Reports out of Baltimore have Jorge López heading to the Minnesota Twins for multiple pitching prospects.
The Twins are sending LHP Cade Povich (No. 22 prospect), RHP Yennier Cano, RHP Juan Nuñez and LHP Juan Rojas back to the Orioles.
López, who was a 2022 All-Star has been one of the best relievers in baseball and was the corner piece to the electric Orioles bullpen.
López started his career in Baltimore, after he was claimed off waivers late in the shortened 2020 MLB season. Starting his O’s career as a starting pitcher in a struggling rotation, López could never find a rhythm in either the 2020 or 2021 seasons.
Before the 2022 season, we found out that O’s manager Brandon Hyde had moved López to the bullpen, and he would be the closer for the Orioles. López would then become a household name, as he would close out games and get out of many jams day and night.
López finished the 2022 season with the Orioles with a 4-6 record in 44 games, pitching 48.1 innings, giving up 30 hits, 15 runs, nine of them earned, for a 1.68 ERA. He would walk 17 batters and punch out 54.
One major piece in this trade coming back to Baltimore is LHP Cade Povich. The 21-year-old starter was the No. 22 prospect on the Twins and would most likely make the O’s top-30 list.
The 2021 third round draft pick out of the University of Nebraska has had an average minor league career thus far for the Twins. Not going higher than High-A this year, Povich has started in 16 games and has a 6-8 record in 78.2 innings pitched, giving up 71 hits, 47 runs, 39 of them earned, for a 4.46 ERA. He would walk 26 and punch out 107.
Another player in this trade is RHP Yennier Cano. The 28-year-old reliever is currently not ranked in the Twins top-30 prospect list.
Cano was an international free agent signing in 2019 to the Twins and has always been a solid reliever in Triple-A. But this year, he has broken out for sure.
In 20 games out of the pen, Cano has a 1-1 record in 23.2 innings pitched, giving up 16 hits, six runs, five earned, for a 1.90 ERA. He has walked six batters and punched out 25 as well.
Cano would also make his MLB debut this season on May 11 and would pitch in 10 games, holding a 1-0 record in 13.2 innings pitched.
The third pitching prospect that joins the organization is RHP Juan Nuñez. The 21-year-old pitcher is currently unranked in Minnesota’s top-30 prospects and will most likely not make the top-30 list for the Orioles.
Signed as a international free agent to the Twins, Nuñez currently has a very limited sample size of 19 total games in minor league ball.
In rookie ball this season, Nuñez has started seven games but pitched in eight total. He has an 0-2 record in 29.2 innings pitched, gave up 27 hits, 19 runs, 16 earned, for a 4.85 ERA. He has also walked 10 and punched out 47.
The final piece of the trade is LHP Juan Rojas. The 18-year-old pitcher was just signed at the beginning of the 2021 season. He currently has not gone any higher than rookie ball.
This season, Rojas has started five games but pitched in eight and has a 1-2 record in 30 innings pitched, giving up 23 hits, 12 runs, all of them being earned, for a 3.60 ERA. He has walked four and punched out 38.
It’s official that Jorge López is no longer an Orioles, but that does not mean that this team is going to quit. We thank Jorge for everything he has done for this organization and wish him the best on his future career.
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