Pitchers and catchers begin reporting to spring training next week, both the World Baseball Classic participants and the regular crew. Position players in the WBC also are due, with the non-WBC hitters set for arrival no later than Feb. 16.

The majority of players unpack their bags early at Ed Smith Stadium, which speaks to the appeal of the complex. We won’t rehash the Fort Lauderdale issues. It’s like bashing an ex-girlfriend.

Appreciate the good times and move on.

The Orioles could trickle into the facility without making another huge splash. They haven’t added a starter for the top or upper portion of the rotation. The bullpen hasn’t acquired another impactful reliever beyond Ryan Helsley, Andrew Kittredge and potentially Albert Suárez.

Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen and a handful of lower-tier starters remain in play, which can take the rotation in two dramatically different directions. We’re talking dominance versus depth, but either way can create vast improvements over a group that posted a 4.65 ERA last season.

Report dates shouldn’t be mistaken as firm deadlines for making transactions. The Orioles are known to keep negotiating up until setting rosters for Opening Day.

Kyle Gibson signed on March 22, one day after Kyle Bradish’s assignment to the 60-day injured list. And while the Corbin Burnes trade in 2024 happened before anyone was required to be in Sarasota, Feb. 1 qualified as a late offseason move.

Pitcher Julio Teheran and second baseman Kolten Wong agreed to minor league deals with spring training invites on Feb. 28 but didn’t make the major league roster. Teheran opted out twice, which might challenge the record.

Left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe arrived on the final day of 2023 spring training, with news of the cash deal breaking as media headed down for post-game interviews. All he did was post a 2.56 ERA and 0.951 WHIP in two seasons.

Veteran starter Jordan Lyles was signed on March 2022. Veteran starter Matt Harvey signed a minor league contract on Feb. 17, 2021. Third baseman Maikel Franco signed on March 16, and left-hander Wade LeBlanc re-signed five days later. Cleveland traded reliever Adam Plutko to the Orioles for cash considerations on March 27.

Anyone remember Pedro Álvarez strolling into camp in March 2016?

Could anyone possibly forget the flurries of 2014? They created a Florida blizzard.

That is always where my mind goes when the subject turns to late offseason moves.

The Orioles signed Korean right-hander Suk-min Yoon to a three-year, $5.575 million contract on Feb. 17. He never pitched for them, receiving his release a year later and going back home.

He wasn’t even invited to spring training. One member of the organization joked that his fielders needed to wear hockey equipment for protection.

Ubaldo Jimenez signed a four-year, $50 million contract on Feb. 19, which cost the Orioles their first round draft pick.

(I was first to report the sides were nearing agreement on a four-year deal believed to be worth around $48 million. So, OK, close enough.)

With rumors swirling that the Orioles were nearing a deal for Kendrys Morales, they instead signed Nelson Cruz for $8 million on Feb. 24, after he declined a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Rangers. The Orioles sacrificed the No. 55 overall draft pick.

I was one of the reporters who thought Morales was the more likely acquisition, until someone in the front office said that I had it backward. Yep, I sure did. At least I finally got it right toward the end of negotiations.

Veteran starter Johan Santana signed a minor league contract on March 4, a small agreement but a huge deal based on his past accomplishments. His comeback ended with a torn Achilles tendon.

The public relations staff spent more time arranging press conferences, and a media scrum with Santana in the workroom, than anything else.

Looking back, only the Cruz deal was worth the effort.

A strong runner-up in the late signing contest would be 2018 with veteran starters Andrew Cashner and Alex Cobb joining the organization on Feb. 15 and March 21, respectively, plus the team reaching agreements with outfielder Colby Rasmus on a minor league contract on Feb. 21, Álvarez on Feb. 26, infielder Danny Valencia on March 3.

Rasmus wasn’t a pitcher but he threw the best curveball of the season by retiring before a July 3 game in Philadelphia.

Some other notable names include pitchers Freddy Garcia and Dontrelle Willis in March 2013 and 2012, respectively. Not much to see here. Garcia posted a 5.77 ERA and 1.358 WHIP in 11 appearances before the Braves purchased his contract, and Willis had an 8.53 ERA and 2.211 WHIP in four games (one start) with Triple-A Norfolk before he “voluntarily retired” – unhappy with a bullpen role that he said caused his forearm strain - and later was released.

The clock in 2026 is ticking louder with Valdez and Gallen loitering on the market. Could a signing of this magnitude really be put on hold until spring training starts?