O's, Pedro Severino agree to deal (source)
Joe Trezza
The Orioles on Tuesday avoided arbitration with catcher Pedro Severino, agreeing to terms on a one-year, $1.825 million contract, according to multiple sources.
MLB.com's Mark Feinsand was first to report the deal, which has not been confirmed by the club.
Severino, 27, was arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason after hitting .250/.322/.388 with five home runs and 21 RBIs in 2020, his second season as one of the Orioles’ two regular catchers. Acquired on a waiver claim from the Nationals on the final week of Spring Training in '19, Severino has split duties behind the plate with Chance Sisco over the past two seasons, demonstrating improved defensive skills and roughly league-average production at the plate.
Over the past two seasons, Severino has hit .249 with 18 homers, 65 RBIs and a .730 OPS in 144 games. He’s thrown out an above-average 35 percent of would-be basestealers over that stretch, but he struggled receiving at times, allowing 15 passed balls and 56 wild pitches. The five passed balls that Severino allowed in 35 games in 2020 were tied for the most among American League catchers.
Severino spent parts of 2015-18 with Washington, mostly in backup roles. In Baltimore, Severino figures to continue splitting time with Sisco until No. 1 prospect Adley Rutschman is promoted. That could come as soon as the summer of '21. That surplus of catchers, mixed with Severino’s production, make him a trade candidate this winter.
Tuesday’s deal left the Orioles with six arbitration-eligible players remaining ahead of Wednesday’s 8 p.m. ET non-tender deadline, including sluggers Anthony Santander and Trey Mancini, infielders Hanser Alberto and Yolmer Sánchez, right-hander Shawn Armstrong and utility man Pat Valaika. Santander and Mancini are guaranteed to be tendered contracts, while the other four remain possible non-tender candidates to varying degrees.
Valaika figures to be the most in jeopardy of being non-tendered. He hit .277 with eight homers and a .791 OPS in 2020, but he will likely command upwards of $1 million as a first-time arbitration-eligible player. The Orioles released Renato Núñez, another first-time eligible player, last week rather than entertain the raise he’d earn through the process.