Relievers
While the Orioles are going to have plenty of relievers with minor league options next year — the count conservatively is at 15 — there’s always a need for more relief arms to try to build depth.
The outside desire for the Orioles to spend a few million dollars on an established reliever or two is pretty far from the reality, but there are plenty of minor league free agents the Orioles could use to replenish their stocks — especially with the likes of Jimmy Yacabonis, Pedro Araujo, Ryan Eades and Luis Gonzalez exercising their own right for minor league free agency and thinning the pool.
Here are a few names to look at:
Jamie Callahan, San Francisco
Callahan has bounced around since being a second-round pick of the Red Sox in 2012, but had gaudy strikeout numbers once he returned from shoulder surgery in the Giants system in August.
Kyle Finnegan, Oakland
Finnegan struck out 12.8 batters per nine in the high-minors, with a mid-90s fastball and a splitter. He also didn’t give up many homers once he got to Triple-A Las Vegas. Ian Gardeck, Tampa Bay
Gardeck pitched a half-season in the Rays system and has struggled to stay healthy, but has a big fastball and has struck out over a batter per inning over his career.
Alexander Guillen, Colorado
A fastball-slider reliever in Double-A, Guillen, 23, has struck out over 10 batters per nine in the last five seasons, including 10.68 in 2019. He had a 1.53 ERA this season. Luis Martinez, Chicago White Sox
A move to the bullpen allowed Martinez, 24, to strike out a career-high 10.71 batters per nine while keeping the ball in the park and actually pitching better than his 4.26 ERA indicated.
Rob Kaminsky, Cleveland
Identified as a first-round pick with the Cardinals after Elias, Sig Mejdal and company left St. Louis for Houston, Kaminsky’s 2019 went a lot like most relievers on this list: success at Double-A, then a lot more strikeouts, a lot more walks, and a lot more home runs at Triple-A. If his stuff still profiles the way the model liked it in St. Louis, he can be an option.
Alex Powers, Cincinnati
After three years in Double-A, Powers got the bump to Triple-A in 2019 and had a 1.98 ERA while striking out over a batter per inning and keeping the ball in the park. He throws from a low slot with good extension and has three pitches to miss bats with.
Ben Taylor, Arizona
Taylor debuted with the Red Sox in 2017, pitched in the Indians organization in 2018, and then spent 2019 at Triple-A Reno in their launching pad. A team that signs him will focus on his 11.25 strikeouts per nine.