Dariel Álvarez prefers pitching in as an outfielder

BRADENTON, Fla. - Dariel Álvarez is in Orioles camp again this spring as an outfielder and is showing no interest in making the transition to pitcher.

Álvarez, 28, confirmed that the Orioles approached him with the idea, but he's trying to make the club at his natural position.

"At the moment, I'm a hitter," he said through interpreter Ramon Alarcon. "That's where my mindset is right now, to be a hitter. The things that I've done so far as a hitter. So I look at myself as a hitter right now."

The Orioles have 12 outfielders in camp and it probably would take multiple injuries to open a spot for him. Given a $800,000 bonus in July 2013 after defecting from the Cuban National Team six months earlier, Álvarez has gone 8-for-32 with one home run in 14 major league games. He hit .288/.324/.384 with 38 doubles and four home runs last summer at Triple-A Norfolk.

Dariel Alvarez swings white.jpgÁlvarez is rated as having a plus-plus arm that makes him an intriguing prospect as a pitcher. He'd probably have to start out at the Single-A level.

According to Baseball-Reference.com, Álvarez made 22 relief appearances over three seasons in Cuba in 2006, 2007 and 2009. He was 1-4 with a 3.62 ERA in 32 1/3 innings, allowing only one home run, walking 12 and striking out 18.

"I did pitch in Cuba," he said. "That's something very common over there, to hit and pitch, as well."

Álvarez, who throws a fastball, curveball and slider, said he hasn't spoken to Mychal Givens about making the transition from position player to pitcher. Givens has morphed into a valuable late-inning reliever for the Orioles after they drafted him as a shortstop, going 10-2 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.156 WHIP in 88 games over the last two seasons.

"Right now, pitching is not in my mind," Álvarez said, "so that's something that has not crossed my mind yet."

Álvarez played for Camaguey in the Cuban League from 2007-2011. In his final season, he set career highs with a .363/.404/.613 slash line, 20 home runs and 81 RBIs at age 22.

A year later, he batted .317/.355/.464 in 192 plate appearances for Tuxpan in Mexico.

Back in camp with the Orioles, Álvarez wants a shot to head north as one of their outfielders. He'll come off the bench today against the Pirates in Bradenton, just as he did yesterday against the Tigers in Lakeland.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to be here," he said. "I think I have the chance to be here and compete, so I just want to stay healthy to compete."

Meanwhile, first baseman/outfielder David Washington remains day-to-day after jamming his right shoulder Tuesday while diving back into first base on an attempted pickoff.

"It's fine," he said. "Just making sure nothing gets any worse than it needs to be. Just taking it very slow right now.

"After the game, it was kind of barking at me. So I wanted to go and make sure to get that taken care of right away."

The Orioles have brought pitchers Jefri Hernandez, Jimmy Yacabonis, John Means and Cody Satterwhite, and infielders Erick Salcedo, Garabez Rosa and Preston Palmeiro from minor league camp. Catcher Welington Castillo is listed on the travel roster.

Mike Wright opposes the Phillies' Clay Buchholz Tuesday in Clearwater.




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