5 contenders for O's final bench spot
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SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Orioles’ 2023 starting nine is fairly easy to project, even though it’s early in Spring Training. So is most of their bench, as three of the four spots should go to backup catcher James McCann, outfielder Ryan McKenna and whichever one of the rotating infielders isn’t playing on a given day (such as Adam Frazier, Jorge Mateo or Ramón Urías).
That would leave one open roster spot for a bench piece, with a host of candidates vying for it. Many of them are left-handed hitters (which Baltimore would prefer), and most of them can play first base, where the Orioles are trying to decide how they’ll back up Ryan Mountcastle.
With the O’s set to play their Grapefruit League opener vs. the Twins on Saturday afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium, here’s a breakdown of five bubble players who will be competing for the spot and will be important to watch in games this spring:
1B/OF Franchy Cordero
What he brings: Cordero has offensive potential, even if he hasn’t shown it in 227 big league games (a .676 OPS over six seasons). The 28-year-old has a career .306/.377/.559 slash line in 224 Triple-A contests.
What he said: “Working on my presence at home plate, controlling the batter’s box and contributing to the team in any way that I can to help the team win at the end of the day -- that’s what it’s all about. I think if I continue to do that, I’ll have a good chance.”
Outlook: Cordero said he spent 80 percent of his defensive work this offseason at first, where he committed eight errors in 53 games for the Red Sox last season. He’ll need to show he’s improved there, while also producing more with his bat.
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1B Lewin Díaz
What he brings: Díaz is a plus defender at first base. The 26-year-old’s eight outs above average over the past two seasons (per Statcast) rank second at the position, despite him playing only 98 games.
What he said: “If I just continue to do good things and go about my work in a good way, then good things are going to come out of it.”
Outlook: A former top prospect in Miami’s system, Díaz has hit much better in the Minors (an .829 OPS in 156 Triple-A games) than the Majors (a .567 OPS in 112 games). He needs more offensive production to pair with his above-average defense.
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OF Nomar Mazara
What he brings: Mazara has showcased his offensive capability in the past, as he hit either 19 or 20 homers every year from 2016-19 with the Rangers. He had a .754 OPS in 537 games over that span.
What he said: “One of the main reasons I came here, even though it was a Minor League contract, was to make the team. There could be something good here. ... I think I can help them at some point, or whenever they’re going to need me.”
Outlook: The 27-year-old doesn’t play first base, so the Orioles would then need to rely on others (such as McCann and outfielder Anthony Santander) as backups. But if Mazara rakes this spring, he could force his way onto the team as a backup corner outfielder/designated hitter.
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1B/OF Ryan O'Hearn
What he brings: O’Hearn hit 26 homers in 149 games for the Royals from 2018-19, so the power potential is there. The 29-year-old is also a capable defender at first and the corner outfield.
What he said: “I’ve never shied away from competition. I’ve never come into a Spring Training with a guaranteed roster spot, so I think this is nothing new for me. It’s definitely exciting. It makes it fun. I love to compete.”
Outlook: At his best, O’Hearn fits the bill of the type of player Baltimore would like to have on its bench. But he’ll need to show that he can hit more consistently after posting a .622 OPS in 193 big league games from 2020-22.
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IF/OF Terrin Vavra
What he brings: A ton of versatility. Vavra has pro experience at second base, shortstop and all three outfield positions, and the 25-year-old worked at first this offseason, knowing the O’s had available playing time there.
What he said: “Competition raises the floor. The more competition, the better. We obviously want to be a successful organization, so it’s super exciting that we have all this competition. It’s going to promote the best baseball possible for the Orioles, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
Outlook: Of the five players on this list, Vavra is the only one already on the 40-man roster, so that could give him a leg up. His bat may not have a ton of thump, but he’s a high on-base guy, as evidenced by his .425 OBP in the Minors and his .340 OBP in the Majors last season.