Names to watch among Orioles’ non-roster spring training invitees

There are some interesting names on the list of 27 non-roster players invited to spring training, which begins Wednesday in Sarasota. There are also some notable omissions.

Right-handed pitchers Trace Bright (11^th ranked MLB Pipeline), Alex Pham (24th), Patrick Reilly (13^th), catcher/first baseman Creed Willems (21^st) and infielder Max Wagner (22^nd), all of whom played for Double-A Bowie, weren’t invited.

The list is heavy on pitchers who pitched for other organizations last season and were signed to minor league contracts.

Besides corner infielder Coby Mayo (1^st) and right-handers Chayce McDermott (5^th) and Brandon Young (19^th), who are already on the 40-man roster, there are just four top 30 prospects on the list of invitees.

Catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo (2^nd), outfielders Enrique Bradfield Jr. (4^th), Dylan Beavers (6^th) and Jud Fabian (10^th) will be in camp.

Of last year’s non-roster invites, Mayo, McDermott, infielders Jackson Holliday, Connor Norby and left-hander Cade Povich were the most prominent to play for the Orioles last season.

Catcher David Bañuelos, left-handed pitcher Tucker Davidson and outfielder Daniel Johnson each appeared in only one game. Bañuelos returns, as do catchers Silas Ardoin and Maverick Handley.

Basallo was in camp last spring but was restricted to a handful of games as the designated hitter.

Left-handed pitcher Luis González, who was a non-roster invitee last year, is now on the 40-man roster.

It would be a surprise if Basallo, who’ll turn 21 on August 13^th, doesn’t play for the Orioles later this season. It’s conceivable that Bradfield, who was the Orioles’ top pick in the 2023 draft, makes his debut. His speed (99 steals in 114 attempts) could be an asset, particularly late in the season.

The Orioles were fortunate that neither catchers Adley Rutschman nor James McCann suffered an injury that caused them enough time to warrant a placement on the 10-day injured list last season.

It would be interesting if there were an early need for a catcher. Would the Orioles recall Basallo before he plays substantial time at Triple-A Norfolk? Unless they sign another catcher to a minor league contract, they might have to choose between Bañuelos, Basallo or Handley.

Perhaps the best bet among the non-roster pitchers to see time with the Orioles this season is right-hander Matt Bowman, who pitched in 15 games for the Orioles in 2024. Though he had a 3.45 ERA, he didn’t allow a run in 12 of his 15 games.

Thaddeus Ward, a right-hander claimed off waivers from Washington, had a 6.37 ERA in 23 games in 2023. He was a starter for Triple-A Rochester last season with a 5.64 ERA. Ward could be in Norfolk’s starting rotation.

Another interesting pitcher on a minor league contracts is right-hander Corbin Martin, whom executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias drafted in the second round for Houston in 2017. Martin, who has a 6.71 ERA in 17 games, including 10 starts with the Astros in 2019 and Arizona in 2021 and 2022, had a 4.05 ERA in 33 innings for Norfolk. He allowed only one home run after he was claimed off waivers from Milwaukee last May 13^th.

Levi Stoudt, who had a 9.58 ERA in four games for Cincinnati in 2023, was claimed off waivers from Seattle last June. Stoudt had a 2.70 ERA in 14 games for Bowie and a 6.92 ERA in eight games with the Tides.

Right-hander Nathan Webb signed a two-year minor league contract in October 2023. Webb, who reached Triple-A Omaha for Kansas City in 2022, has missed the last two seasons after Tommy John and right Achilles’ tendon surgery.

Left-hander Jakob Hernandez, who has been in professional ball since 2017, joined the Orioles’ organization last season and had an ERA of 1.17 in 12 games for the Baysox and High-A Aberdeen. He struck out 20 in 15 1/3 innings without allowing a home run.

Infielders Liván Soto, who hit .300 in 12 games with the Orioles last season, and Terrin Vavra, who re-signed with the organization this week, are the names most familiar to fans.

On Friday, the Orioles added infielder Luis Vázquez to the list of invitees. He passed through outright waivers a week after he was claimed from the Chicago Cubs and was designated for assignment on Tuesday after the club signed outfielder Ramón Laureano.

Vavra, who was originally acquired by the Orioles in August 2020 along with Tyler Nevin in the trade for Mychal Givens, played 67 games for the Orioles in 2022 and 2023. He has experience at second, third and the corner outfield spots.

Two former first-round picks — infielder Nick Gordon, the fifth overall selection by Minnesota in 2014, and outfielder Jordyn Adams, the 17^th round pick by the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 — also will be in camp.

Gordon, the son of longtime major league pitcher Tom Gordon, has four seasons of major league experience with the Twins and Miami. Adams played in 28 games for the Angels in 2023 and 2024.

Note: According to ESPN, Trey Mancini has agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mancini, who last played with the Orioles in July 2022, hasn’t played in the majors since his release by the Chicago Cubs in August 2023.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.