masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgWhen I interviewed Cameron Coffey in March, he was upbeat and very optimistic about the 2010 season.

But now, outside of taking part at extended spring training, Coffey has not pitched for any O’s minor league affiliate and the possibility exists that he won’t this year.

Coffey underwent Tommy John surgery in March of last year and his velocity has not returned to an expected level. On Thursday, he’ll undergo an MRA, which is similar to an MRI, to see if anything else is wrong with the…When I interviewed Cameron Coffey in March, he was upbeat and very optimistic about the 2010 season.

But now, outside of taking part at extended spring training, Coffey has not pitched for any O’s minor league affiliate and the possibility exists that he won’t this year.

Coffey underwent Tommy John surgery in March of last year and his velocity has not returned to an expected level. On Thursday, he’ll undergo an MRA, which is similar to an MRI, to see if anything else is wrong with the 19-year-old lefty from Houston.

“He’s been doing everything you normally would do in the rehab process.” O’s director of player development, John Stockstill said. “The velocity is not where it needs to be.”

When asked if the O’s have ruled out that Coffey will pitch for a minor league team this year, Stockstill said “we’ll see what happens Thursday.”

Coffey was drafted in round 22 last June and received a nearly one million dollar signing bonus, one of the largest ever given a player taken after the tenth round.

It was looking like he might make his season-debut with a short-season club, but now he’s headed for Thursday’s procedure and not to join Bluefield or Aberdeen.

Here is a story from March on Coffey and his comeback from surgery at that point.