Wells, infield battle highlights of O's spring

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Orioles are a week’s worth of games into the 2022 Grapefruit League slate, a week closer to Opening Day on April 8 in Tampa and a week into trying to set a roster that features more open spots than set ones.

The rotation (behind John Means and Jordan Lyles) and the infield (save for first baseman Ryan Mountcastle) are wide open for the taking. The club likes the talent it has competing for spots but will need to see some form of differentiating performances over the last week and a half of games to determine roles -- all which could remain flexible, at that.

“We have question marks [at] pitching, behind the plate, but infield also,” manager Brandon Hyde said prior to Saturday’s 14-5 Grapefruit League victory over the Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium. “... It's an evaluation right now.”

Here are three things I’m thinking about as we dive into the next phase of Grapefruit League action and the O’s roster decisions become more magnified:

1. Tyler Wells could get a legitimate shot in the rotation

If you were tantalized by Wells’ performance as a closer in 2021, you weren’t alone. But the O’s are intrigued to see what he can do with that talent out of the rotation, at least to start the year.

Wells got his second Grapefruit League start on Saturday, becoming the first O’s pitcher to get a second turn in the rotation. The biggest factor against him is durability; because of Tommy John surgery that erased his 2019 season and the pandemic that canceled the ’20 Minor League season, Wells has thrown just 57 official innings over the last three seasons, even battling throwing arm injuries in ’21.

The 6-foot-8 righty said after his outing on Saturday that he’s open to whatever role he takes and is unsure if it’ll come in the rotation given short time this spring. No matter which innings he’s called upon, he’d prefer one key attribute to remain: He wants to pitch in the important moments.

“It's kind of more of the culture and environment that I appreciate the most, rather than the dedicated role,” Wells said. “Both of them are equally as important.”

2. The infield is open for the taking

The O’s, for the most part, have the players in-house that they’re auditioning for infield starting spots, but they lack the firm knowledge where they’ll spend the most of their time. Jorge Mateo, Ramón Urías, Kelvin Gutierrez, Chris Owings and Rougned Odor are the candidates to line up next to Mountcastle. And thus, each Grapefruit League game has featured deliberate tinkering from Hyde to try to see who lines up best where.

And it may not be so simple. On Saturday, Urías took short and Mateo second, with Owings at third (and all three filled the box score). On Thursday, Mateo was at short and Urías at second, with Gutierrez at third. But Gutierrez has also played first, Owings is a natural shortstop, and Mateo can play the outfield. And Odor has been bullish on moving away from second.

Following along?

“We’re just going to continue to take a look at it, all middle infielders, all infielders,” Hyde said, later adding, “I'm really happy with how those guys are playing. I think they are pushing each other.”

Platoons and matchup-based lineups are in the conversation if not expected.

3. Prospect hope might have to be tempered

It’s not that the prospects making up the Orioles’ farm system -- ranked among the best in the Majors -- won’t perform capably, but it might take some time before they do. And less for their own fault.

It’s far from a given that the club makes any surprise additions to the Opening Day roster from the prospect pool. Adley Rutschman was the greatest hope, but his injury has sidelined such plans. D.L. Hall, who’s yet to pitch in the Grapefruit League, and Grayson Rodriguez are expected to contribute in the Majors this season but not until a later point in the year.

So where do outfielder Kyle Stowers (No. 8 prospect) and right-hander Kyle Bradish (No. 10) fit in? They might have the best shots to be Opening Day surprises. Bradish will get another start, Hyde said, after commanding the Yankees’ full-strength lineup on Wednesday, and another solid outing could perhaps force the O’s to give him a real shot in the Opening Day rotation.

Stowers’ chances might be slimmer. He’s performing admirably, but the O’s outfield of Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays and Anthony Santander (with Trey Mancini getting reps this spring, too) likely pushes him out of the picture unless one of those names -- more likely Santander or Mancini -- is moved. The O’s would likely want Stowers to get consistent playing time in the Minors over coming off the bench, though that could change quickly, as a lot has already this spring.