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 yr, he went by means of Single-A, Excessive-A, Double-A and Triple-A, succeeding at each cease. He got here into this yr because the consensus prime prospect within the league and was invited to large league camp. He may hardly have achieved 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 an alternative, he’ll go to Triple-A and await his debut. The transfer may have repercussions for his path to free company and arbitration, relying on how lengthy it takes him to get the decision. A significant league season lasts 187 days however it takes 172 for a participant to earn a full yr of service time. Meaning Holliday may nonetheless get to the one-year mark if he’s referred to 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 yr in 2024, then he gained’t be on monitor to get to 6 years and free company by the top of 2029.
The newest collective bargaining settlement comprises measures to incentivize groups so as to add prime prospects to their roster and discourage service time manipulation. A participant can nonetheless earn a full yr of service time, even when not referred to as up early sufficient, if he finishes within the prime two in Rookie of the Yr voting. Moreover, groups that carry a prospect on the roster lengthy sufficient to get a standard full yr of service time can web themselves an additional draft decide if the participant wins Rookie of the Yr or finishes prime three within the voting for Most Helpful Participant or Cy Younger throughout their pre-arbitration seasons. To qualify for these measures, a participant must be on at the least 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 subsequently in play. The Orioles already noticed this play out in 2022 when Adley Rutschman was injured for the beginning of the yr and was slated to return up shy of 1 yr of service, however completed second in ROY voting and earned that full yr anyway.
It appears neither the incentives nor the disincentives swayed the Orioles a lot and they’re going to hold 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 as we speak, giving the O’s 48 hours to resolve about him.
It’s additionally considerably stunning that Kjerstad and Stowers bought 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 be round and must be within the combine.
Stowers has hit simply .207/.267/.331 within the majors however has significantly better numbers within the minors and is having an incredible spring. He has seven homers in Grapefruit League play and a line of .256/.267/.744, however he’ll must 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 yr. Regardless, he will even have to attend for his subsequent main league alternative.
The Orioles determine to have probably the most proficient Triple-A groups this yr, at the least 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.
