Winter 2023 40-Man Additions

[luismatos4prez]

July Update

Lock

Heston Kjerstad: Nothing needs to be said here.

Probably added this season

Wandisson Charles: He's come out of nowhere. 2.95 FIP in Bowie, now 1.75 FIP in his first 3.1 IP in Norfolk. 

Need to step it up to get added

Hudson Haskin: Tony's #18 prospect right now, but he's hurt again. .268/.368/.463 in AAA is okay, but he also struck out 36% of the time and had a .422 BABIP. He's a McKenna type, so I could see a team taking him.

Jean Pinto: Tony's #21 prospect right now. Strong 50 IP with a 3.21 FIP in Aberdeen, but he's walked 5 guys in his first 5 innings in Bowie. He could get added with 50 strong innings in Bowie to finish the year.

Maverick Handley: .252/.389/.301 in an injury prone Norfolk year is not good enough to get added unless his defense is transcendental. He needs to prove he's better than the Anthony Bembooms of the world.

Notes

My guy Easton Lucas made it to AAA but has an 8.23 FIP after 8 IP there.

There will be plenty of space on the roster this offseason. There are more than 10 guys on the 40-man now who will not be here next year. 

If the deadline was today, I would protect Kjerstad, Haskin, and Charles. I'd leave off Pinto and Handley for now.

[CHIP]

On 7/1/2023 at 10:17 AM, luismatos4prez said:

Need to step it up to get added

Maverick Handley: .252/.389/.301 in an injury prone Norfolk year is not good enough to get added unless his defense is transcendental. He needs to prove he's better than the Anthony Bembooms of the world.

Notes

If the deadline was today, I would protect Kjerstad, Haskin, and Charles. I'd leave off Pinto and Handley for now.

I agree, if the deadline was 3 days ago... I would leave Handley off.  However, as your guy is Easton then I guess that makes my guy Maverick.

I disagree that this year has been injury prone.  He was hit by a 94 mph fastball on his left hand and was given a week for the swelling go down.  I actually checked with my friends during the Stanford Super Regional and it sounds like his treatment may not have been appropriate... thereby causing a change resulting in a muscle strain while compensating for the hand injury.  I would say being hit on the hands with pitches and foul balls into the mask causing concussion protocols, these injuries do not make a player 'prone' to injuries.

With that being said, after a 2nd opinion and being shut down for a couple weeks, he seems to be doing well.  Playing 4 games of 6 each week.  In the 11 games since his return to AAA, 0.342/0.419/0.447  resulting in a OPS of  0.866  

[luismatos4prez]

8 hours ago, CHIP said:

I agree, if the deadline was 3 days ago... I would leave Handley off.  However, as your guy is Easton then I guess that makes my guy Maverick.

I disagree that this year has been injury prone.  He was hit by a 94 mph fastball on his left hand and was given a week for the swelling go down.  I actually checked with my friends during the Stanford Super Regional and it sounds like his treatment may not have been appropriate... thereby causing a change resulting in a muscle strain while compensating for the hand injury.  I would say being hit on the hands with pitches and foul balls into the mask causing concussion protocols, these injuries do not make a player 'prone' to injuries.

With that being said, after a 2nd opinion and being shut down for a couple weeks, he seems to be doing well.  Playing 4 games of 6 each week.  In the 11 games since his return to AAA, 0.342/0.419/0.447  resulting in a OPS of  0.866  

He's raking right now, love to see it! I'll check back in at the end of the month to see if he's keeping it up.

Charles got shelled tonight in Norfolk.

[luismatos4prez]

August Update

Lock

Kjerstad - Nothing needs to be said here

On the Bubble

Pinto - 3.81 FIP as a SP in AA at age 22 is strong. Rom made it to AAA at age 22 last year to get protected, is 50 strong innings in AA enough for Pinto? Some say he has a reliever profile anyway, so maybe a team tries to stash him if he's unprotected.

Handley - .250/.412/.425 in July. If he's as a good defender as advertised, he could be protected as a 3rd catcher. On the other hand, most teams only keep 2 catchers on the 40-man and Mike almost never keeps 3.

Haskin - Out for the year with a hip injury. Could a team take him as a backup OF despite < 100 PAs in AAA?

Brnovich and Brandon Young - They're back and have a chance to pitch their way on to the roster if they look good.

Outside Looking In

Wandisson Charles - He dominated AA and I got hyped, but he's walked 11 guys in 9 IP in Norfolk.

Garrett Stallings - I like Stallings. I think he's a Spenser Watkins style depth starter. 4.59 FIP in AAA as a starter.

-

Things are getting fun now. I would protect Kjerstad, Pinto, and Handley if the season ended today, but I could see any of the bubble guys getting protected or left off. We'll have to see who makes a push over the next few weeks.

[RZNJ]

I’m not sure they protect any of the pitchers.  If you protect Pinto then why not Young.   I actually think Young is the better bet moving forward but they might just not protect any.   The way Elias likes to hoard AAAA catchers is a point in Handley’s favor.   I would protect Kjerstad, Handley, and Brandon Young.

[luismatos4prez]

September

Lock

Kjerstad

On the Bubble

Brandon Young - Last outing 4.2 IP 7 K 1 BB 3 H, that's enough to get me interested. Let's see how his last few outings go.

Outside the Bubble

Hudson Haskin - Looks like a Ryan McKenna type with only 96 AAA PAs. Hard to see adding him with our OF depth.

Maverick Handley - Below average AAA hitter, his defense would have to be transcendental to get added as a 3rd C.

Jean Pinto - 4.57 FIP in AA at age 22 is good but not good enough to get added.

Garrett Stallings - Spenser Watkins / Asher Wojciechowski type. 4.76 FIP in AAA.

Kyle Brnovich - Looked alright back from TJ then got hurt again and hasn't pitched since 8/10.

Wandisson Charles - Couldn't find the strike zone after getting promoted to AAA.

 

 

[seak05]

I’m going to guess Charles makes it. They’ve added relief pitchers we were surprised about the last few years. Charles fits the profile, hard thrower-poor control 

[luismatos4prez]

Final Update

I like them but wouldn't protect them

1. Hudson Haskin - .268/.368/.463 in 95 AAA PAs. He's a backup OF type anyway so a team could take him despite his lack of AAA experience.

2. Brandon Young - 4.26 ERA, 4.46 FIP in AA coming back from TJ. 

3. Garrett Stallings - 5.47 ERA, 4.30 FIP in AAA. Good AAA SP depth, but that's it right now.

4. Jean Pinto - 3.72 ERA, 4.48 FIP in AA at age 22. Scouting reports say he doesn't have much of a fastball, not someone you'd expect to be selected.

Had a chance but didn't do enough

5. Wandisson Charles - 8.40 BB/9 in AAA

6. Maverick Handley - .329 SLG in AAA

7. Kyle Brnovich - 6.70 FIP in AA coming back from TJ

--

I'm probably the only one that cares about this, but I had fun tracking these guys this year. There will be plenty of 40-man spots, but my final opinion is none of them are worth protecting in my opinion. Any disagreements? 

[waroriole]

Linking the current 40 man. It currently has 43, with 3 on the 60 day DL. https://www.mlb.com/orioles/roster/40-man
 

These guys can easily be removed:

Flaherty

Gibson

Krehbiel

Lopez

Zimmermann

Tate

Hicks

Removing those 7 gives us 4 spots to play with. I’m sure we don’t expect much FA activity again, so I don’t see the harm in adding guys who might otherwise get claimed. 

[RZNJ]

12 hours ago, luismatos4prez said:

Final Update

I like them but wouldn't protect them

1. Hudson Haskin - .268/.368/.463 in 95 AAA PAs. He's a backup OF type anyway so a team could take him despite his lack of AAA experience.

2. Brandon Young - 4.26 ERA, 4.46 FIP in AA coming back from TJ. 

3. Garrett Stallings - 5.47 ERA, 4.30 FIP in AAA. Good AAA SP depth, but that's it right now.

4. Jean Pinto - 3.72 ERA, 4.48 FIP in AA at age 22. Scouting reports say he doesn't have much of a fastball, not someone you'd expect to be selected.

Had a chance but didn't do enough

5. Wandisson Charles - 8.40 BB/9 in AAA

6. Maverick Handley - .329 SLG in AAA

7. Kyle Brnovich - 6.70 FIP in AA coming back from TJ

--

I'm probably the only one that cares about this, but I had fun tracking these guys this year. There will be plenty of 40-man spots, but my final opinion is none of them are worth protecting in my opinion. Any disagreements? 

I think you’re right.  There’s a good chance none of them are protected.   I liked what I saw of Brandon Young.  Being that he’s RH I think the odds are low that someone would take him as a bullpen piece.  If the Orioles really like him and have plenty of 40 man space, maybe they protect him?

[Aristotelian]

Handley is interesting. Someone should grab him if he is unprotected. If that happens, I would say that is a good sign Basallo is sticking at C, which I haven't heard much about lately. 

[btdart20]

12 hours ago, luismatos4prez said:

Final Update

I like them but wouldn't protect them

1. Hudson Haskin - .268/.368/.463 in 95 AAA PAs. He's a backup OF type anyway so a team could take him despite his lack of AAA experience.

2. Brandon Young - 4.26 ERA, 4.46 FIP in AA coming back from TJ. 

3. Garrett Stallings - 5.47 ERA, 4.30 FIP in AAA. Good AAA SP depth, but that's it right now.

4. Jean Pinto - 3.72 ERA, 4.48 FIP in AA at age 22. Scouting reports say he doesn't have much of a fastball, not someone you'd expect to be selected.

Had a chance but didn't do enough

5. Wandisson Charles - 8.40 BB/9 in AAA

6. Maverick Handley - .329 SLG in AAA

7. Kyle Brnovich - 6.70 FIP in AA coming back from TJ

--

I'm probably the only one that cares about this, but I had fun tracking these guys this year. There will be plenty of 40-man spots, but my final opinion is none of them are worth protecting in my opinion. Any disagreements? 

None on this list or beyond that I'd really lose much sleep over.  Haskins is a bubble guy because he can play CF.  I wouldn't be surprised either way though...

Brnovich and Young seem to have some more upside in them as well.  

What about a Moises Chace?  It would be a stretch because he's in low A Delmarva now.  20 y/o with a live arm.  FG shows he's R5 eligible this Dec.

[MurphDogg]

4 hours ago, waroriole said:

Linking the current 40 man. It currently has 43, with 3 on the 60 day DL. https://www.mlb.com/orioles/roster/40-man
 

These guys can easily be removed:

Flaherty

Gibson

Krehbiel

Lopez

Zimmermann

Tate

Hicks

Removing those 7 gives us 4 spots to play with. I’m sure we don’t expect much FA activity again, so I don’t see the harm in adding guys who might otherwise get claimed. 

I don't think Tate will get non-tendered. He had a 3.05 ERA in 2022 and will certainly not receive much of a raise from $1.5M in his second year of arbitration, given that he was injured all season.

I think he retains his 40-man roster spot.

I see no reason to non-tender Joey Krehbiel. He isn't arbitration eligible, still has options remaining for next year, and pitched fine in AAA and in the Majors this season so he is a fine option to ride the Norfolk-Baltimore shuttle for another year.

Zimmermann also is not arbitration eligible and has options remaining, but hasn't pitched as well this year in Baltimore or Norfolk, so his roster spot is at risk with additions, but no need to non-tender him until we need the space since he won't make more than the minimum.

I could be talked into bringing back Jorge Lopez, but not at arbitration prices, so I agree that he will be non-tendered.

Flaherty, Gibson and Hicks are free agents and all come off automatically.

Also, you forgot Fuji, who is a free agent, so he comes off automatically as well.

So that drops us to 38, with Zimmermann probably the next man off.

Vespi, Baker, Stowers, Vavra and McKenna (who doesn't have options remaining so he can't be sent down next year) are probably next on the chopping block. Mike Baumann and Cole Irvin are also out of options next season, so their spots aren't particularly secure either.

Mateo is a potential non-tender candidate as well, I don't want to guarantee him a raise from the $2M he made last season.

Edited September 28, 2023 by MurphDogg

[RZNJ]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

Handley is interesting. Someone should grab him if he is unprotected. If that happens, I would say that is a good sign Basallo is sticking at C, which I haven't heard much about lately. 

Could be.  It could also be an endorsement of Silas Ardoin who came on with the bat and held his own in AA this year.  Ardoin is supposed to be solid defensively.    I’d say it’s probably a long shot that anyone takes Handley.

[Il BuonO]

I’m continually amazed at the fascination with minor league stats. They’re good for some predictive value, but especially for pitchers, what’s the stuff like? Do they have above average velocity? Will the secondaries play at the highest level?

I remember telling people Tanner Scott was going nowhere when they said he should be released. They give guys with plus velocity a lot of room. Moreover, if the other offerings are average to plus there’s something with which to work regardless of what the stats say from a particular season. 

Heck, they have a guy on the ML roster now who’s ERA is 7+! I’ve seen him walk the bases loaded twice! Another guy has a 6+ ERA. And this isn’t taking in more predictive stats. What’s the common theme? They both throw hard and the overall stuff is good. Now, I’m not sure either of them are ML pitchers-especially on a playoff team, but somebody sees something.