun. Kostka graduated from the University of Maryland and grew up in Rockville.
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