The Orioles decided to use the coldest month of the year to make some hot moves for the 2023 season, as earlier today, they announced a flurry of roster moves.
To start things off, the Orioles decided to claim left-handed first baseman Lewin Díaz off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Díaz, a 26-year-old from Sanitago, Dominican Republic, was an amateur free agent that Minnesota signed in 2013. For his minor league career, he has slashed .263/.322/.469 with a .792 OPS and also has 102 home runs and over 600 hits in eight years.
Díaz made his big league debut in August of 2020 with the Marlins and had not had the best start to his MLB career. In 112 games over two years, he slashed .181/.227/.340 with a .567 OPS and has hit 13 home runs and just 10 doubles so far in the big leagues.
Díaz will most likely spend his time in Triple-A Norfolk or be an emergency first baseman or designated hitter. It really depends on how he performs during spring training.
The Orioles have also made their first signing of the offseason, signing utility player Franchy Cordero to a minor league deal for the 2023 season.
Cordero, a 28-year-old from Azua, Dominican Republic, spent the last two years with the Boston Red Sox. He also spent some time with the San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals but is most known for being a piece in the 2021 trade that sent Andrew Benintendi to Kansas City.
In 84 games for Boston last season, Cordero slashed .219/.300/.397 with eight long balls and 29 RBIs. Out of his 53 total hits, 28 were for extra bases, including 17 doubles.
Cordero was signed to a split contract that can pay $1.35 million if he makes the majors or $450K if he plays in the minors, per Robert Murray.
Cordero is more than likely a depth piece that moves between the major league and Triple-A roster. Again, like Díaz, his spring training performance will determine his status in the organization.
In other news, the Orioles lost outfielder Jake Cave to the Phillies on the waiver wire, and outfielder Daz Cameron has cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.
What are your thoughts on all of these roster moves? Let us know in the comments below! And make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook and Twitter, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
Like Zack’s content? Follow him on Twitter – @Zackattack8211
The Baltimore Battery 