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Since the end of the 2024 season, 10 players have been added to the 40-man roster. Let’s look at who’s gone and who’s new.
Who left?
Since the ’24 season ended, pitchers Corbin Burnes, Danny Coulombe, Jacob Webb, John Means, Brooks Kriske, Burch Smith and Matt Bowman; catchers Blake Hunt and James McCann; infielder Liván Soto, outfielders Anthony Santander, Austin Slater, Eloy Jiménez and Daniel Johnson came off the 40-man roster.
Four players– infielder Jorge Mateo and pitchers Félix Bautista, Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells — were put back on the 40-man roster after finishing the season on the 60-day injured list.
Burnes signed with Arizona, Bowman was re-signed to a minor league contract. Kriske and Smith signed minor league contracts with the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh. Webb signed with Texas. Hunt was traded to Seattle, Soto cleared waivers on Friday and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. Jiménez signed a minor league deal with Tampa Bay. Slater signed with the Chicago White Sox.
Coulombe, Means, McCann, Johnson and Santander are unsigned.
Who’s new?
Pitchers:
Luis González: González is a 33-year-old left-hander who hasn’t pitched in the major leagues. He’s had two stints in the minor leagues with the Orioles, and on November 4th, was elevated to the 40-man roster, a move that was unforeseen. That prevented González from signing elsewhere as a minor league free agent or being taken in the Rule 5 draft.
Selling point: His strength is his control. González struck out 71 and walked 12 in 60 innings for Norfolk and received consideration when the Orioles needed a reliever but stayed with the Tides all season.
In winter ball, González struck out 18 and walked just two for Aguilas in the Dominican Republic.
While this will be his first spring training on the 40-man roster, González was a non-roster invite last year.
Outlook: He’ll probably begin the season in Norfolk but is one of the few relievers with options remaining and is likely to finally make his big league debut in 2025, 15 years after he began his professional career.
Andrew Kittredge
Kittredge was signed to a one-year, $10 million contract with a 2026 option. He’s 23-12 with a 3.44 ERA in eight seasons, seven with Tampa Bay and one with St. Louis.
He appeared in a career-high 74 games with the Cardinals last season and had a 2.80 ERA. In 2021, he made the American League All-Star team when he was 9-3 with eight saves and a 1.88 ERA with the Rays.
Selling point: Kittredge provides late-inning depth, is familiar with the American League East.
Outlook: While Kittredge may not close often, he should pitch often in the seventh and eighth innings.
Charlie Morton
When the 41-year-old Morton pitches for the Orioles, he’ll be their oldest pitcher this century. Jesse Orosco pitched for them at 42 in 1999. Morton was signed to a one-year, $15 million contract.
Morton has spent much of his 17-year career in the National League, with Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Philadelphia, but he and Kittredge were teammates with the Rays in 2019 and 2020.
A two-time All-Star, Morton was 8-10 with a 4.19 ERA in 30 starts with the Braves last season.
Selling point: Morton brings consistency, maturity and postseason experience. He’s started 17 postseason games and pitched in three World Series.
Outlook: He’ll be slotted anywhere from third to fifth in the Orioles’ rotation.
Kade Strowd
Strowd has been in the Orioles’ organization since 2019, and while he was available in two previous Rule 5 drafts, he wasn’t taken. The Orioles were concerned about losing him in December’s draft, so he was protected.
Though he has a 4.99 ERA in five minor league seasons, the Orioles are impressed with his fastball.
Selling point: He struck out 71 in 51 1/3 innings with Norfolk and Double-A Bowie.
Outlook: Like González, Strowd has three minor league options and should see time with the Orioles this season but is likely to begin 2025 in Norfolk
Tomoyuki Sugano
The 35-year-old Japanese right-hander is the first player signed from Japan by Mike Elias. He has one-year contract for $13 million. While the competition in Japan isn’t close to the major leagues, Sugano dominated last year with a 15-3 record and 1.67 ERA in 24 starts for the Yomiuri Giants.
Selling point: Control. Sugano walked just 16 batters in 156 2/3 innings last season, fewer than one per nine innings. He allowed 7.6 hits per nine innings.
Outlook: Sugano, who pitched in a six-man rotation in Japan. probably will be slotted in the back of the Orioles’ rotation.
Brandon Young
It was a surprise when the Orioles added González and Strowd to the 40-man roster, but it was no surprise when Young was added.
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020, Young has methodically made his way up the Orioles’ organization and was 5-6 with a 3.57 ERA in 27 games for Norfolk and Bowie. Young was named the Orioles’ top minor league pitcher in 2024.
Selling point: Young struck out 132 batters in 111 innings last season. In his minor league career, Young has allowed fewer than a hit per inning and fewer than a home run per nine innings.
Outlook: Another pitcher with three options, Young probably will start the season in Norfolk’s rotation, but she hould get a call to Baltimore before too long.
Catcher:
Gary Sánchez
The Orioles wanted an upgrade in offense from McCann, who was a respected catcher and clubhouse leader.
Sanchez signed for a one year and $8.5 million after hitting .220 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs with Milwaukee. He spent much of his time as a designated hitter last season and caught just 28 times.
Selling point: His potential power. Sánchez hit 67 home runs in 2017 and 2019 with the New York Yankees, earning All-Star Game appearances.
Outlook: Sánchez is seen as a placeholder until 20-year-old Samuel Basallo, the Orioles’ No. 2 prospect, is ready. The Orioles will be his sixth team since 2021, and it would be a surprise if he completed the season with them.
Infielder:
Jacob Amaya
Amaya was claimed off waivers from the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. There’s always movement on the back end of the 40-man roster during the offseason, and Amaya took the place of Soto, who was designated for assignment when the Orioles claimed right-hander Roansy Contreras off waivers from Cincinnati.
Contreras was designated for assignment when Amaya was claimed.
In 28 major league games with Minnesota, Houston and the White Sox in 2023 and 2024, Amaya hit .182 in 28 games.
Selling point: The Orioles are short on middle infielders in the upper levels of the minor leagues, and if Amaya can pass through waivers, he can play second and shortstop at Norfolk and be available if there’s a need.
Outlook: The Orioles have plenty of infielders on their roster. It would take an injury, or injuries, for Amaya to have a shot at the majors, and he might not stay on the 40-man roster for long.
Outfielders:
Daz Cameron
Cameron was purchased from Oakland on October 31st. He played the entire 2023 season at Norfolk and didn’t get a call when either Cedric Mullins or Aaron Hicks were injured.
Last season, in his most extensive major league experience, Cameron hit .200 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 66 games with Oakland. He played 73 games with Detroit from 2020-2022 and hit .201.
Selling point: He’s a capable emergency outfielder and can play each of the three outfield spots.
Outlook: It might take multiple injuries for him to make the Opening Day roster, and if the Orioles want to send him to Norfolk as insurance, he has no options remaining and must pass through waivers.
Tyler O’Neill
O’Neill is the first free agent to sign for multiple years since Elias took control in November 2018. His three-year, $49.5 million contract has an opt-out after this season.
He hit 31 home runs in 113 games for Boston last season, but struck out 159 times. He had an .847 OPS, which would have trailed only Gunnar Henderson’s .893.
Anthony Santander, whom he is effectively replacing, hit 44 home runs and had an .814 OPS.
Selling point: O’Neill can play all three outfield positions, and he hits right-handed while outfielders, Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad and Cedric Mullins hit left-handed. His power combined with Kjerstad’s could make up for the loss of Santander.
Outlook: O’Neill probably will hit lots of home runs and strike out often, but if he hits 30 home runs and plays capably in right field, he’ll be fine.
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