The Orioles introduced that they’ve optioned outfielders Heston Kjerstad and Kyle Stowers whereas catcher David Bañuelos, infielders Jackson Holliday and Coby Mayo, infielder/outfielder Connor Norby and right-hander Albert Suárez have been reassigned to minor league camp.
Holliday not making the membership registers as a shock, regardless of his youth. He simply turned 20 in December however has appeared to be on a beeline for the majors. Final 12 months, he went via Single-A, Excessive-A, Double-A and Triple-A, succeeding at each cease. He got here into this 12 months because the consensus high prospect within the league and was invited to large league camp. He might hardly have completed far more to earn a spot, as he slashed .311/.354/.600 right here within the spring, however evidently wasn’t sufficient for the Orioles so as to add him to their main league roster.
As a substitute, he’ll go to Triple-A and await his debut. The transfer might have repercussions for his path to free company and arbitration, relying on how lengthy it takes him to get the decision. A serious league season lasts 187 days but it surely takes 172 for a participant to earn a full 12 months of service time. Which means Holliday might nonetheless get to the one-year mark if he’s known as up within the first couple of weeks of the season, although the O’s could also be motivated to not let that occur. If he can’t get to 1 12 months in 2024, then he gained’t be on observe to get to 6 years and free company by the top of 2029.
The most recent collective bargaining settlement accommodates measures to incentivize groups so as to add high prospects to their roster and discourage service time manipulation. A participant can nonetheless earn a full 12 months of service time, even when not known as up early sufficient, if he finishes within the high two in Rookie of the Yr voting. Moreover, groups that carry a prospect on the roster lengthy sufficient to get a standard full 12 months of service time can web themselves an additional draft choose if the participant wins Rookie of the Yr or finishes high three within the voting for Most Invaluable Participant or Cy Younger throughout their pre-arbitration seasons. To qualify for these measures, a participant must be on not less than two of the highest 100 prospect lists at MLB.com, ESPN or Baseball America.
As talked about, Holliday is the consensus primary prospect within the league and all of that’s due to this fact in play. The Orioles already noticed this play out in 2022 when Adley Rutschman was injured for the beginning of the 12 months and was slated to come back up shy of 1 12 months of service, however completed second in ROY voting and earned that full 12 months anyway.
It appears neither the incentives nor the disincentives swayed the Orioles a lot and they’re going to maintain Holliday within the minors for now. That seemingly leaves Gunnar Henderson because the on a regular basis shortstop whereas Jordan Westburg and Ramón Urías deal with second and third base. That would maybe depart a bench spot open for Kolten Wong, who triggered his opt-out at present, giving the O’s 48 hours to resolve about him.
It’s additionally considerably shocking that Kjerstad and Stowers obtained despatched down, however maybe much less so. The O’s have a full outfield consisting of Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays and Anthony Santander, with Ryan Mountcastle and Ryan O’Hearn sharing first base and the designated hitter spot. Colton Cowser can also be round and ought to be within the combine.
Stowers has hit simply .207/.267/.331 within the majors however has a lot better numbers within the minors and is having an ideal spring. He has seven homers in Grapefruit League play and a line of .256/.267/.744, however he’ll should function depth in the intervening time. Kjerstad didn’t present as a lot this spring, hitting simply .265/.294/.286, however he made a pleasant debut within the bigs late final 12 months. Regardless, he may also have to attend for his subsequent main league alternative.
The Orioles determine to have one of the crucial gifted Triple-A groups this 12 months, not less than to start the season. As accidents crop up all year long, as they do for all golf equipment, they’re the one greatest positioned to seek out appropriate replacements ready within the wings.
