Alvarez not ready to switch and pitch

BRADENTON, FLA. — Orioles prospect is one of the dozen outfield prospects in camp this spring, and a lot will have to change over the next five weeks for him to climb onto the 25-man roster. Which is why there has been speculation that the club might try to convert him into a pitcher.

Alvarez said Saturday that the team has approached him about making the switch — which was made recently and successfully by reliever — but he’s not ready to do that.

“They have approached me about becoming a pitcher, but for the moment I’m a hitter,” Alvarez said through interpreter

“That’s where my mindset is right now, is to be a hitter. The things I’ve done so far are as a hitter, so I look at myself as a hitter right now.”

Alvarez did pitch 22 games in Cuba over three seasons, according to Baseball-Reference.com. When asked what particular pitches he has in his repertoire, he said he throws a fastball, curveball and slider.

Givens made the switch and was 8-2 with a 3.13 ERA in his rookie season last year. But Alvarez said he has not talked to Givens about the transition.

“No, I have not spoken with him about it,” he said. “Right now, pitching is not in my mind. That is something that has not crossed my mind yet.” Walker claimed by Braves: First baseman the Orioles’ minor league Player of the Year in 2014, was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves on Saturday — four days after being designated for assignment to make room for newly acquired pitcher

Walker was a 2012 fourth-round draft pick out of South Carolina. He was once considered a top prospect but fell behind on the depth chart and spent last season playing left field at Triple-A Norfolk to position him better to advance to the major leagues.

The Orioles almost certainly would have kept Walker and outrighted him if he had passed through waivers unclaimed, but manager

said the claim was probably in the young first baseman’s best interests.

“It’s a good move for Christian,” Showalter said. “Where we are with

and it’s a good move for him as a human being and for his career. We felt with him having an option, there was a good possibility . ... I’m happy for him. He’ll get a good look and a good opportunity there.” McFarland on release waivers: Left-hander who was designated for assignment Feb. 18, has cleared outright waivers and has been placed on release waivers, according to an industry source.

McFarland was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster when the Orioles acquired left-handed swingman

in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

By passing McFarland through release waivers, the Orioles can avoid paying him the $685,000 he was owed in his first year of arbitration eligibility.

The move doesn’t necessarily end McFarland’s tenure with the Orioles. If he clears, he could re-sign with the team as a minor league free agent, but the Orioles would be competing with 29 other teams for his services. Janish is back: The Orioles continued to shore up their infield depth Saturday, re-signing veteran infielder

to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training.

Janish hit .194/.286/.226 in 14 major league games with the Orioles last season, but his biggest value was as defensive insurance at shortstop, third base and second base the past two seasons.

He spent most of the past two seasons at Norfolk primarily as the team’s starting shortstop. Last year, he hit .248/.333/.280 in 76 games for the Tides.

In recent weeks, the Orioles have made several moves to address their lack of infield depth, also signing veterans

and Around the horn: Showalter said Saturday that because of uncertainty related to Nuno’s role in the World Baseball Classic, he will pitch two innings in his first exhibition appearance to stretch him out a bit. …

has a sore foot after fouling a ball off it Friday, but he was in the team’s traveling party to Bradenton.