Even when Major League Baseball was fully operational and a lockout only meant that a guard needed to open the gate to the players' lot after hours, the Orioles welcomed and encouraged the increased attention on their minor league system. The talent pumped into it via the draft and international signings, the developmental tools and personnel spliced into the organization, a modernized approach that the rest of the industry was embracing. Can't stand the sight of the mounting losses that...

With yesterday's waiver claim of reliever Bryan Baker, the Orioles are carrying 17 pitchers on a 40-man roster that is unrecognizable since the final game on Oct. 3. Baker's arrival leaves the Orioles with 32 players on it, still plenty of space to protect minor league prospects in the Rule 5 draft and perhaps to claim two - again, if the Winter Meetings aren't nixed after the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement. I did my share of speculating on the bubble pitchers and...

As the Orioles discuss which players to protect in the Rule 5 draft and how to create the necessary space on the 40-man roster, they're expected to again bypass catcher Brett Cumberland and roll the dice that he'll go unclaimed or return later to the organization. Gambling in baseball can be done without placing actual bets. Cumberland remains under team control and could continue his development at Triple-A Norfolk, where he appeared in 84 games while sharing time at various points of the...

The Orioles remain in the market for a new hitting coach and a replacement for José Hernández as assistant hitting coach as he moves into a different role, and they've progressed to the point of conducting multiple interviews. Many of the exterior dominos might need to fall with so many jobs open throughout baseball. I've heard that the Orioles interviewed "several people" from other teams, as well as coaches who currently are free agents trying to land with a new club, which doesn't...

If Tyler Nevin wanted to leave a nice impression on the Orioles heading into the offseason, hitting a 442-foot home run on the last day seemed like a solid idea. Nevin, 24, reached the third deck in left field at Rogers Centre against Blue Jays starter Hyun Jin Ryu for his first career home run in his sixth major league game. It was the longest first homer by an Oriole since the Statcast era. I should point out that the Statcast era dates back only to 2015, so we're not taking a deep dive into...

By assigning players to the Arizona Fall League, the Orioles can find at-bats that were missing due to various injuries. For infielder Greg Cullen, it was his hamstring that turned his promotion to Double-A Bowie into a challenge to stay on the field. Getting on base isn't an issue when he's healthy. Cullen came out of Tuesday's game with the Mesa Solar Sox due to soreness in his leg, but he received clearance the next day to resume activities. His two stops on the IL with the Baysox limited...

There are plenty of people inside the Orioles organization who are convinced that, if Yusniel Diaz could stay healthy and play in an uninterrupted stretch of games, he'd be a major league outfielder and a hitter capable of occupying a spot in the middle of the order. Diaz also has some doubters, but the argument is moot if injuries keep dragging him down. Viewed as the jewel of the 2018 Manny Machado trade with the Dodgers, Diaz left a May 9 game in Jacksonville with a right quadriceps strain...

The first mailbag of the 2021 offseason is upon us. Keep breathing normally and suspending disbelief. Many topics are impossible to answer on this date - and some are impossible on any date - but I'm not above fudging it like a Keebler cookie. What's important is that you keep asking and I keep answering and you keep ignoring my responses and asking again and I discover a new sequel. Also important is that I remain a mailbag rebel. Let the length overflow. Let the lack of style be our...

The Orioles will have eight players representing the organization with the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League. Pitchers Cameron Bishop, Logan Gillaspie, Conner Loeprich and Nick Vespi, catcher Ramon Rodriguez, infielder Greg Cullen, and outfielders Yusniel Diaz and Kyle Stowers will play for Mesa. Rodriguez is on the taxi squad. Triple-A Norfolk hitting coach Tim Gibbons will serve in the same capacity with the Solar Sox. The first game is Wednesday, Oct. 13. The annual Fall Stars Game...

The removal of Don Long as hitting coach yesterday will lead the Orioles to their latest set of offseason interviews. With candidates tabbed inside and outside the organization. The first step was informing Long of the decision, followed by the compiling of a list of names that won't be rushed. Tim Gibbons could get consideration after completing his first season as Triple-A Norfolk hitting coach. The Orioles aren't afraid to venture outside the box and Gibbons has performed these duties for...

The routine nature of a walk increases in visibility and importance when it involves the Orioles, who went through another stretch where a free pass seemed too costly. Their batters didn't walk in the first two games of the Braves series and totaled one over four nights. Ryan Mountcastle ran the count full in the first inning yesterday and laid off 94 mph sinker out of the strike zone - dropping his bat, trotting to first base and achieving something that shouldn't be celebrated. Austin Wynns...

On the same day that Baseball America upgraded the Orioles farm system to No. 2 behind the Mariners, their highest ranking since the publication began keeping count 37 years ago, the club announced a boatload of minor league promotions headed by 2021 first-round draft pick Colton Cowser moving up from the Rookie-level Florida Complex League to low Single-A Delmarva. Infielder Jordan Westburg advanced from high Single-A Aberdeen to Double-A Bowie, leaving behind infielder Gunnar Henderson. They...

Rylan Bannon has been hearing the same message from his hitting coach upon returning to the dugout after launching another home run for Triple-A Norfolk. "This is who you are." This isn't how Bannon played earlier in the season, but the turnaround has picked up speed like a tornado. Bannon came to the plate yesterday with the bases loaded in Game 1 of a doubleheader against Memphis and cleared them with a double. He had two hits and was 7-for-11 with five home runs and nine RBIs in his last...

The new hires and reassignments in the Orioles' minor league system that were made public yesterday in a press release included a batch of names from outside professional baseball. As expected and, in some cases, already reported. Tim Gibbons, the hitting coach at Double-A Bowie, worked as director of hitting at Elite Sports Training. Ryan Fuller, the hitting coach at Single-A Delmarva, comes from Power in Training. These aren't affiliates. There are recent interns, trainees and apprentices....