O’s re-sign Ripken, Williams

Nine of 12 signees were in the organization last season

The Orioles’ first batch of minor league free agents will have infielder Ryan Ripken, outfielder Mason Williams and 10 others contributing to the team’s high-minors depth in 2020.

While Williams and infielder José Rondon were the only ones to see major-league time last season with the Orioles, nine of the 12 signees were in the organization last year — Ripken, right-hander Christian Alvarado, right-hander Francisco Jiménez, lefthander Hunter Cervenka, Rondón, infielder Jesmuel Valentín, Williams, and catchers Martin Cervenka and Daniel Fajardo.

Ripken, the son of Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., had his best professional season in 2019, hitting .276 with a .720 OPS at Double-A Bowie. Alvardo, Jimenez and Valentin were also part of that playoff team with the Baysox.

The three players from outside the organization — left-hander Rob Zastrzyzny, infielder Malquin Canelo and infielder Ángelo Mora — each have strong pedigrees. Zastrzyzny was a second-round pick for the Chicago Cubs in 2013 and made his major-league debut while Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was on their major-league coaching staff, though he never solidified himself there and spent 2019 in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

Mora has also spent the last two years in the high minors for the Dodgers, primarily playing second base and third base in 2019 but with some shortstop in his past. He’s a career .260 minor league hitter who was signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Philadelphia Phillies when Orioles senior director of international scouting Koby Perez was on that staff.

Canelo, too, was signed by the Phillies out of the Dominican Republic when Perez was on their international staff. He spent 2019 at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in that organization, mostly playing shortstop but adding center field to his repertoire as well and hitting .262 with a .670 OPS.