Leftovers for breakfast

The Orioles signed five more pitchers this week to minor league deals, according to Major League Baseball's transactions page: Right-handers Bryan Bautista, Raynel Duran, Wilton Rondon and Darwin Caballero, and left-hander Noelin Cuevas. They also signed right-hander Jarlin Guerrero on Monday, which I noted a few days later.

I didn't think the page was incorrect, but I checked anyway for confirmation. You're safe to run with it.

These are the signings that don't garner much attention. Internet searches don't produce much information. So far below the radar that they produce dust clouds.

The pitchers were international free agents and signed to bring more talent into the lowest level of the farm system. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias made it one of his priorities and has used free agency and trades to do it.

Elias' first in-season trade sent pitcher Andrew Cashner to the Red Sox for Dominican Summer League outfielder Elio Prado and infielder Noelberth Romero.

Shortstop Victor Gonzalez was the player to be named later in the Miguel Castro deal with the Mets and the Orioles assigned him to the DSL. Outfielder Mishael Deson was the PTBNL in the Mychal Givens deal with the Rockies after he spent the 2019 season in the DSL. Infielder Isaac De León was the PTBNL in the Richard Bleier deal with the Marlins and he advanced from the DSL to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League.

Pitcher Miguel Padilla was the PTBNL in the Hector Velázquez trade with the Astros. He pitched in the DSL in 2019.

Bautista, 17, Duran, 18, Rondon, 19, Caballero, 21, and Cuevas, 19, are assigned to the DSL Orioles2.

* While the Orioles didn't lose any players in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft, two pitchers were selected who had previous ties to the organization.

The Pirates selected left-hander Zach Matson from the Rockies. The Orioles picked him in the 24th round in 2016 out of Crowder College in Missouri and gave him a $75,000 bonus. They released him in March.

Matson had a 1.89 ERA and 0.947 WHIP in 16 relief appearances with short-season Single-A Aberdeen in 2018, walking 12 batters and striking out 30 in 19 innings, and a 2.55 ERA and 1.132 WHIP in 17 appearances with low Single-A Delmarva in 2019, walking 19 batters and striking out 63 in 35 1/3 innings. But his promotion to high Single-A Frederick produced a 5.01 ERA and 1.485 WHIP in 17 games, with 19 walks and 35 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings.

Matson made 35 relief appearances with Double-A Hartford this year and posted a 5.73 ERA and 1.303 WHIP. He walked 15 batters and struck out 57 in 33 innings.

The Dodgers selected Carson Fulmer from the Reds in the second round. The Orioles claimed the former first-round pick off waivers from the Pirates on Sept. 5, 2020 and lost him to Pittsburgh three weeks later on a waiver claim.

Fulmer had three scoreless and hitless relief appearances with the Orioles totaling 3 2/3 innings, which made his removal from the roster somewhat unexpected. He made 20 relief appearances with the Reds this summer and allowed 19 earned runs (20 total) and 26 hits in 25 2/3 innings, with 13 walks and 24 strikeouts.

* The Delmarva Shorebirds' 20th annual Hot Stove Banquet is set for Jan. 28 from 6-9 p.m. at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury.

Featured members of the roundtable discussion include MASNsports.com's Steve Melewski, Pete Kerzel and me.

Not necessarily in that order.

Joining us on stage will be Orioles director of minor league operations Kent Qualls, Shorebirds general manager Chris Bitters and Pat Filippone, president of 7th Inning Stretch LP, which owns the Shorebirds, Stockton Ports, and Everett Aquasox.

Preferred tables of eight cost $320 or on an individual basis for $40 each. Tickets must be purchased in advance and availability is limited. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with the program beginning an hour later. The event also includes a silent auction and raffle of sports memorabilia.

Information and to purchase tickets: 410-219-3112 or theshorebirds.com.

* Former Orioles pitcher Richie Lewis passed away on Wednesday, according to his family. He was 55.

An article in the Tallahassee Democrat passed along the news, but didn't provide a cause of death.

Lewis ranks among the best pitchers in Florida State history, setting the school record with 520 strikeouts from 1985-87. His major league career lasted parts of seven seasons, beginning and ending with the Orioles.

Listed at 5-feet-6 and given the nickname "Hellcat," Lewis was selected by the Expos in the second round of the 1987 draft and traded to the Orioles in August 1991 for minor league pitcher Chris Myers. The Marlins made him the 51st pick in the 1992 expansion draft and he bounced to five other organizations before signing with the Orioles in April 1998.

Lewis made two starts with the Orioles in 1992, allowing eight runs and 13 hits and walking seven batters in 6 2/3 innings. He appeared in two games after returning to them, including one start, and allowed eight runs and eight hits with five walks in 4 2/3 innings.

His last major league game was followed by years spent in Mexico, Korea and Triple-A in the Mets, Indians and Expos organizations. He didn't pitch after 2003.

Lewis, who lived in Melbourne, Fla., talked about his struggles with depression on a 2016 episode of "Dr. Phil."